831 thousand 623 luggage, cargo and mail loads carried by arrival and departure flights from Istanbul airports in the first quarter of this year increased by 15% compared to the same period last year.
Air cargo transportation, which stands out with its speed during the Covid-19 period when all kinds of transportation around the world was disrupted, has recently gained even more importance.
With the effect of air traffic intensifying as the epidemic measures were reduced, the increases in baggage, cargo and mail cargo carried in Istanbul, one of the world’s important aviation centers, and commercial flights in 2023 were reflected in the statistics. These increases continued in 2024.
Many shipping companies stopped their voyages in the Red Sea after the Houthis in Yemen began to seize commercial ships, which they stated were affiliated with Israeli companies, off the coast of Yemen on October 31, 2023, as a reaction to Israel’s attacks in Gaza, and to attack some of them with unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles.
As a result of this, air cargo came to the fore once again, while the route in maritime transportation was lengthened.
According to the information on the official website of the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), 41 thousand 670 tons of cargo were transported on the domestic route and 689 thousand 982 tons of cargo on the international route in January, February and March of this year with flights based at Istanbul Airport. A total of 731 thousand 652 tons of cargo were transported through flights from this airport.
A total of 638 thousand 588 tons of luggage, cargo and mail were transported at Istanbul Airport in the first quarter of 2023. 40 thousand 110 tons of this cargo was transported through domestic lines and 598 thousand 478 tons was transferred through international lines.
According to these figures, the amount of cargo transported at Istanbul Airport increased by approximately 15%, with an increase of 93 thousand 64 tons.
Freight increase continues at Sabiha Gokcen Airport
A total of 99 thousand 973 tons of cargo were transported from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport with arrival and departure flights between January and March this year. 30 thousand 556 tons of this load came from domestic flights and 69 thousand 417 tons from international flights.
In the same period last year, it was calculated that a total of 86 thousand 312 tons of luggage, cargo and mail were transported from this airport, 25 thousand 162 tons on domestic flights and 61 thousand 150 tons on international lines. There was a 16% increase in the amount of cargo transported compared to last year.
The amount of cargo generated by the flights organized from these two airports in Istanbul in the first quarter of the year was calculated as 831 thousand 625 tons in total, 72 thousand 226 on the domestic route and 759 thousand 399 on the international route.
The load carried in the same period last year was reflected in statistics as 724 thousand 899. According to these figures, there was a load increase of 106 thousand 724 tons in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year.
According to these figures, the cargo carried at Istanbul airports in January, February and March this year increased by approximately 15% compared to the same period last year.
The amount of cargo carried by Ataturk Airport this year was not included in the statistics.
Since the beginning of this year, the increase in commercial flights at Istanbul’s airports has continued.
A total of 117 thousand 999 commercial flights were operated from Istanbul Airport in the first quarter of this year, 25 thousand 718 on domestic flights and 92 thousand 281 on international flights.
In the same period last year, a total of 107 thousand 633 commercial flights were made at this airport, of which 23 thousand 914 were domestic and 83 thousand 719 were international.
Commercial flights from Istanbul Airport increased by 10% with 10 thousand 366 more flights compared to the same period last year.
A total of 55 thousand 394 commercial flights were operated from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in the first 3 months of this year, 24 thousand 874 on domestic flights and 30 thousand 520 on international flights.
In the same period last year, a total of 47 thousand 854 flights were organized at this airport, 21 thousand 716 on domestic flights and 26 thousand 138 on international flights. Flights in the first quarter of the year increased by 16% compared to the same period last year.
Atatürk Airport’s commercial flights this year were not included in the statistics.
During this period, a total of 173 thousand 393 commercial flights were organized at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and Istanbul Airport. In the same period last year, 155 thousand 487 commercial flights were made from Istanbul.
Compared to the same period last year, it was calculated that the arrival and departure commercial flights from Istanbul increased by 17 thousand 906, an increase of 11 percent.
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz