Sabiha Gokcen Airport: Size And Significance Explored

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is one of the two key airports in Istanbul, Turkey. Named after Turkey's first female combat pilot, Sabiha Gökçen, the airport is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, about 30km southeast of Üsküdar and 14km from Pendik railway station. With a single terminal operation for both international and domestic passengers, SAW has a total terminal capacity of 41 million passengers per annum.

Location and transport links

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, about 30 km (19 miles) southeast of Üsküdar and the Kadıköy ferry dock. The airport is named after Ms Sabiha Gökçen (1913-2001), the world's first female fighter pilot. It is one of the two key airports in Istanbul, the other being the older Atatürk Airport.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is located between the suburbs of Kurtköy and Pendik, about 12 km from Pendik railway station and sea-taxi stations. The M4 metro line has been extended to the airport, and the M10 metro connection to Marmaray and Yüksek Hızlı Tren via the Pendik station is currently under construction. The airport is also reachable by car and taxi from the E80 European motorway, which passes through the Istanbul Metropolitan Area. Shuttle bus services such as Havaist, along with express public buses E10 and E11 operated by İETT, serve Taksim and Kadıköy, and there are coaches to nearby towns and cities.

The airport is easily accessible by major highways, roads, and public transport. Within a 2-hour drive catchment area, the airport is capable of serving over 23 million people. Transport between Sabiha Gökçen Airport and the centre of Istanbul is also provided by city bus, Havataş Airport Bus, a private transfer service, public transport (bus, Metro Marmaray), taxi, shuttle van, and car rental.

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport offers its services to 28 countries through 40 airlines covering 68 destinations. The airport has two domestic terminals, A and B, and one international terminal. The airport's total terminal capacity is 41 million passengers per annum (mppa). The airport served over 37.1 million passengers in 2023, making it the second busiest airport in Turkey and the ninth busiest in Europe.

Terminals and capacity

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, about 30 km southeast of Üsküdar and 12 km from Pendik on the Asian side. It is one of the two key airports in Istanbul, the other being the older Atatürk Airport, and is named after Sabiha Gökçen, Turkey's first female combat pilot.

The airport has two domestic terminals, A and B, and one international terminal. A new terminal was inaugurated in October 2009, which increased the airport's capacity to 25 million passengers annually. The terminal building was designed by Dogan Tekeli Sisa Mimarlik Ofisi, maximising daylight and providing an environmentally friendly atmosphere. The airport is easily accessible by major highways, roads, and public transport, and is capable of serving over 23 million people within a 2-hour drive catchment area.

In 2010, the airport handled 11,129,472 passengers, a 71% increase compared to 2009. By 2019, the airport had already received and handled more than 35 million passengers, surpassing its 2011 plan to host 25 million passengers by 2023. As of 2023, the airport served over 37.1 million passengers, ranking as the second busiest airport in Turkey and the ninth busiest in Europe.

The airport's main carrier is Pegasus, and its second-biggest carrier is Ajet. Sabiha Gökçen International Airport provides connectivity to over 117 international and 40 domestic destinations. With the addition of a new boarding hall in July 2018, the total terminal capacity increased to 41 million passengers per annum. The construction of a second runway and a new terminal is expected to further increase the airport's handling capacity.

Airlines and destinations

Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is located on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus about 30 km (19 miles) southeast of Üsküdar, the Kadıköy ferry dock, and the Harem intercity bus terminal. The airport is named after Ms Sabiha Gökçen (1913-2001), the world's first female fighter pilot. In her long career as a pilot and teacher, she flew 22 different combat and aerobatics aircraft and was the first woman to fly the Focke Wulfe 190-A3.

