Snowdrifts and record-breaking snowdrifts for several decades, and those that damaged even the roof of the hangars for aircraft, but most importantly – completely stopped flights. This is how Istanbul Airport met on Tuesday morning, where Ukrainian tourists were also stuck.
An official statement from Turkish Airlines reads: “Adverse weather conditions are expected to affect Istanbul for some time. As Turkish Airlines, we have decided to suspend Istanbul Airport until 04:00 on January 25 to ensure travel safety and prevent unfair treatment of our guests. ”
Also read: Istanbul Airport is closed for flights until at least midnight
Departures from Istanbul airport due to very difficult weather conditions were suspended on Monday afternoon. Hussein Keskin, director general of the DHMI (General Directorate of State Airports Authority), described the situation on social media as follows: “A cyclone on the Black Sea north of Istanbul airport caused a storm, continuous and heavy snowfall and poor visibility. Due to extreme weather conditions, the runways of the airport were closed for boarding and takeoff. ” At first, their opening was postponed until 18.00, then postponed to Tuesday morning.
As a result, according to Ukrainian tourists stuck in the closed airport in Istanbul due to bad weather, the air harbor overcrowded in an hour, while tourists were refused to be taken out and accommodated in hotels. The video, taken by a tourist, shows huge crowds of people, dozens of people sleeping on the floor and giant queues near fast food restaurants. “Everyone decided to buy food at the food court. For some positions, prices are inflated tenfold, “she complained.
At the moment, the blizzard in Istanbul has calmed down. According to the weather forecast in the city + 1 ° C and partly cloudy. However, huge mounds still do not allow planes to take off and tourists to return.