The 2015 G20 Summit in Turkey will be the 10th annual meeting of top heads of state. The event takes place in the country’s southwestern city of Antalya, November 15-16. In order to secure preferred aircraft parking and hotel accommodations during this busy period, it’s important to begin trip planning arrangements as soon as schedule is known.

The following is an overview of what you need to know:

1. Primary airport

Antalya (LTAI) is primary airport for this event. It’s a 24-hour airport of entry with full General Aviation (GA) support services, aviation fuel, and credit services. Plenty of aircraft parking is normally available at LTAI. You may choose from multiple ground handling options at this location, and an in-flight caterer is on the airfield. Note that landing permits and airport slots are needed for all arrivals and departures at this airport.

2. Landing permits and slots

Three business days’ lead time is recommended when applying for Turkey landing permits. However, short-notice permit requests are possible for Turkey at the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA’s) discretion. CAA processes landing permits during normal business hours, and the military takes over processing permit requests after hours. Note that you must always have your landing permit confirmed prior to applying for airport slots.

3. ECAC exemptions

Landing and overflight permits are not required for European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) aircraft meeting all of the following conditions:

• operating under ECAC member country registry
• passenger seating capacity of 12 seats or less
• operating as private non-revenue, charter (non-scheduled commercial), air ambulance, or humanitarian relief assistance
• arriving in Turkey from an international airport
• International Civil Aviation Organization flight plan filed with the following remarks in Item 18: “Turkey PMT ECAC business flight” and submitted at least three hours before departure

However, landing permits are needed for ECAC flights if:

• seating capacity is more than 12 seats
• you are making a technical stop in Turkey
• you are doing domestic flights within Turkey

A complete list of ECAC states can be found at the ECAC website.

4. Airport slot requirements

Airport slots should be requested at least 48 hours prior to the estimated time of arrival, but they’ll only be confirmed one day prior to arrival. At LTAI, slots must be requested via Schedule Clearance Request/Reply (SCR) slot format from March 29 to October 24, 2015; and from October 25, 2015 to March 27, 2016, slots are to be requested via slot movement advice (SMA) format.

It’s compulsory to advise the slot coordinator of any operation to LTAI, as well as any revisions such as schedule changes and operational delays. Once confirmed, slots have a deviation of +/- 20 minutes for arrival and +30/-10 minutes for departure.

5. Operational considerations

It’s likely that additional slot and parking restrictions will be put into effect at LTAI during the G20 period, but nothing has been announced at this time. We do not, however, anticipate issues with landing permits during the Summit. Most attendees will be traveling as “Head of State” flights, and these aircraft, as well as their accompanying support aircraft, will create additional congestion at the airfield. This may require other GA aircraft traveling to Antalya but not taking part in the G20 event to do drop-and-go’s.

6. Aircraft security

As there are security concerns in this part of the world, it’s recommended that operators traveling to LTAI and all airports in Turkey arrange aircraft security for the duration of stay. Aircraft guards can be arranged for airside security purposes, but this must be organized and approved prior to the day of operation.

Read more on security planning for business aviation.

7. Landing permit documentation

Turkey CAA has specific documentation requirements for landing permits and is particular with respect to aircraft liability insurance format/wording. Standard worldwide insurance policies are not likely to be accepted unless coverage limits are denoted in special drawing rights and specific verbiage is included. All support documentation for landing permits, including noise certificates, is submitted via e-mail.

8. Operating restrictions

Be mindful that no flights to/from Cyprus or Armenia are permitted to/from Turkey. For travelers of certain nationalities visas are required, but these can usually be obtained upon arrival. It’s important to confirm with your 3rd-party provider or ground handler any visa or operational requirements that may impact your flight.

9. Cabotage considerations in Turkey

When you travel to Turkey, cabotage regulations and restrictions must be considered. GA operators may travel within Turkey with the same passengers who arrive onboard the aircraft. However, if you want to pick up a passenger within Turkey, you’ll need to submit a request to CAA to determine if this is allowable. CAA will consider these requests on a case-by-case basis.

10. CIQ clearance

Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) clearance at LTAI is normally done within the main terminal, but there’s also the option at additional cost for GA flights to clear at the Commercially Important Passenger (CIP) terminal. To clear CIQ, either in the main terminal or at the CIP facility, passengers/crew members must present passports with sufficient validities to cover their stays in Turkey and have made any required visa arrangements in advance.

11. Alternate airports

If overnight parking at LTAI is not available, alternate airports to consider include Izmir (LTBJ), Bodrum (LTFE), and Dalaman (LTBS). LTBS is the closest alternate, at 97 NM and about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from LTAI. All of these alternates require airport slots, and aircraft security is always recommended.

12. Hotels and local transport

Preferred hotel accommodations will be in high demand over the G20 period with room prices likely elevated and extended cancellation policies in effect. Availability of pre-paid transport (car with driver) should not, however, be an issue during the G20 meeting period.

Conclusion

When operating to Turkey, be sure to have your landing permit in order before applying for airport slots. Ensure that any cabotage issues are addressed prior to travel to this event. Also, it’s important that hotel bookings are made in advance due to the increase of traffic for the G20 summit.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this article or would like assistance planning your next trip to Turkey, contact me at keithforeman@univ-wea.com.