President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at the ceremony "We are in the Champions League of aviation" and noted that passenger numbers on domestic and international flights rose from 34.5 million in 2002 to more than 247 million in 2025. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the 2,820-meter runway is the first built on an east-west axis.
Unlike the existing three runways, the new runway was built on an east-west axis. The 2,820-meter runway is expected to shorten taxiing and waiting times, saving fuel and time. Erdoğan also responded to the opposition's criticisms of the airport investment.
