'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Turkey's main international airport in Istanbul has now closed and officially moved to a new base in a massive logistical operation.

The relocation of Istanbul's iconic Atatürk International Airport to Istanbul Airport on the Black Sea shores —dubbed the "Big Migration"— began in the early hours of Friday before ending Saturday afternoon.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Bilal Ekşi, CEO of flagship carrier Turkish Airlines, said 686 semi-trailer trucks and hundreds of other vehicles moved equipment at night, and planes flew to the new airport.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

The airline said on Twitter that the move was the largest in aviation history, with 10,000 pieces of equipment weighing 47,000 tons, covering an estimated size of 33 football fields.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Ground service staff members loaded equipments on a Turkish airlines cargo plane on the last day of flight operations of the Atatürk International airport late on April 5, 2019 in Istanbul.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

A Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-200F cargo plane is seen on the tarmac of Atatürk Airport.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

The move took 45 hours and involved 707 trucks and 800 staff members. 10,000 pieces of equipment weighing 47,000 tons tagged by trucks piece by piec

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Pilots posed for a photo in front of a cargo plane on the tarmac.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Atatürk Airport, ranked the 17th busiest in the world in 2018, ceased commercial operations at 03:00 a.m.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Check-in counters were seen in the empty halls of the airport, an unlikely scene for the usually packed hub.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcomes new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Staff members of the Atatürk Airport applauded on the last day of flight operations.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Staff members posed for photos on the last day of operations at Atatürk International Airport.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Many employees were seen smiling, celebrating their time at the iconic airport.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Some even took selfies to document the historic move.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

With a poster of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, modern Turkey's founder, between flight information boards, people walk at Atatürk International Airport.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Passengers and employees also created a memoir, signing the book and writing heartfelt farewell messages.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Some however, in classic Turkish style, chose to dance the 'halay', celebrating their good times and many years of working together.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

The big move, and the end of an era, was emotionally a bit overwhelming for some. Employees were seen teary-eyed while they waved goodbye to their old home.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Turkish Airlines airplanes got ready for their takeoff to move to the new Istanbul Airport.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

An aerial image shows the Atatürk Airport from above.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

The move marks the end of a chapter for Istanbul and Turkey, but now awaits new hopes, adventures, and challenges.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

The Istanbul Airport — one of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's mega projects— partially opened on Oct. 29, 2018, the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic, and will serve 90 million passengers annually.

'Big Migration': Employees, passengers bid farewell to iconic Atatürk Airport, welcome new Istanbul Airport

Despite a hard and emotional goodbye, Turkey has warmly welcomed Istanbul Airport, the "world's new hub."

The first flight from the new airport will be a Turkish Airlines flight to the capital Ankara's Esenboğa Airport.