It’s being reported that Istanbul’s new airport transition may now be pushed back beyond March 2019. As of now it seems that this is just rumored, as it hasn’t officially been confirmed by any airlines.
What’s causing the further delay of Istanbul’s new airport?
There are local elections in Turkey on March 31, and there’s a fear that the airport move shortly before that could be catastrophic. It’s rumored that former prime minister Binali Yıldırım may be behind the delay. He fears that if the airport opens before the elections, it could spell disaster at the polls.
Some have said that all three airports in Istanbul will not be able to follow international air traffic control rules while operating from all three airports at heavy volumes, and have warned of serious risks related to that. I can’t personally vouch for that, obviously, but it’s an interesting point.
Equally it seems like the airport is having some real funding challenges at this point.
Turkey’s General Directorate of State Airports has just announced that she’s retiring, and that comes on the verge of the completion of this project — you’d think she’d see it through if everything was going reasonably well. She says she’s quitting due to fatigue and wanting to spend time with her family, but it’s rumored that this in fact involves political pressure, and economic problems related to the project.
Several of the investors in the airport have pulled out after racking up debt (as the project came in over budget). This debt may be transferred to Turkish Airlines, and in turn, to the government.
