Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Minister Ahmet Arslan said that the highest increase in the number of air passengers in the last 12 years was recorded in January, as 14.8 million passengers were served in January.

Arslan announced January flight, passenger and freight figures in a statement to Anadolu Agency (AA).

According to Arslan, the number of flights to and from airports in January increased by 16.2 percent in domestic flights compared to the same month last year, reaching 70,510, while the figure rose to 36,060 on international lines, an increase of 11.8 percent.

Arslan stressed that the overflight traffic surged by 13.4 percent last month, reaching 33,860.

He added the total flight traffic at airports in this period was 142,430, an increase of 14.3 percent, including overflights.

"In January, domestic passenger traffic to and from all airports in Turkey increased by 28.2 percent to 9.6 million, while international passenger traffic reached 5.1 million with an increase of 29.4 percent," Arslan continued. "In the said month, total passenger traffic, including direct transit passengers, increased by 28.5 percent compared to the same month of last year, reaching 14.8 million. Thus, the highest passenger traffic in the last 12 years was realized in January."

Arslan said that freight traffic (cargo, mail and baggage) reached 76,338 tons on domestic lines, an increase of 23.3 percent, and 184,030 tons in international lines, a 29.7 percent increase, noting that the freight traffic amounted to 260,368 tons in total, an increase of 27.7 percent. Minister Arslan said Istanbul Atatürk, İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Ankara Esenboğa airports provided the most significant contribution to the increase in the number of passengers in January.

Pointing out that in January Istanbul Atatürk Airport's passenger traffic increased by 22 percent to 1.6 million on domestic lines compared to the same month last year and by 34 percent to 3.6 million on international lines, totaling 5.2 million, an increase of 30 percent, Arslan said Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport's passenger traffic reached 1.9 million on domestic flights, a 28 percent increase compared to the same month last year, and 845,983 in international flights, an increase of 23 percent, amounting to 2.7 million in total, an increase of 26 percent.

Arslan said the passenger traffic at Ankara Esenboğa Airport reached 1.4 million in January, an increase of 51 percent compared to the same month last year. "The number of passengers was 1.6 million, an increase of 48 percent, including 169,804 passengers on international lines, an increase of 27 percent. The demand for air transport in Ankara is increasing," Arslan concluded.