However, it seems that the overcrowded waiting areas and long queues at check-in and passport control will soon be a thing of the past. The planned opening on October 29 of a major new international airport, for the time being simply called Istanbul Yeni Havalimani (“Istanbul New Airport”), is aimed at serving both the city’s fast-growing tourist tra c and also the anticipated growth in transit tra c.
Carved out of marshlands and derelict mine workings to the north-west of Istanbul, with a total area of more than 7,650 hectares, the new airport promises to be the largest by area in Europe, and one of the biggest in the world (the only ones that surpass it are Denver International at 13,571 hectares, and King Fahd International in Saudi Arabia, which covers a whopping 77,600 hectares).
Once completed the Istanbul Jeni Havalimani will boast six runways – ve running north-south, and one east-west as a hedge against possible inclement weather. With an eventual capacity to handle 200 million passengers a year, ying to as many as 350 destinations, o cials claim the new airport will spell an end to the take o and landing delays.
For more details, I recommend you to read our cover article. Enjoy your holiday!
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