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Istanbul Overtakes Heathrow to Become Europe's Busiest Airport
🇦🇷 Argentina /Energy & Infrastructure

Istanbul Overtakes Heathrow to Become Europe's Busiest Airport

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Istanbul Airport surpassed Heathrow in July, becoming Europe's busiest airport for the first time.
  • Istanbul handled 8.15 million passengers in July, while Heathrow served 7.86 million, marking a shift in European air traffic.
  • Heathrow's capacity limitations and a desire for expansion are highlighted, while Istanbul benefits from its newer, larger facilities.

Istanbul Airport has claimed the title of Europe's busiest airport, overtaking London's Heathrow in July. This shift underscores Heathrow's capacity constraints and reignites political debate in Britain over its expansion.

In July, Istanbul Airport processed 8.15 million passengers, compared to Heathrow's 7.86 million. This nearly 300,000-passenger difference occurred during one of the peak months for European air travel. Heathrow's passenger traffic declined by 1.5% year-on-year, while Istanbul's saw a 1.5% increase. Heathrow was particularly affected by the Iran-US conflict, experiencing a 20.2% drop in Middle East travelers in July compared to the previous year.

the need to expand the airport is now more evident

— Heathrow AirportArguing for the necessity of airport expansion to maintain competitiveness.

The change carries significant symbolic weight. Heathrow held the top spot for European passenger numbers from 1996 to 2019. While pandemic-related travel restrictions caused it to lose this position in 2020, it regained it in 2023. The current situation brings Heathrow's primary limitation back into focus: its two runways operate near maximum capacity, prompting airport authorities to seek approval for a third runway.

the project would provide the UK with the necessary infrastructure to maintain its competitiveness and stimulate economic growth

— Heathrow AirportJustifying the proposed expansion plan in terms of national economic benefit.

This proposed expansion, valued at approximately £33 billion, aims to increase Heathrow's capacity to 150 million passengers annually. In 2025, it handled just under 85 million passengers. Heathrow has used Istanbul's rise to bolster its case, arguing that expansion is crucial for the UK to maintain competitiveness and stimulate economic growth.

However, the airports' conditions differ greatly. Istanbul's main terminal, opened in late 2018, is situated on a vast site away from urban and residential areas. It features three independent runways operational 24 hours a day. In contrast, Heathrow is located in West London. Istanbul Airport's CEO, Selahattin Bilgen, called the European leadership a milestone, suggesting further growth potential for the Turkish hub.

European leadership is a milestone

— Selahattin BilgenCommenting on Istanbul Airport's achievement of becoming Europe's busiest.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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