London Heathrow replaced as Europe's busiest airport by Istanbul
Istanbul Airport has overtaken London Heathrow as the busiest airport in Europe, according to recent passenger data. Heathrow's traffic has been impacted by regional geopolitical tensions, though the airport continues to push for expansion plans.
Why it matters
Airport passenger volume is a key indicator of regional economic activity and the health of the international aviation industry.
Image source, BBC/Harry Low Image caption, Heathrow has been Europe's busiest airport in most years since 1996
Heathrow has lost its position as Europe's busiest airport to Istanbul, new figures show.
The west London airport said 7.86m passengers passed through its four terminals in July, whereas Istanbul Airport in Turkey's largest city recorded 8.15m passengers.
The US-Israel conflict with Iran has had an impact on Heathrow's passenger traffic with Middle East routes in July down 20.2% year-on-year.
Annual figures from trade body Airports Council International show Heathrow was Europe's busiest airport from 1996 to 2019. It lost that title in 2020 amid coronavirus travel restrictions before regaining it in 2023, holding it ever since.
Heathrow continues to operate its two runways at near-full capacity and is seeking government permission to build a third.
Heathrow Airport sees 1.8% fall in June passengers
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