Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport Reopens After Bombings

Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport. Photo: Citrat.

Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport is back up and running with some delays.   

At least 41 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a suicide bomb attack at the airport on Tuesday.  

Three attackers opened fired near the terminal’s X-ray machines, and three bombs exploded, all before the security clearance area—one outside the terminal, one in the international terminal’s first-floor departures area and a third before the terminal’s security entrance. None of the attackers survived. 

The airport has security checks at the entrance to the terminal buildings and then again before the departure gates.

Roads around the airport, which is Europe’s third-busiest in passenger traffic and the 11th busiest in the world, were closed and flights in and out of the airport were suspended.  

The airport is the main hub for Turkish Airlines, who said in a statement it is “closely monitoring the incident… and is in touch with all appropriate authorities.” 

The U.S. State Department issued a statement shortly after the attacks, urging any Americans in Istanbul to contact family members in the United States and advising Americans “to avoid the area around the airport and to avoid any police action that may be taking place throughout the city.”  

Turkey is a key partner in the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS and a NATO member—and a frequent prey of terrorist attacks, which have scared away tourists and hurt its economy.

The incident is the eighth suicide bombing attack in Turkey this year and another in a string of attacks in the country targeting travelers. In January, 12 German travelers were killed by a suicide bomber in Istanbul’s tourist district and 15 were injured in a separate attack at Sultanahmet Square, near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, a major tourist hub for the city.  

Those attacks have made a dent in one of Europe’s most-visited cities. The number of travelers booked to visit Istanbul were down by 43.7% through Labor Day this year according to Allianz Global Assistance and a number of cruise lines—including MSC, Norwegian and Crystal Cruises—have begun skipping Turkish port of calls because of security concerns.