The ministers and their officials were welcomed by airport managing director, Niall MacCarthy, and airport management and received a detailed briefing on the various elements of the daa Group’s €200 million capital development programme.

Following the briefing, the ministers performed the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new staff and goods security screening area, which was completed over a three-month period, on-time and on-budget by PJ Hegarty & Sons, working with daa Infrastructure and AtkinsRéalis, the design team.

The ministers and department officials also had the opportunity to take a tour and view the progress on the new mezzanine floor, which will be the location of the airport’s new passenger security screening area.

This facility, which will open in December of this year, is also progressing on-time and on-budget and the Ministers were provided with a tour by representatives of PJ Hegarty & Sons., construction partners for the project along with members of the daa Infrastructure team.

Managing director at Cork Airport, Niall MacCarthy said: “Cork Airport experienced its highest ever passenger numbers last year and was named Best Regional Airport in Europe by ACI Europe.

“Our capital programme, once complete, will put in the infrastructure to handle five million passengers and beyond. We are proud of delivering quality infrastructure projects, on-time and on-budget, and compliment our construction partners and team.”

Speaking on the occasion of his visit to Cork Airport, Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien TD, said: “I am heartened to see that daa’s capital programme is proceeding at pace and demonstrating on-time, on-budget delivery.

“Once completed, this development programme will deliver efficiencies along with a better passenger experience for all those who will travel through the airport.”

Echoing Minister O’Brien’s comments, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD, added: “Cork Airport supports over 12,000 jobs in our region and is responsible for an economic impact of over €1 billion.

“I’m delighted to see the infrastructure expansion and I am engaging strongly to improve public transport links to make the airport more accessible across the region.”

Credits: Cork Airport

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The ceremony held at Istanbul Airport was attended by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat, senior executives of Turkish Airlines and its subsidiaries, and leading figures in Turkish aviation.

Saying Türkiye will surpass a new threshold in aviation with these investments, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated: “With a breakthrough that will leave its mark on the skies, opening a new page at the pinnacle of aviation, and further strengthening the wings of our national flag carrier, we will make a determined and ambitious start to 2026. These eight projects’ foundations we are laying today are strong steps taken towards Turkish Airlines’ magnificent rise and its goal of becoming the world’s number one airline. With the second phase of the air cargo terminal SmartIST underway, the facility’s usage area will increase. The cargo handling capacity, currently at 2.2 million tons, will rise to 4.5 million tons, propelling Turkish Cargo to global leadership. These projects will further strengthen not only Turkish Airlines’ wings but also those of Türkiye’s economy. Within the scope of these major investments totalling TRY 100 billion, 26,000 new job opportunities will be generated in 2026, and our aviation ecosystem will continue to grow.”

Commenting on the new investments, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat said: “In line with our 2033 targets, we are developing not only our fleet but also the robust infrastructure that will allow us to fully utilise this fleet. This investment initiative, exceeding TRY 100 billion and spanning from our cargo operations to our technical maintenance capacity, from our catering centres to integrated operational solutions, strengthens our global competitiveness and is concrete evidence of our vision to make Türkiye one of the world’s foremost aviation hubs. These investments, which will provide 26,000 new jobs in 2026, will increase to 36,000 when all phases are completed. With these steps, we are building not only facilities but also an ecosystem for the future of our country’s economy and aviation sector. Today, our company’s contribution to our country’s economy is USD 65 billion, and when we reach our 2033 goals, this figure will reach USD 144 billion.”

As part of its new investments, Turkish Airlines is implementing the following projects to maintain global leadership in Cargo, Technical Maintenance, and Catering:

• Turkish Cargo SmartIST Phase 2 project, which will be one of the world’s largest air cargo centres with an annual capacity of 4.5 million tons and is planned to be completed gradually during the 2027-2028 period.
• Turkish Airlines Main Catering Facility, positioned as one of the world’s largest inflight catering centres with the capacity to serve more than 500,000 passengers per day and expected to become operational during the 2027-2028 period.
• Turkish Technic Engine Maintenance Center, set to be completed in 2027, is one of Europe’s largest new-generation aircraft engine maintenance centres possessing the capability of servicing Trent XWB-84, Trent XWB-97 and Trent 7000 Rolls-Royce engines.
• Moreover, Additional Aircraft Maintenance Hangars to be built under Turkish Technic and planned for completion within 2026 will create a simultaneous maintenance capacity for 12 aircraft, increasing the company’s current maintenance capability by an average of 20%.
• E-Commerce Complex, a key element in the logistics and digital transformation vision and planned to enter service within 2026, further strengthens Turkish Airlines’ role in global trade through Widect, its new-generation operational model offering “door-to-door integrated cargo solutions.”
• Istanbul Data Center, which will form the digital backbone of operational continuity and is planned to become operational during the 2027-2028 period, will elevate the company’s technology capacity to a new level with its high-security infrastructure and advanced data management capabilities, while Flight Training Center (Phase 1), scheduled for the 2026-2027 period, is positioned at the center of human resource investments, supporting Turkish Airlines’ long-term growth strategy.
• Turkish Airlines Additional Crew Terminal Building, planned in line with the expanding operational volume and scheduled for completion within 2026, is included among the investments as a complementary infrastructure element that provides seamless logistics flow between ground services, maintenance, and flight operations.

These investments form the foundation of an integrated growth model that advances operational capacity, technical infrastructure, and digital capabilities in line with Turkish Airlines’ 2033 objectives to become one of the world’s five largest fleets as the carrier celebrates its centennial. They also serve as the backbone of a strategic aviation ecosystem supporting global operations.

Credits: Turkish Airlines

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