Celebration in TRNC as wide-body plane lands at Ercan Airport for the first time

Ercan Airport witnessed a first on Wednesday, Nov., 1 as a wide-bodied passenger aircraft of Turkish Airlines, an Airbus A350-900, landed at the airport with 258 passengers on board.

This morning, the Airbus A350-900 with 258 passengers onboard landed at Ercan Airport.

Flight TK960, which departed from Istanbul with 258 passengers, was greeted with a water salute upon arrival at Ercan.

In light of the aircraft’s first landing at Ercan Airport, a ceremony took place at the terminal’s departure lounge.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu, Turkish Airlines officials, and representatives of some tourism-related organizations.

During the ceremony, the flight crew was presented with flowers, and a cake was cut.

The first speech at the ceremony was given by Erol Şenol, Turkish Airlines’ Vice President Responsible for the Middle East and Cyprus, who expressed that it was a very special and meaningful day for him.

Şenol also mentioned that they closely monitor developments in aviation and tourism, and when a new airport was built in Istanbul, they increased the number of passengers and flights, connecting Türkiye to other parts of the world.

He stated that the new airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would serve the same purpose.

Şenol also noted that AnadoluJet would increase the number of flights to Ercan and shared their efforts to provide better services at more affordable prices for students.

He also mentioned plans to increase cultural tours from Türkiye to Northern Cyprus.

In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu expressed his gratitude to the pilots and cabin crew who made it possible for the large-bodied aircraft to land at Ercan Airport, describing it as an important day for them.

Erhan Arıklı, the Minister of Public Works and Transportation, emphasized the significance of increasing the number of flights and airline companies in Northern Cyprus to lower ticket prices and create a competitive environment.

He praised the efforts of Turkish Airlines and other airlines for contributing to the country’s development.

Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa, Metin Feyzioğlu, described this event as the realization of a dream and a sign of Türkiye’s support for the TRNC.

He highlighted the importance of the new terminal and the arrival of large-bodied aircraft, stating that it symbolized the sovereignty of the TRNC.

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel for his part thanked the Turkish Airlines management and staff for making this momentous day possible.

He mentioned their commitment to finishing any unfinished projects in the TRNC with the support of the Turkish Republic, including the new Ercan Airport, which was opened to the public on July 20, 2023.

Üstel referred to Ercan Airport as “the largest window through which we open up to the world.”

He emphasized their intention to increase flight frequencies and bring in larger aircraft to cater to more tourists and reduce travel costs.

The prime minisrer also expressed his optimism that the development would help overcome economic challenges in the country and conveyed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the support provided.

He promised that the government would continue to work diligently to advance the TRNC further.

Turkish Airlines will operate one of its Istanbul-Ercan-Istanbul flights with a wide-body aircraft daily.