Turkey is rolling out free drinking water dispensers across all 58 of its airports, in a passenger comfort initiative led by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
Water dispensers are being installed in check-in halls, secured passenger zones, waiting areas, and both arrival and departure terminals. Work has already been completed at 14 airports, while procurement, manufacturing, and installation are continuing at a further 32. Officials have confirmed plans to extend the service to all 58 airports, with additional dispensers to be concentrated in the busiest parts of terminals.
The announcement comes as part of a broader push by Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu to improve standards for air travellers in Turkey. In September 2025, Uraloğlu had already directed the Turkish General Directorate of Civil Aviation to mandate all airlines operating within and from Turkey to provide a minimum of 200 millilitres of free drinking water to every passenger on board, regardless of flight duration. That order applied immediately to both domestic and foreign carriers, citing health risks from dehydration during summer travel and periods of cabin ventilation limitations.
The airport dispenser programme is seen as a natural extension of that policy, bringing free water access into terminal buildings and not just onto aircraft. Uraloğlu has previously stated that dehydration during long waits and delays poses risks ranging from headaches and loss of concentration to more serious medical emergencies.
Turkey’s aviation network has expanded sharply in recent years. The number of active airports has grown from 26 in 2002 to the current 58, with two further airports at Bayburt-Gümüşhane and Yozgat expected to open later in 2026, bringing the total to 60. Air passenger traffic reached a record 247 million in 2025, and the country handled nearly 50 million passengers in the first quarter of 2026 alone, an increase of 8.9 percent year on year.
Istanbul Airport, operated by iGA, was among the first to implement water dispensers at scale, with 23 locations confirmed across the terminal offering both hot and cold water to travellers. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport has also added dispensers in its international and domestic departure areas, transit zones, and landside levels.
The initiative fits within a wider programme of infrastructure investment. January 2026 saw the inauguration of a third runway and new air traffic control tower at Ankara Esenboğa Airport, part of a 298-million-euro expansion that will raise annual capacity from 20 million to 30 million passengers. A new offshore airport on the Black Sea at Trabzon has also been tendered, with a planned terminal capacity of 10 million passengers and a 3,000-metre runway.
The water dispenser rollout does not have a confirmed completion date, but the pace of installation suggests the project is already active across a significant portion of the network. For passengers, the practical benefit is most immediate at major hubs during peak summer travel, when terminal congestion and long waits make access to drinking water a tangible concern. The programme also reflects a broader trend in airport planning, where basic passenger amenities such as seating, charging points, and water access are increasingly regarded as core elements of the travel experience rather than optional extras.
