Air freight operations resume at Istanbul Atatürk Airport day after terrorist attack

Istanbul Atatürk International Airport has resumed passenger and cargo operations only a day after it was attacked by terrorists.

The attack on June 28th, which killed 42 people and injured 239, did not cause much damage to the infrastructure of the airport—unlike a similar attack in Brussels in March, after which it took months for the airport to resume at full capacity.

Three men armed with automatic weapons and explosive belts attacked Terminal 2 of Atatürk and its car park, before detonating their belts. The perpetrators of the attack are suspected to be related to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), though the militant group has not yet claimed responsibility.

Tony Tyler, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said that, “Istanbul Airport operating today is a testament to the resilience and determination of the Turkish people and the aviation industry.”

He noted that, “Air transport brings people together and facilitates both social and economic development. Istanbul has a particularly historic role in connecting East and West. Last night’s attack was a broad attack on our shared humanity. But terrorism will never succeed in reversing the interconnectedness of the world.”

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe, stated that, “Security is paramount and we – the airport industry – remain firmly committed to continuously improving the quality and efficiency of security measures.”

He added, “What happened yesterday in Istanbul shows us that the real challenge now is to stop terrorists before they ever reach an airport or any other public space.”

[This article was updated to amend details of the number of perpetrators.]

(Source: Air Cargo World, TR Business)