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is connected to the city of Istanbul and its wider metropolitan area through various transport options. The airport is located 14 km from the Pendik railway station and sea-taxi stations. The M4 metro line has been extended to the airport, and the M10, a metro connection to Marmaray and Yüksek Hızlı Tren via the Pendik station, is currently under construction. The airport is also reachable by car or taxi from the E80 European motorway, which passes through the Istanbul Metropolitan Area. Additionally, shuttle bus companies such as Havaist and express public buses E10 and E11 operated by İETT serve Taksim and Kadıköy, and there are coaches to nearby towns and cities.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport served over 37.1 million passengers in 2023, ranking as the second busiest airport in Turkey and the ninth busiest in Europe. The airport has experienced a 900% increase in direct connectivity over the last decade. With a single terminal operation for both international and domestic passengers, the airport provides a seamless experience with short connecting times and walking distances. The airport's total terminal capacity is 41 million passengers per annum.

The airport's main carrier is Pegasus, and its second-biggest carrier is Ajet. Other top airlines include Qatar Airways, Flynas, and Air Arabia. Pegasus Airlines offers flights to various destinations, including Stansted, Barcelona, Schiphol, and Franz Josef Strauss International. Additionally, flydubai provides flights to Dubai International.

History and development

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, about 30 km southeast of Üsküdar and 12 km from Pendik. It is named after Sabiha Gökçen (1913-2001), the world's first female fighter pilot. The airport was developed as a Greenfield project, and it is easily accessible by major highways, roads, and public transport.

In 2008, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Investment Development and Operations (ISG), a consortium of Limak Holding of Turkey, GMR Group of India, and Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad, was formed. They acquired the right to operate the airport as a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project for 20 years. ISG developed a new terminal over an area of 320,000 square meters, which was inaugurated on October 31, 2009, and began commercial operations on November 9, 2009. The new terminal building was designed to maximise daylight and provide an environmentally friendly atmosphere.

The development of the new terminal was a significant step in the Advanced Technology Industrial Park and Airport Project, which aimed to provide transportation, foreign trade, aviation, and technology services to Turkey and make the region a technology hub. With the new terminal, Sabiha Gökçen Airport's passenger capacity increased to 25 million per year, with an expected increase to 42 million passengers in the next 20 years. The airport has two domestic terminals, A and B, and one international terminal.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is home to Pegasus, its main carrier, and offers services to 28 countries through 40 airlines covering 68 destinations. As of 2023, the airport has experienced a 900% increase in its direct connectivity over the last 10 years. It served over 37.1 million passengers in 2023, making it the second busiest airport in Turkey and the ninth busiest in Europe. The airport's connectivity spreads across over 117 international destinations and 40 domestic destinations. The addition of a second runway and a new terminal in 2023 is expected to further increase its handling capacity.

Named after Turkey's first female combat pilot

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey. It is the second busiest airport in Turkey and the ninth busiest in Europe. The airport is named after Ms. Sabiha Gökçen, who was the world's first female fighter pilot.

Sabiha Gökçen was born in 1913 and had a long career as a pilot and teacher. She flew 22 different combat and aerobatics aircraft and was the first woman to fly the Focke Wulfe 190-A3. She was also one of the world's most noted female pilots and the adopted daughter of Kemal Atatürk, who was the leader of Turkey from 1923 to 1938. Atatürk's social reforms emphasized equal rights and opportunities for women, and the importance of flight, which made Gökçen's pioneering work possible.

In 1925, when Sabiha was twelve years old, she met Atatürk during his visit to Bursa. She asked for permission to speak with him and expressed her wish to study at a boarding school. Moved by her story and her difficult living conditions, Atatürk decided to adopt her and took her to live with him at the Çankaya Presidential Residence in Ankara, where she lived with his other adoptive daughters, Zehra, Afet, and Rukiye. She attended the Çankaya Primary School in Ankara and the Üsküdar American Academy in Istanbul.

Atatürk played a significant role in Gökçen's aviation career. In 1935, he took her to the opening ceremony of the Türkkuşu (Turkish Bird) Flight School, where she became excited about aviation. Atatürk enrolled her as the first female trainee, and she earned her pilot's license. She later participated in advanced courses in glider and powered aircraft piloting in Crimea, in the Soviet Union. Gökçen's superior performance in combat operations and maneuvers earned her accolades, including the Turkish Aeronautical Association's first "Jeweled Medal." She was also appointed the Chief Instructor of the Türkkusu Flight School.

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