GOOD LORD: Is Erdogan’s airport dream turning into nightmare?

Months of delays have prevented the airport from opening, which might be the best possible outcome:

As explained in the official introductory video published Oct. 29, the land chosen for the project was previously the site of coal mines, with uneven surfaces, wetlands and coastal sand dunes. It took 750 million cubic meters (980 million cubic yards) of soil to fill and even it out — something the video portrays as an engineering conquest. Images captured from the sky may impress ordinary observers, but experts are concerned about the site’s durability and safety.

An engineer from the Ministry of Transportation who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said, “I would not want any of my family members to even set foot in this airport. The project was started against all warnings and continued without meeting proper standards. For example, initially the recommendation was to [build] at least 105 meters [344 feet] above sea level. Then they reduced it to 90 meters, and finally it ended up at 60 meters. The ground is not stable; it’s built on underground wetlands. There is not enough soil in the world to fill it safely.”

The engineer explained that the 105-meter height from sea level is directly linked to flight safety.

Seriously, I hope they never open this thing — or raze it, either. If the airport really is this unsafe, it should stand empty as a monument to Erdogan’s ego and incompetence.