Kocaeli Köseköy Airfield

Not applicable as the airport is not permanently closed. It operates as a dual-use military air station and public airport. However, scheduled civilian flights have been suspended for extended periods (e.g., between late 2018 and early 2022) due to economic reasons, primarily low passenger demand and strong competition from the nearby, much larger Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). These suspensions are operational decisions by airlines, not a closure of the airfield itself.

The site is an active, dual-use facility. Its primary user is the Turkish Navy, serving as the Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station. Concurrently, it operates as the public Kocaeli Cengiz Topel Airport (IATA: KCO, ICAO: LTBQ). It handles general aviation, air cargo, private jets, and limited scheduled domestic passenger flights (e.g., to Trabzon, operated by AnadoluJet/AJet). The identifier 'TR-0290' is an unofficial, non-ICAO code likely originating from an outdated or third-party database that may have listed the field before its public opening or during a period of civilian flight suspension.

The airfield, officially known as Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station (ICAO: LTBQ), was established in 1976. It is the primary and most important base for the Turkish Naval Aviation Command. It is named in honor of Turkish Air Force Captain Cengiz Topel, the first Turkish pilot killed in combat, during the 1964 conflict in Cyprus. For decades, its sole purpose was military, housing maritime patrol aircraft (like the S-2 Tracker, CN-235, and ATR 72) and helicopters vital for Turkey's naval surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities in the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The decision to open it for civilian use was made in the 2000s to serve the heavily industrialized Kocaeli province.

The airport is currently open and operational for both military and civilian traffic. The term 'reopening' in this context refers to the resumption or expansion of scheduled airline routes. The future of consistent civilian passenger services is subject to market dynamics. The Kocaeli governorate and local business communities continue to advocate for more stable and diverse flight schedules to better serve the region's significant industrial base and reduce reliance on Istanbul's airports. Any future expansion of services depends entirely on airlines finding routes to/from Kocaeli to be commercially viable.