Istanbul Airport named 'Airport of Year'

The Istanbul Airport was named as the "Airport of the Year" by readers of a U.K.-based magazine, the airport operator firm IGA announced on Tuesday.

The Istanbul Airport received majority of votes from readers of the International Airport Review, beating several international airports such as Heathrow (the U.K.), Sydney (Australia) and Changi (Singapore), said a press release issued by IGA.

Kadri Samsunlu, the CEO of IGA, said the airport gained a significant momentum to be a global hub with its unique architecture, strong infrastructure and high-technology.

"We aim to bring more awards to Turkey by reaching our targets in the coming periods," Samsunlu said.

While the Istanbul Airport was awarded in the category of "Readers’ Choice: Airport of the Year", the magazine also announced India's Kempegowda International Airport as the "Most Sustainable Initiative", Abu Dhabi International Airport's Midfield Terminal Complex as the "Innovative Design Project", Scotland's Edinburgh Airport as the "Best Accessibility Initiative", and the capital London's Gatwick Airport as the "Best Airside Efficiency".

The Istanbul Airport, whose first phase officially opened in October 2018, took over air traffic from the former main Ataturk Airport on April 6.

The airport is projected to serve 200 million passengers annually with a full capacity after the completion of all four phases with six runways by 2028.