Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport resumes operations day after terrorist attack

Yesterday’s attack on Istanbul’s Atatürk International Airport by suspected Islamic State militants failed to render the facility inoperable for long, with full passenger and cargo operations set to resume today. While a similar attack at Brussels Airport closed portions of that air hub for most of the month of May, Istanbul resumed service the following day. This is largely due to the more recent attack failing to cause extensive damage to security infrastructure.

While some carriers reportedly had to delay and reroute some cargo shipments due to the Tuesday attacks, airfreight traffic through Istanbul was largely unaffected.

Istanbul’s governor Vasip Sahin announced Wednesday that the death toll had climbed to 41. More than 230 were injured, although 109 have already been released from hospitals by Wednesday evening, Turkish time.

While the world rushed to condemn the attacks, International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General and CEO Tony Tyler reiterated that, “air transport brings people together and facilitates both social and economic development. Istanbul has a particularly significant and historical role in connecting East and West.” Tyler also stressed that, “Istanbul Airport is operating today is a testament to the resilience and determination of the Turkish people and the aviation industry.”