According to the information obtained from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure officials, the increase in the number of passengers at the airports continued in March. In March, compared to the same month of the previous year, air traffic reached 64 thousand 29 with an increase of 17.4 percent in domestic flights and 49 thousand 817 with an increase of 33.6 percent in international flights. With the overpasses in March, the total air traffic increased by 24.5 percent to 149 thousand 736.
Domestic passenger traffic at the airports was 6 million 383 thousand, international passenger traffic was 7 million 195 thousand. A total of 13 million 601 thousand passengers were served, including direct transit passengers. Freight (cargo, mail and baggage) traffic; 59 thousand 742 tons in domestic lines, 223 thousand 404 tons in international lines, a total of 283 thousand 147 tons.
While a total of 39,396 aircraft traffic took place at Istanbul Airport in March, 5 million 762 thousand passengers traveled. At Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, a total of 17 thousand 543 aircraft traffic and 2 million 717 thousand passenger traffic were realized.
Aircraft traffic increased by 29 percent in the first quarter
In the January-March period, the mobility in passenger and aircraft traffic attracted attention. In the first quarter, compared to the same period of the previous year, air traffic reached 193,310 with an increase of 24 percent in domestic flights, and 140 thousand 483 in international lines with an increase of 33.3 percent. Thus, with the overpasses, the total aircraft traffic increased by 29 percent to 436 thousand 550.
In the same period, domestic passenger traffic at airports in Turkey increased by 17.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 18 million 755 thousand, international passenger traffic increased by 48.3 percent and reached 20 million 193 thousand. Together with the direct transit passengers, the total number of passengers increased by 31.5% to 38 million 983 thousand.
In the first quarter, the freight traffic at the airports was 833 thousand 949 tons, 180 thousand 333 tons on domestic lines and 653 thousand 616 tons on international lines.
While a total of 113 thousand 845 aircraft traffic took place in the January-March period at Istanbul Airport, 16 million 530 thousand passengers were hosted. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, which has 50 thousand 589 aircraft traffic, served 7 million 921 thousand passengers.