Monthly USA-based travel magazine Global Traveler has given Turkey’s Istanbul New Airport (İGA) a special achievement award in the ‘outstanding innovation’ category.
İGA was chosen for the award for completing the first phase of a three-stage development project, which saw the new €7.5bn (US$8.5bn) flagship airport open following four years of construction and nearly two years of operational readiness and airport transfer (ORAT) preparations. All airline operations were successfully transferred from Atatürk Airport, with Turkish Airlines alone moving around 1,800 members of staff and more than 47,000 tons of equipment.
When complete, Istanbul New Airport will operate six runways and cater for up to 200 million passengers annually. At full capacity, it will act as a global aviation hub with flights to over 300 destinations around the world.
İGA corporate communications director Gökhan Şengül accepted the award on behalf of the airport. “Istanbul New Airport has been deemed worthy of many awards with its unique architecture, tower design and, most importantly, the social responsibility projects it has implemented,” he said.
“Receiving an award for innovation is proof of the difference our airport has made and an indication that we performed our jobs well.”
