Jazmin Li
Istanbul Airport, Turkey's main international airport, has continued to operate as normal following the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake and its aftershocks caused devastating damage, with thousands of people losing their lives and infrastructure, including several airports, being severely impacted. While three Turkish airports briefly closed after the earthquake, Istanbul Airport was unaffected and has remained open. This resilience can be attributed to Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport, which is designed to be earthquake-safe, incorporating advanced seismic isolation technology.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Istanbul Airport operating after the earthquake? | Yes, Istanbul Airport has continued to operate as normal after the earthquake. |
| Were there any disruptions to the airport after the earthquake? | No, there were no disruptions to Istanbul Airport after the earthquake. However, other airports in Turkey such as Adana Airport (ADA), Hatay Airport (HTY), and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport (GZT) were briefly shut down but have since reopened. |
| What about travel to Istanbul and the rest of Turkey? | Travel to Istanbul and other unaffected areas in Turkey is operating as normal. However, travel to the earthquake zones is difficult and unadvisable. |
| What about flight prices to and from Turkey? | Turkish Airlines has fixed prices for passengers as thousands flee the affected areas. |
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What You'll Learn
- Istanbul Airport unaffected by the earthquake
- International airlines operating flights to and from Turkey as normal
- Istanbul is about 850 kilometres away from the earthquake zone
- Turkish Airlines fixes prices for passengers fleeing the earthquake zone
- Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport is the world's largest earthquake-safe building
Istanbul Airport unaffected by the earthquake
Istanbul Airport, Turkey's main international airport, has continued to operate as normal following the earthquake. The airport is located about 528 miles away from the earthquake's epicentre, which was near the town of Gaziantep in southeast Turkey.
Istanbul was unaffected by the earthquake, and travel to the city has been operating as usual. International airlines have been operating flights to and from Turkey as normal, and Istanbul Airport has remained open throughout.
Three airports in Turkey were briefly shut down after the quake, including Adana Airport (ADA), Hatay Airport (HTY), and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport (GZT). However, these airports have since reopened, with GZT only closed to standard civilian operations but remaining open for relief services.
Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport is designed to be earthquake-safe, with the world's largest seismically isolated building. The terminal is built on over 300 isolators, allowing it to move side-to-side during an earthquake without sustaining damage. The airport is designed to withstand an earthquake as strong as 8.0 in magnitude.
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International airlines operating flights to and from Turkey as normal
Istanbul Airport, Turkey's main international airport, has continued to operate as normal following the earthquake. However, it is important to note that the earthquake's impact has led to the closure of some airports in the country, causing disruptions for travellers.
Three airports in Turkey briefly halted operations after the earthquake: Adana Sakirpasa Airport (ADA), Hatay Airport (HTY), and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport (GZT). These airports have since reopened, but it is worth checking the latest updates as the situation may change.
Istanbul Airport is designed to be earthquake-safe, with the new international terminal being the world's largest seismically isolated building. This means that the terminal does not sit directly on the soil but instead rests on isolators that can move side-to-side during an earthquake, preventing damage. The airport is also located far from the earthquake zone, with Istanbul being about 850 kilometers (528 miles) away.
International airlines have been operating flights to and from Turkey as usual. Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier, has implemented measures to assist passengers affected by the earthquake. They are offering rebooking or refund options for domestic and international flights scheduled between February 6 and March 31, 2023, as long as they were booked before February 9, 2023.
While travel to the earthquake-affected zones is challenging and advised against, Turkey's major tourism destinations, including Istanbul, Ankara, the Aegean coast, Antalya, and other key resorts and cities, are operating as normal. Most foreign offices have advised avoiding specific areas impacted by the earthquake but have not issued blanket warnings for the entire country.
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Istanbul is about 850 kilometres away from the earthquake zone
Istanbul Airport, Turkey's main international airport, has continued to operate as normal following the earthquake. However, some other airports in Turkey and Syria have been closed due to damage or as a safety precaution. These include Adana Sakirpasa Airport (ADA), Hatay Airport (HTY), and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport (GZT). These airports have since reopened, although HTY remains closed as it requires significant repairs to ensure its safety and stability.
Istanbul is located about 850 kilometres (528 miles) away from the earthquake zone. The city was unaffected by the earthquake, and travel to Istanbul and other unaffected areas in Turkey is operating as usual. This includes travel to other major tourist destinations such as Antalya, Cappadocia, Canakkle, Bodrum, and Marmaris.
