New FedEx Facility at iGA Istanbul Airport

iGA Istanbul Airport and FedEx Express Europe have signed a new contract for the construction of a new global air freight shipping facility. iGA Istanbul Airport CEO, Kadri Samsunlu, stated: "Our airport is a strategic transfer hub not only for passenger transport, but also for air freight and logistics. While strengthening its reputation, this new facility will reinforce iGA Airport's determination to become a central global hub."

iGA Istanbul Airport, Türkiye's gateway to the world, is getting ready to host the new global air freight center by FedEx Express Europe of FedEx Corp., the world's largest express transportation company. FedEx Express Europe announced that the new facility at iGA Istanbul Airport, a strategic aviation and logistics hub, will link its operations on three continents.

According to the agreement signed between FedEx Express Europe and iGA Istanbul Airport, which has become a global center in passenger, cargo and logistics traffic thanks to its developed infrastructure, accessibility, technological facilities and location, the global air transportation facility is targeted to be completed in November 2024.

Europe's 'busiest' and the world's 'second busiest' airport in terms of passenger numbers, iGA Istanbul Airport ranks first among the top 10 airports in Europe in terms of cargo traffic, according to the data announced by Abdülkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. iGA Istanbul Airport's Cargo City and Logistics Center has a total area of 1,4 million m2, a temporary storage area of 195,000 m2, and 10,800 m2 of free warehouse facility.

There are 8 temporary warehouses (Turkish Cargo, PTT UPİM, MNG, DHL Express, UPS, Çelebi Cargo, Havaş Cargo, S System) and 4 free warehouses (Fevzi Gandur, Ünsped, Barsan, and DHL Global) operating in the region. By welcoming FedEx Express Europe on board, the number of cargo companies at the iGA Istanbul Airport Cargo City and Logistics Center will reach 19.

Kadri Samsunlu, the CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport, highlighted that the completion of all the investment phases at iGA Istanbul Airport would create an ecosystem covering 5% of Türkiye's gross national product and that their efforts to promote the national economy would continue in the future with new projects, and he made the following comments on the agreement:

"We are pleased to collaborate with FedEx, a leading company in the cargo transportation industry. FedEx's decision to choose iGA Istanbul Airport for its new global air cargo facility demonstrates that our airport is a strategic transfer hub not only for passengers, but also in the cargo and logistics industry. We are confident that this new facility will further reinforce both the reputation of iGA Istanbul Airport and its commitment to becoming a global hub and gateway to the world."

FedEx Express Europe, having announced that it will be using its new facility to provide support to its customers on leading intercontinental trade routes, will thus strengthen its presence at iGA Istanbul Airport.

Eser Sezek, Vice President of FedEx Express in charge of operations in Southeast Europe, Israel and Türkiye, said the following on this subject: "We are very excited about the growth we have achieved at iGA Istanbul Airport. We will now have a firmer foundation in this strategic location, opening up new growth opportunities for customers trading across continents. In addition, this initiative is proof of our absolute dedication to our work and our loyalty to our customers in Türkiye, a noteworthy player who continues to grow in the cargo and logistics industry."

The facility will include 3 parking areas, enough space for 32 minibuses, and 7 truck entrances for the FedEx fleet. The facility's state-of-the-art technology will allow the handling of 3,000 items per hour.