Doha: Construction on Turkey’s future $30 billion super hub airport in Istanbul is set to start in the coming weeks, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer, Temel Kotil, told Gulf News in Doha, earlier this week. He was speaking on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual meet.
The development of Turkish Airlines’ future home has been a contentious issue in a country marred by protests against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development party (AKP) over the past 12 months. The airport site is located on one of the cities sparse foresty areas.
Kotil, however, said that the country’s political issue “is resolved”.
Erdogan’s AK Party received a majority of votes in the municipal elections held in March.
Seni Sener, Group chief executive of TAV Airports, which pulled out of the bid to develop the new airport because it believed the bid was not feasible, told Gulf News in May that the airport will not be delivered on time. He said it was not practical to start construction on the mega airport and deliver the first phase by 2018.
Last year, a consortium led by Limak Holding won the $30.3 billion bid to build Istanbul’s new airport and operate it for 25 years. Construction was set to begin in May.
Istanbul’s third port, located on the European side of the city, is set to handle 150 million passengers annually once completed.
