On April 17, 2025, an important event took place in the history of European aviation: Istanbul Airport (IST) officially launched the simultaneous operation of three independent runways. This innovation increased the capacity from 120 to 148 operations per hour. The first three Turkish Airlines flights under the new scheme were personally conducted by the Turkish Minister of Transport.
The project, which started in 2022, included a large-scale airspace analysis and the training of over 500 air traffic controllers, who underwent more than 4,500 hours of training. The implementation involved Turkish Airlines, the Turkish Aviation Authority (SHGM), the airport operator IGA and the Eurocontrol Innovation Center, where non-standard scenarios were simulated to test the sustainability of the new system.
The introduction of the triple take-off and landing scheme was not only a technological breakthrough, but also a strategic step towards strengthening IST’s position as a global hub. The airport aims to reach 200 million passengers and 4 million tons of cargo per year. The new structure will particularly improve the efficiency of cargo operations at night, making the airport even more attractive to international cargo carriers.