Istanbul’s mega airport on the metropolis’ European half, Istanbul Airport, has achieved another milestone by claiming the title of Europe's busiest airport between May 15-21, as per the data cited by the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).
During the week of May 15-21, the airport which commenced operations on October 29, 2018, boasted an average of 1,401 daily flights.
According to Eurocontrol's latest European Aviation Report, Istanbul Airport outshined its counterparts by securing the top spot in terms of flight volume. Following closely behind were Amsterdam Schiphol, with an average of 1,330 daily flights and London Heathrow, which recorded 1,302 flights.
In response to this achievement, IGA, the operator of Istanbul Airport, expressed gratitude through the airport's official social media accounts.
“According to the 20th-week data released by Eurocontrol, Istanbul Airport was at the top of Europe with an average of 1,401 flights per day,” the IGA said, thanking passengers who chose the airport for traveling.
The gleaming glass-and-steel structure along the Black Sea coast has managed to turn into one of the most important transit centers in aviation since it was officially declared open in late October 2018, before becoming fully operational in April 2019.
It reflected the emergence of Istanbul, Europe’s largest city straddling Europe and Asia, as a major regional transport hub.
Istanbul Airport can handle 90 million passengers a year in the current phase, which is nothing compared to its potential capacity of serving 200 million after completion of all phases, making it the world’s largest.
All four phases of the airport’s construction and expansion, including six runways, are expected to be completed by 2028.
