Turkish Airlines big switch Istanbul Airport on April 6

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - As it switches its operations to the new mega-Istanbul Airport, Turkish Airlines will end all scheduled flights at Ataturk Airport as of April 6 at 2.00 a.m. local time (April 5, 2300GMT), the airline said on Monday.

The national flag carrier will resume all flight operations planned for Ataturk Airport from its new home Istanbul Airport as of the afternoon of April 6 at 14.00 local time (1100GMT), it announced on Twitter.

Istanbul Airport, the “world's new hub,” officially opened on Oct. 29, 2018, the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.

Once fully completed -- including four phases with six runways -- Istanbul Airport is set to serve 150 million passengers annually.

At full capacity, Istanbul Airport will become a global aviation hub by hosting more than 100 airlines and flights to over 300 destinations around the world.

Turkish Airlines, founded in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, currently has more than 330 aircraft, including passenger and cargo planes.

It flies to 306 destinations in 124 countries. Last year, Turkish Airlines carried 75.2 million passengers with a seat occupancy rate of 82 percent.