Flight from new Istanbul Airport lands at Ercan

A plane that took off at the recently inaugurated Istanbul Airport landed in the northern part of Cyprus, as Turkey sets aim at having the busiest hub in the region when it becomes fully operational.

A Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul airport landed at Ercan on Wednesday evening, one of two destinations outside Turkey that will be served exclusively at the new mega airport for the next couple of months.

Although Ercan is not a legally recognised international airport, it was one of two destinations outside Turkey that were first served by the new mega airport. The first international flight reached Azerbaijan, while more locations are to be added in the near future with the total aim of reaching 350 destinations.

Turkish Cypriot officials were quoted as saying that the flight was a “historic moment” for Ercan airport, shortly after it landed at 6pm, and that it signified the importance of ties with Turkey.

Ataturk International Airport will continue to handle commercial flights through December until all operations get transferred to the city's Istanbul Airport, according to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

During an inaugural speech on Monday, the Turkish president said the new facility will continue to grow in the years to follow until all phases are completed by 2028 with a hefty price tag at nearly $12 billion.

"We see Istanbul Airport as investment not only in our country but also in our region and the world," Erdogan said.

About 200,000 passengers are expected to pass through Istanbul Airport daily, while the aim in the next decade is to accommodate some 200 million passengers annually, nearly double the size of the busiest airport in the world in Atlanta.

Critics have said the airport was too ambitious while the project was marred by fatal accidents as 27 workers lost their life while on the job.