Growth and development continuity at the Atatürk Airport
The Istanbul Atatürk Airport (AHL), an airport worthy of a European metropolis, undergoes continual changes through expansion and development projects on the air and land side. The objective is to “achieve the highest point of efficiency at the highest level of performance and quality.” We talked about this subject with TAV Istanbul General Manager Kemal Ünlü, AHL International Terminal Project Owner Ebru Kantaþý, TAV Construction Additional Building Project Manager Mehmet Ali Türkel and Architectural Design Coordinator Nuray Çankaya Güler.
There are no airports in the world that are complete from the point of view of either construction work or technological infrastructure. In line with passenger and airline company needs, airports display a structure that undergoes continual changes and developments. Istanbul Atatürk Airport (AHL), one of the busiest airports among world metropolises, achieves continuity in growth and development through a variety of different projects.
After its operation was taken over by TAV Airports in 2000, AHL underwent an expansion project entitled the “30% survey increase” in 2004. Later on it also underwent many projects for the development of systems and the renovation of technological equipment. In line with the growth of the aviation sector in Turkey, of THY’s development, of the increase in the number of aircraft, of the growing interest of different airline companies in Istanbul and of an increase in transit-transfer passengers, all baggage systems were renovated in 2006 and 2008 and were updated again in the period 2009-2010. While projects regarding the optimum use of the current capacity of AHL’s air space continue, work on an additional building aiming to improve passenger satisfaction is also about to be completed.
THE SMART PROJECT and ONGOING PROJECTS ON THE AIR SIDE
In order to sustain as many passengers as airports of European metropolises do, or as many passengers as Istanbul will receive in the future, AHL needs to achieve a sustainable increase in capacity. TAV Istanbul General manager Kemal Ünlü, whom we interviewed on this subject, states that from the point of view of AHL’s terminals they do not envisage any capacity problems for many years. However, he points out that on the air side there are some bottlenecks from the point of view of both runway configurations and hýzlý çöküþ support roads, number of runways and number of aprons: “Due to AHL property’s location within the city, it is difficult to obtain permission to build new runways. So, in order to overcome this bottleneck there is a need for radical projects on the air side. Over the last few years capacity assessment and establishment work has been carried out twice at the General Directorate of State Airports Authority for the Euro Control Organization and this work is ongoing. The “Smart Project,” which we expect to start operating soon, is a very important project from the point of view of the optimization and modernization of air traffic resources in Turkey, in that it envisages for all air traffic in Turkey to be managed from a single center. According to this new implementation, by the end of 2010 Turkish air space will be managed by an air traffic center located in Ankara. But this development is not sufficient for the solution of the problems at AHL. Development work on the air side needs to be continued every year. While projects established by Euro Control and the State Airports Authority are implemented over time, we too are ready to collaborate fully in this area.”
“The air space of Atatürk Airport should be thought of as a national asset that needs to be used properly;it should be managed in line with principles of efficiency at the highest level.”
Kemal ÜNLÜ
TAV Istanbul General Manager
A slot practice has been implemented since 1993, in order to meet busy traffic needs at certain times at AHL, and to make optimum use of the airport’s infrastructure and air traffic resources. The slot planning capacity, which is the aircraft capacity for one hour, has been established as 40. But when one looks at AHL’s past traffic schedules one can see that there are days and times when this capacity reaches 60. On the other hand, the usage orientation of runways can vary in accordance with meteorological conditions. It is therefore necessary for the planning to be carried out very efficiently. The CDM (Collaborative Decision Making) Project, established with the aim of all airline companies and handling companies getting together on a common platform, sharing their information transparently and reaching a consensus on the optimum usage of air traffic resources, is continuing in line with Euro Control’s recommendations and orientations and the collaboration of the State Airport Authority and TAV.
Mr. Ünlü says: “The air space of Atatürk Airport should be thought of as a national asset that needs to be used properly. When it’s congested, those waiting in the air and those waiting on the ground sacrifice a multitude of material resources in order for the transportation operations to be realized. That is why all organizations within this sector should come together on a common platform, replan infrastructure resources and find the way to use them as efficiently as possible. In this sense, all stakeholders in this sector should find ways to optimize air traffic resources in Turkey and pave the way for sustainable increase. That is why we need to carry out re-assessment of infrastructure, literature and procedures.
“The modular design of the International Terminal provides great flexibility, constituting its most important feature. When needed, it is possible to expand the project and the building through a variety of alternatives.
Ebru KANTAÞI
AHL International Terminal Project Owner
A building that rose without the sound of hammers!
The additional building, which covers a total area of 18,770 square meters, is divided in two: the air side, where passenger circulation will take place, and the land side, where many management offices of the TAV Group will be situated. On the air side the objective is to add three bridges to the International Terminal, thereby bringing about an increase in passenger comfort. A variety of management units within TAV will be located in the remaining area of 5,600 square metres. Another 45 rooms will also be added to the Airport Hotel and a new VIP area will be set up, covering an area of 1,100 square meters. Furthermore, there will also be an additional outdoor car park with a capacity for 1,250 vehicles. Nine bridges in the Domestic Terminal will undergo renovation and three new bridges will be added in order to increase passenger comfort and facilitate their transition between aircrafts and the terminal.
Architectural Design Coordinator Nuray Çankaya Güler explains as follows the novelties for the TAV family on the office side: “On the entrance floor, which we refer to as the ‘service floor,’ there will be approximately 15 meeting rooms. At the point where the current building and the additional building merge there will be a personnel cafeteria with a view of the apron.”
Regarding the construction features and environmental concept of the building, Project Manager Mehmet Ali Türkel says: “We are not only a company that constructs rapidly and completes its investments prior to planned dates; we are also a company that produces more ergonomic constructions. In line with this objective, we are working towards being admitted to the ‘Green Building’ certification process. We have set objectives such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions during construction processes and abolishing noise pollution. In the additional building project we aim to complete construction without the sound of hammers. Taking into consideration environmental awareness in construction fields, we are endeavoring to have all our construction elements delivered ready to be assembled. By having a smaller number of workers in the building site we maintain quality at the fabrication level, thereby minimizing security risks.”
The expansion project was approved in February 2009. According to the contract, the additional building should be completed in December 2009.
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