While there have been no reports of cancellations of flights to Turkey by UK airlines, travellers flying to the country may still face disruptions. Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier airline of Turkey, is allowing passengers to rebook or obtain refunds on domestic and international flights to or from earthquake-affected areas scheduled from February 6 to March 31, 2023, provided they were booked before February 9, 2023.
Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport is designed to be earthquake-safe, with the world's largest seismically isolated building. The airport's new international terminal is built on more than 300 isolators, allowing the building to move side-to-side during an earthquake and absorb the energy. This design is intended to prevent damage and ensure the airport remains functional after a seismic event.
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Turkish Airlines fixes prices for passengers fleeing the earthquake zone
Istanbul Airport, Turkey's main international airport, has continued to operate as normal following the earthquake. Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier airline of Turkey, is offering passengers the option to rebook or obtain a refund on domestic and international flights to or from "earthquake-afflicted areas" scheduled between February 6 and March 31, 2023, provided the flights were booked before February 9, 2023.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, Turkish Airlines has been coordinating relief efforts with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The airline has fixed prices for passengers fleeing the earthquake zone, setting a rate of 100 Turkish liras ($5.30) for flights into and out of the affected regions. This affordable rate is intended to help cover some of the operating costs while facilitating the movement of volunteers and survivors.
The earthquake, which struck southern and central Turkey and western Syria on February 6, 2023, resulted in devastating loss of life and infrastructure damage. The impact and subsequent aftershocks led to the collapse of thousands of buildings and the destruction of countless roads. As a result, many airports in the area suffered damage, with some closures implemented for safety reasons. Adana Sakirpasa Airport (ADA), Hatay Airport (HTY), and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport (GZT) were among those temporarily closed, while GZT remained open for relief services.
Despite these challenges, Turkish Airlines has played a crucial role in relief efforts. The airline has been operating more than 30 domestic and international cargo flights, delivering humanitarian aid, search-and-rescue teams, and evacuating citizens from the region. As of February 13, 2023, Turkish Airlines had dispatched 790 expeditions, evacuating 139,438 citizens from the disaster area. The airline has also been working closely with AFAD to integrate volunteers into rescue and support efforts, transporting approximately 11,780 volunteers to Adana, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, and Urfa.
In addition to Turkish Airlines' efforts, other carriers such as SunExpress Airlines and Pegasus Airlines have also contributed to the relief operations. SunExpress Airlines offered free flights to and from several cities, including Adana, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, and Malatya, for passengers with bookings made before February 5, 2023. Meanwhile, Pegasus Airlines operated free relief and civilian passenger flights, coordinating with AFAD and official aid authorities to deliver aid and evacuate those affected.
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Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport is the world's largest earthquake-safe building
Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the smaller of the city's two main airports, is the world's largest earthquake-safe building. The airport's new terminal, which was opened in 2009, is built on more than 300 isolators or bearings that can move side-to-side during an earthquake, preventing damage from uneven forces acting on the structure. This means that the building can withstand a magnitude 8.0 earthquake and remain completely operational afterward.
The terminal, which stretches across more than 2 million square feet, doesn't sit directly on the soil but on isolators that allow the whole building to move as a single unit. This innovative design, constructed at record speed, is due to new seismic building technology and advanced computer simulations that predict how a building will react in an earthquake.
Istanbul is located at the confluence of three tectonic plates and is very likely to experience another major earthquake in the future. In 1999, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the city, killing 17,000 people and causing billions of dollars in property damage. The new terminal at Sabiha Gökçen Airport is an important development in earthquake-safe infrastructure, which is critical to saving lives and reducing the costs of damage in Istanbul.
Following the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February 2023, international airlines have continued to operate flights to and from Turkey as normal. Istanbul Airport, Turkey's main international airport, was unaffected by the earthquake and has remained open. However, some other airports in the region, such as Hatay Airport (HTY) and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport (GZT), were briefly closed after the quake but have since reopened.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Istanbul Airport has continued to operate as normal after the earthquake.
Yes, Istanbul was unaffected by the earthquake. Travel to the city is operating as normal.
While travel to Turkey's earthquake zones is difficult and unadvisable, most of Turkey's leading tourism destinations are continuing to welcome visitors.
Yes, three airports briefly shut down after the earthquake: Turkey’s Adana Airport (ADA), Hatay Airport (HTY), and Gaziantep Oğuzeli International (GZT) Airport. However, they have all since reopened.
Tens of thousands of rescuers are on the ground in Turkey. Charities and NGOs have also set up emergency appeals to help with relief efforts.
