New Ercan Airport Begins Test Flights, Set to Bring Magnificent Investment to TRNC on 20 July
New Ercan Airport Begins Test Flights, Opening Set for July 20
Test flights have commenced at the newly constructed Ercan Airport. After experiencing delays, the long-awaited opening of the airport is scheduled for July 20. Minister of Public Works and Transport, Erhan Arıklı, expressed his satisfaction that all preparations are underway for the opening.
Minister Arıklı emphasized the significance of this investment for both the Turkish Cypriot people and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The new Ercan Airport is larger than Turkey’s fourth-largest airport, Dalaman Airport, with a capacity of 10 million passengers. The construction of the airport has cost approximately 400 million euros.
While Minister Arıklı acknowledged that there might be minor deficiencies initially after the airport’s opening, he assured that these issues would be promptly resolved. The Minister also mentioned that Turkey’s Ministry of Transport is fully committed to supporting the project and ensuring flight quality and passenger safety.
Upon its opening, flights will operate from the new Ercan Airport, while the old airport will be repurposed for other functions. Minister Arıklı highlighted the importance of competition and expressed satisfaction with the services provided by Istanbul Handling. However, he stated that they are open to considering alternative applications for handling services at the airport.
Minister Arıklı further informed that the previous problems concerning customs and police buildings at the airport have been resolved. The Technical Coordinator of T&T company, Naci Işık, provided technical information about the airport and the ongoing test flights. He confirmed that all ground tests have been successful and that the airport has been constructed in compliance with international standards.
The new runway at Ercan Airport measures 3000 meters, while the existing runway is 2755 meters. Naci Işık mentioned that the old runway will be rebuilt after the airport’s official opening. Following the speeches, the test flights began at the new Ercan Airport.
With the opening of the new Ercan Airport, both the Turkish Cypriot people and visitors will benefit from improved travel options and enhanced infrastructure. The airport’s completion marks an important milestone in the region’s transportation sector.
Source: BRT
