Eighty percent of the initial development phase for Istanbul's new airport has been completed, including the first runway at the future hub.
Runway 34L's lighting system has been switched on, says development consortium IGA, which adds that the airport will be opened on 29 October.
The runway is 3,750m in length and features over 34,000 light-emitting diode fixtures.
"We have recently finished the baggage system, which constitutes our airport’s core," says IGA chief Yusuf Akcayoglu.
"Now we have made the [first runway] ready for landing with all the required equipment and in compliance with the relevant global standards."
Istanbul's new hub will initially be able to handle 90 million passengers annually and serve around 100 airlines. It will feature three parallel runways, a terminal and air traffic control tower among its infrastructure.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
