Istanbul Airport sets sights on quadruple independent runway operations

Istanbul Airport is planning to implement quadruple independent runway operations, following the successful execution of Europe’s first simultaneous triple-runway landing and takeoff operation on April 17.

A New Milestone in Global Aviation History: Triple Runway Operations ✈️

With this initiative, iGA Istanbul Airport is the first airport in Europe to implement a system for operating three independent runways simultaneously.

📍IST 🌎🇹🇷#IstanbulAirport pic.twitter.com/VaGjF0v3tn

— iGA Istanbul Airport (@igairport) April 20, 2025

The airport operator, IGA, shared footage of the milestone operation on social media, showing three Turkish Airlines aircraft landing concurrently at 16:30 local time. The historic event marked the first time in Europe that three aircraft landed simultaneously at the same airport.

The aircraft involved included Turkish Airlines flights from Stockholm (Boeing 737-800), Antalya (Airbus A321), and Paris (Airbus A330), all arriving in parallel on separate runways.

Airport infrastructure ready for future expansion

According to Yusuf Selamoglu, Master Plan Director at IGA Istanbul Airport, the airport was designed from the ground up to accommodate advanced parallel operations.

“From the outset, we implemented long-term infrastructure planning, meticulous design, and comprehensive safety assessments to support independent runway operations,” Selamoglu said.

“We are now successfully operating three independent runways and aim to launch four-runway operations in the near future. Our current infrastructure is already prepared for this capacity,” he added.

IGA officials also confirmed that the airport’s taxiways, aprons, and aircraft parking positions were specifically engineered to support simultaneous independent operations.

Europe’s busiest airport in mid-April

Istanbul Airport continues to rank among the busiest in Europe.

According to EUROCONTROL‘s report covering April 7–13, the airport recorded a daily average of 1,464 flights, surpassing Amsterdam Schiphol (1,361), London Heathrow (1,344), Paris Charles de Gaulle (1,341), and Frankfurt (1,309).

The airport, which began operations in 2019, served over 80 million passengers in 2024, ranking second in Europe and seventh globally by total passenger volume.

Six runway capacity targeted in master plan

IGA’s long-term vision includes expanding to six runways as part of its master plan.

We’re celebrating a major milestone in aviation history!

With the groundbreaking Triple Independent Runway Operations, the first of its kind in Europe, Türkiye once again solidifies its leadership in aviation!

Powered by the strength of our country, every mark we make in the… pic.twitter.com/bWzEDq73Tp

— Turkish Airlines (@TurkishAirlines) April 18, 2025

The current triple-runway configuration allows Istanbul Airport to offer increased capacity, efficiency, and reduced delays in both domestic and international operations.

With flights to 353 destinations, Istanbul Airport is considered a major hub for international air traffic and a key infrastructure asset for Türkiye’s global aviation ambitions.