The long-awaited opening of İstanbul’s new airport finally went ahead last month, involving a 45-hour migration from Ataturk (ISL) to the new facility (IGA).

The new airport was originally slated to open in October 2018, but the date moved back several times — it finally opened April 7. During the move, there was a 12-hour period during which there were no flights from either airport.

The switch involved more than 10,000 pieces of equipment moved between the two.

“We are conducting the biggest transportation operation in the aviation history. So much so that during the move from Atatürk Airport which was the host of Turkish Airlines during its great rise in the global aviation to Istanbul Airport, our new home, the combined size of the equipment we are starting to transfer would cover the 33 football pitches,” said M Ilker Ayci, chairman of the board and executive committee, Turkish Airlines. “We will continue to welcome our guests from all over the world with the unique service concept of Turkish Airlines with much wider opportunities provided by our new home after this great operation, which closely followed not only in our country and region, but also on a global scale.”