The first flight from Istanbul's centrepiece new
airport after the massive transfer of aviation equipment from the
previous passenger hub, is scheduled to take off on Saturday.
"Our transport has been largely completed. Closed highways are
reopened for traffic," national flag carrier Turkish Airlines CEO
Bilal Eksi tweeted on Saturday.
The new Istanbul Airport is to replace the overcrowded Ataturk
International Airport, opened in 1933, some 40 kilometres to the
south. Ataturk will remain open for cargo operations.
Both hubs are currently closed to general air traffic. Turkish
Airlines is scheduled to make the first flight since the transfer, to
the capital Ankara, at 2 pm (1100 GMT).
International carriers plan
to start flights from the new airport by midnight Saturday.
Hundreds of trucks have been carrying aviation equipment to the new
airport from Ataturk since early Friday.
Three main highways were
temporarily closed to traffic late on Friday.
On the Asian side of Istanbul, a second international hub, the Sabiha
Gokcen Airport remains operational.
Departure terminal of the Istanbul International Airport is seen in Istanbul.