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Strong quakes that shook Istanbul on Wednesday also disrupted air traffic, particularly at Istanbul Airport (IST), which is Europe’s busiest aviation hub. Due to precautionary runway inspections, several aircraft were forced to abort their landing attempts and enter holding patterns.
The tremors, centered in the Sea of Marmara off the coast of Istanbul’s Silivri district, shook the city and nearby provinces, beginning with a main 6.2-magnitude earthquake followed by quakes of 4.8, 5.9, 3.5, and 4.0.
According to Turkish authorities, the tremors resulted in no major damage or loss of life.
As inspections were carried out on the runways, planes circled in the air until authorities confirmed that there was no damage or other irregularities. Following the all-clear, landings resumed.
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An official statement from the operator of Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) confirmed that the inspections had been completed, and no issues were identified.
Meanwhile, representatives of IGA, the operator of Istanbul Airport, stated that post-earthquake inspections revealed no disruptions to airport operations and no damage was observed within the terminal.
No airlines, including Türkiye's flag carrier Turkish Airlines, have reported any cancellations so far, as conditions appear stable enough to sustain operations.
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