November 15 is latest date set for new Ercan opening
THE new Ercan airport terminal is hoped to be opened on November 15, the 39th anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC, a minister has said.
The date is the latest in a string of deadlines that have been set – and missed — in recent years for the opening of the new terminal and runway
Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism, Culture, Youth and the Environment Minister Fikri Ataoğlu said during an inspection visit to the new terminal last Sunday that it will be of “great importance for the 2023 tourism season” and that “we aim to open it on November 15”.
Mr Ataoğlu was accompanied on the visit by his undersecretary Serhan Aktunç, Serhat Özçelik, the general manager of T&T Airport — the company that both runs the existing Ercan terminal and is constructing the new one — and “airport technical staff”.
Expressing that he had a “very productive” meeting with Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy the previous week, Mr Ataoğlu noted that the completion of the new Ercan airport will be the “first step to ensuring a high
volume of foreign tourists through Turkey”.
Mr Ataoğlu said that Mr Ersoy “promised to promote and market the TRNC as a destination to all countries” where Turkey is promoted via the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and that “with Turkey’s support, we aim to complete the year well above expectations”.
Mr Ataoğlu also stated that wide-body aircraft will be able to fly in and out of the new airport when it is completed and that the airport will have the capacity to handle 26 large aircraft at the same time.
Pointing out that widebody aircraft would lower costs, Mr Ataoğlu explained that only narrow-body planes fly to the TRNC because larger aircraft cannot be accommodated at the current Ercan airport.
“Aside from electricity and lighting, which will be completed in September, the new airport is ready,” Mr Ataoğlu said.
“After the electricity has been connected and lighting installed, a transportation and testing phase will begin. Our aim is to open the airport on November 15, after the tests have been completed.”