Tender for shuttle bus transfer services to new Istanbul airport canceled

ISTANBUL

A tender for the shuttle bus transfer service from and to the new Istanbul airport has been canceled by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality on the ground that “no public interest emerges from the contract.” 

The Altur-Havaş-Free Turizm consortium had won the tender on Sept. 4 in a 475.5 million Turkish Lira ($71.2 million on that day’s rate) bid, including VAT.

Subject to relevant approvals, the operating period for the consortium was a 10-year period, starting from the opening date of the new Istanbul airport on Oct. 29.

Istanbul Mayor Mevlüt Uysal did not approve the contact, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Sept. 13, citing the deficiencies in public good as any tender participant did not raise its bid.

A new tender will be held in the upcoming days and the required measures have been taken not to lead any problems in shuttle bus services for the new airport on Oct. 29 and in the following days, according to the report.

While 24 tender specifications were taken for the contract with an estimated 468 million lira value, only five companies and consortiums submitted their offer envelopes.

Sarılar Turizm offered its bid on Sept. 4, but the offer of the latter was found ineligible by the tender commission.

Two others, Tureks Turizm Taşımacılık and Istanbul Halk Ulaşım, did not make an offer, but handed out a letter of thanks.

Different bids were offered in three tours by the Altur-Havaş-Free Turizm consortium and another bidder, Platform Turizm.

The consortium won the tender with its 475.48 million lira bid.

The consortium was expected to carry 75,000 passengers between 18 routes in the city center and the new airport on a daily basis.