Dhaka: Turkey's annual airport passenger capacity has surpassed 397 million, exceeding the combined population of 26 European Union countries, according to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.

The minister noted that over the past 24 years, the country's airport capacity grew from 55 million to more than 397.4 million passengers annually. The number of airports also rose from 26 to 58 during the same period.

Terminal space expanded significantly, climbing from 541,000 square meters to 4.1 million square meters. Passenger traffic surged from approximately 34 million to 247.1 million, while daily passenger numbers increased from 92,000 to 677,000.

Aircraft traffic followed a similar trajectory, with annual flights rising from 532,000 to over 2.5 million and daily flights exceeding 6,800.

Uraloğlu said these gains have improved Turkey's standing in global aviation rankings, moving from 18th to 7th worldwide in passenger traffic and from 7th to 3rd in Europe.

The national aviation fleet expanded as well, growing from 626 to 2,218 aircraft, with wide-body aircraft rising from 150 to 800. Seat capacity grew from 25,000 to over 157,000, while cargo capacity increased nearly tenfold.

International connectivity has also widened substantially. The number of international flight destinations increased from 60 to 356, and the number of countries with air transport agreements rose from 81 to 175.

Infrastructure improvements included runway expansion, with total runway length growing from 149 kilometers to 241.4 kilometers.

Uraloğlu concluded that these investments have positioned Turkey as a key global aviation hub, with infrastructure not only meeting current demand but also preparing the country for future growth.