With schools entering the mid-term break, citizens putting their holiday plans into action flocked to airports. Passengers wishing to holiday outside Istanbul, along with citizens travelling for Umrah, caused heavy congestion at Istanbul Airport.
The crowding, which intensified from midday onwards, led to long queues at security checkpoints, ticketing and baggage drop areas, and passport control points. It was observed that some families taking advantage of the holiday preferred to travel to their hometowns with their children, while other passengers headed particularly to ski resorts abroad.
Due to the increased passenger traffic, Istanbul Airport operator İGA took additional measures to ensure that passengers do not experience any inconvenience. Within this scope, extra gates were opened at terminal entrances, and the number of staff was increased in areas with heavy passenger movement.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,350 aircraft are expected to land and take off at Istanbul Airport today. Officials warned passengers to arrive at the airport well before their flight times and complete their procedures early.
“I Haven’t Seen Such Crowds in 5 Years”
Nihat Kaya, who came to Istanbul Airport to see off his daughter travelling to New York, said that the level of congestion was remarkable. Kaya stated:
“I came to see my daughter off to New York. The mid-term holiday definitely has an effect on this crowd. Not only the mid-term break, but I also think the number of people travelling for Umrah is increasing the congestion. I have been coming to Istanbul Airport for 4–5 years, and this is the first time I have seen such a level of crowding.”
