Airports in Istanbul handled 81 million passengers in 8 months

Following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people traveling by air continues to rise both globally and in Turkey. The growth in passenger numbers is continuing this year as well. The increase, which began in January 2024, has continued uninterrupted for 8 months.

Increases in the number of passengers hosted at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport were recorded during this period compared to last year.

According to information compiled from the website of the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), 53 million 410 thousand 136 passengers used Istanbul Airport in the January-August period of this year. Of these passengers, 11 million 658 thousand 410 traveled on domestic flights, while 41 million 751 thousand 726 traveled on international flights.

It was calculated that there was a total increase of 2 million 739 thousand 26 passengers at Istanbul Airport compared to 2023, where a total of 50 million 671 thousand 110 passengers traveled in the same period last year, with 12 million 198 thousand 537 on domestic and 38 million 472 thousand 573 on international flights.

PASSENGER NUMBERS INCREASED BY 6 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR

When the number of passengers is compared to the same period last year, a 4 percent decrease was experienced in domestic flights at Istanbul Airport, while a 9 percent increase was observed in international flights. It was determined that the total number of passengers at this airport increased by 6 percent compared to the same period last year.

In the first 8 months of this year, 13 million 172 thousand 953 passengers flew on domestic flights and 14 million 343 thousand 972 passengers flew on international flights from Sabiha Gökçen Airport. A total of 27 million 516 thousand 925 passengers used this airport.

In the same period last year, a total of 24 million 99 thousand 674 passengers were hosted at this airport, with 11 million 408 thousand 770 on domestic and 12 million 690 thousand 904 on international flights.

The number of passengers hosted at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in the January-August period of this year increased by 1 million 764 thousand 183 on domestic flights, 1 million 653 thousand 68 on international flights, and 3 million 417 thousand 251 in total.

Accordingly, passenger numbers showed an increase of 15 percent on domestic flights, 13 percent on international flights, and 14 percent in total.

24 MILLION PASSENGERS ON DOMESTIC FLIGHTS, 56 MILLION ON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

A total of 80 million 927 thousand 61 people traveled through Istanbul airports in the first 8 months of this year, with 24 million 831 thousand 363 on domestic flights and 56 million 95 thousand 698 on international flights.

It was calculated that the number of passengers flying from Istanbul, which was 74 million 770 thousand 784 in the same period last year, showed an increase of 6 million 156 thousand 277 people and 9 percent compared to the same period this year.

While the number of transit passengers using Istanbul airports for connecting flights was 305 thousand 95 in the January-August period last year, it was 166 thousand 90 in the first 8 months of this year. There was a 45.6 percent decrease in the number of transit passengers.

In parallel with the passenger numbers in the first 8 months of this year, flights at Istanbul airports also increased.

While 80 thousand 197 flights were made on domestic routes and 266 thousand 398 on international routes from Istanbul Airport in the January-August period of this year, the total number of flights was calculated as 346 thousand 595.

An increase of 9 thousand 226 was observed in the same period this year at the airport, where a total of 337 thousand 369 flights were made in the first 8 months of 2023. It was calculated that flights at Istanbul Airport increased by approximately 3 percent compared to the same period last year.

160 THOUSAND FLIGHTS AT SABİHA GÖKÇEN AIRPORT

A total of 160 thousand 694 flights were organized at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in the first 8 months of this year. 74 thousand 703 flights were made on domestic routes and 85 thousand 991 on international routes at this airport.

While a total of 150 thousand 874 flights were carried out from the airport in the first 8 months of 2023, 160 thousand 694 flights were made this year. While an increase of 9 thousand 820 flights was recorded, it was determined that flights increased by 7 percent compared to the same period last year according to these figures.

Statistics reflected that 507 thousand 289 flights were made from Istanbul airports in January-August this year, and 488 thousand 243 in the same period last year.

Thus, the number of flights in the first 8 months of this year increased by 19 thousand 46 compared to the same period last year. It was calculated that the number of flights carried out increased by approximately 5 percent compared to the same period last year.

While a total of 959 thousand 480 tons of cargo was carried on domestic and international flights at Istanbul Airport in the first 8 months of last year, the cargo carried this year was 1 million 251 thousand 596 tons, with a 30 percent increase.

At Sabiha Gökçen Airport, while 31 thousand 833 tons of cargo was carried in the same period last year, 37 thousand 549 tons of cargo was carried this year, with an 18 percent increase.

News Source: 12punto