Passenger traffic at Ercan Airport saw a 28% rise and aircraft movements increased by 17.44% in the first six months compared to the same period last year, Kibris Postasi reports.
T&T Airport Operations reported that with the opening of the new Ercan Airport, there was an increase in the number of passengers and aircraft between January 1 – May 31, 2023, and January 1 – May 31, 2024.
The statement highlighted that extending the runway to 3,000 metres, allowing wide-body aircraft to land, significantly contributed to the increase in passenger numbers.
The addition of Turkish Airlines’ A350 wide-body aircraft, along with new flights from SunExpress and other airlines to Ercan Airport, played a major role in this passenger increase.
In the first half of 2023, 1,704,481 passengers used the old Ercan Airport, while this number rose to 2,181,947 in the same period of 2024 after the new airport opened.
In terms of aircraft movements, 11,980 aircraft used the old Ercan Airport in the first half of 2023, compared to 14,069 at the new Ercan during the same period in 2024.
In January 2023, the old Ercan Airport handled 251,466 incoming and outgoing passengers. This number increased by 33.2% to 334,510 at the new Ercan Airport in January 2024. In February 2023, 226,108 passengers flew from the old Ercan, while the new Ercan saw a 56.99% increase to 354,960 in the same month of 2024.
The new 3,000-metre runway and the addition of jet bridges at the new Ercan Airport enabled the airport to serve wide-body aircraft, leading to an increase in aircraft movements.
Passenger traffic at Ercan Airport increased by 28%, and aircraft movements rose by 17.44% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
T&T Airport Operations reported that with the new Ercan Airport’s opening, there was a notable uptick in passengers and aircraft between January 1 – May 31, 2023, and January 1 – May 31, 2024.
A significant factor in this increase was the extension of the runway to 3,000 meters, allowing wide-body aircraft to land. Additionally, Turkish Airlines began flights with their A350 wide-body aircraft, along with new routes from SunExpress and other airlines, boosting passenger numbers.
Key Statistics:
- Passengers (First Half of the Year):
- 2023: 1,704,481 passengers at the old Ercan Airport
- 2024: 2,181,947 passengers at the new Ercan Airport
- Increase: 477,466 passengers (28% increase)
- Aircraft Movements (First Half of the Year):
- 2023: 11,980 aircraft at the old Ercan Airport
- 2024: 14,069 aircraft at the new Ercan Airport
- Increase: 2,089 aircraft (17.44% increase)
Monthly Breakdown of Passenger Traffic:
- January:
- 2023: 251,466 passengers
- 2024: 334,510 passengers
- Increase: 33.2%
- February:
- 2023: 226,108 passengers
- 2024: 354,960 passengers
- Increase: 56.99%
- March:
- 2023: 256,313 passengers
- 2024: 336,020 passengers
- Increase: 31.10%
- April:
- 2023: 281,118 passengers
- 2024: 360,026 passengers
- Increase: 28.7%
- May:
- 2023: 334,879 passengers
- 2024: 388,915 passengers
- Increase: 16.14%
- June:
- Passenger numbers increased by 14.92% and aircraft movements by 6.23% compared to June 2023.
The new 3,000-metre runway and the introduction of jet bridges at the new Ercan Airport have allowed the airport to serve wide-body aircraft, leading to an increase in aircraft movements.
Monthly Breakdown of Aircraft Movements:
- 2023:
- January: 1,848
- February: 1,683
- March: 1,794
- April: 2,031
- May: 2,247
- June: 2,377
- 2024:
- January: 2,301
- February: 2,220
- March: 2,261
- April: 2,339
- May: 2,423
- June: 2,525
The significant increases in both passenger traffic and aircraft movements highlight the successful impact of the new Ercan Airport’s operational enhancements.
