Erdoğan, Aliyev inaugurate Turkey's new Rize-Artvin airport
This aerial image captured on May 13, 2022 shows the Rize-Artvin Airport with the Black Sea in the background, in Rize, northeastern Turkey. (DHA Photo)
by Daily Sabah with Agencies
May 14, 2022 2:16 pm


The Turkish and Azerbaijani presidents met Saturday and jointly inaugurated the Rize-Artvin Airport, Turkey's second airport built on a reclaimed area in the rugged northeastern Black Sea region.

The first flight to the airport, Turkish Airlines (THY) flight 2538, which took off from Istanbul at 8:30 a.m. local time (5:30 a.m. GMT) landed at the Rize-Artvin airport at 10:35 a.m. local time (7:35 a.m. GMT).

Passengers of TK 2538 flight of Turkish Airlines, the maiden flight of newly launched Rize-Artvin Airport, pose for a photo on the landing strip, in Rize, northeastern Turkey, May 14, 2022. (AA Photo)

Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu welcomed the passengers. Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi was the first to step out of the plane and spoke to journalists about the significance of the airport.

The THY plane carrying 320 passengers was renamed "Rize-Artvin" to mark the inauguration and the aircraft was piloted by Mustafa Inanç Ersoy, a native of the Pazar district of Rize.

This aerial image captured on May 13, 2022 shows the Rize-Artvin Airport with the coastline in the background, in Rize, northeastern Turkey. (DHA Photo)
The teaglass shaped air traffic control tower is among the distinctive features of the Rize-Artvin Airport, in Rize, northeastern Turkey, May 13, 2022. (DHA Photo)
Locals of Rize are watching the inauguration ceremony of the Rize-Artvin Airport from the province's renowned lush green tea orchards, in Rize, northeastern Turkey, May 14, 2022. (DHA Photo)
Locals of Rize are watching the inauguration ceremony of the Rize-Artvin Airport from the province's renowned lush green tea orchards, in Rize, northeastern Turkey, May 14, 2022. (DHA Photo)

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev later arrived at the airport using charter flights.

In his speech, Aliyev reminded Turkey's support in their victory in the Karabakh war and said that most of the companies working with the airport currently are working to rebuild regions liberated from the Armenian occupation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (L) and Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev inspect an honor guard during the Rize-Artvin Airport inauguration ceremony in Rize, northeastern Turkey, May 14, 2022. (Murat Çetinmühürdar/Turkish Presidency via AA)
Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu (L) briefs President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (C) and Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev during the Rize-Artvin Airport inauguration ceremony in Rize, northeastern Turkey, May 14, 2022. (Murat Çetinmühürdar/Turkish Presidency via AA)

President Erdoğan, a native of Rize's Güneysu district, said the number of airports in Turkey rose from 26 to 57 during successive Justice and Development Party (AK Party) governments.

The airport, the second in Turkey built using sea embankment after Ordu-Giresun Airport, has an annual capacity of 3 million passengers.

A satellite image of Rize-Artvin Airport built on an embankment on the Black Sea coast, in Rize, northeastern Turkey, provided on May 13, 2022. (DHA Photo)

It is also the fifth airport in the world built on an area reclaimed from the sea, using 100 million tons of rocks in the process.

Last Update: May 14, 2022 16:40