Istanbul Airport serves flights after mega move

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The Istanbul Airport started serving international and domestic flights on April 6 after its mega move.     

Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines dispatched its first flight to capital Ankara at 2 p.m. local time (1100GMT).     

İlker Aycı, chairman of Turkish Airlines, said in a statement: "Today in our new home, we open the doors of a new adventure and fly to our capital once again for our first flight."     

On April 5, the big switch from Ataturk Airport to the new Istanbul airport began.     

The first phase of the airport with an annual capacity of 90 million passengers officially opened last October.     

At full annual capacity of 200 million passengers- with the completion of all four phases with six runways until 2028- Istanbul Airport is set to become a global aviation hub with flights to over 350 destinations around the world.     

After its completion, the airport will serve 250 aviation companies worldwide with daily 2,000 plane landing and taking off capacity. 

IN PHOTOS: Turkish Airlines makes its ‘great move’ from Istanbul Atatürk Airport