Istanbul airport only one ready for normalcy: expert

By Abidin Mutlu Bozdag

ISTANBUL (AA) - Istanbul Airport is the only airport in the world that is ready for the normalization process, a Turkish expert said Wednesday.

The comment came from Istanbul Airport Civil Administration Supervisor Ismail Sanli as Turkish experts shared experiences with ambassadors and consul generals from 75 countries during a COVID-19 seminar at Istanbul Airport under the chairmanship of the Istanbul Airport Civil Administration.

Sanli said Turkey has followed developments about the pandemic since it emerged and fought the pandemic with all its amenities, including more than 165,000 doctors and 1,500 hospitals since March 11, which the first case in was reported in the country.

He said Turkey began measures such as the safe tourism certification program and tourist protection support insurance and implemented strict controls on social distance, mask and hygiene conditions.

"Thus, the life quality and health conditions of all our guests coming to our country have been improved and a safer environment than their homes have been created," he said.

He said a laboratory that can perform more than 40,000 daily coronavirus tests at Istanbul Airport provides opportunities to all incoming and outgoing passengers.

The airport’s chief physician Aykut Yener Kavak said in passengers where the virus is detected or suspected, they are immediately quarantined.

In addition to strict hygiene rules, ventilation at the airport is constantly being cleaned and the airport is monitored by thermal cameras.

He said hospital-standard quarantine rooms have been established at the airport and at least 180 medical staff work at the airport.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut