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Heathrow CEO: Istanbul Will Be Europe's Busiest Hub
25 Feb
Summary
- Istanbul Airport is projected to surpass Heathrow as Europe's busiest hub soon.
- Heathrow seeks approval for a new runway, costing up to 49 billion pounds.
- New flights from Heathrow's proposed runway are targeted for 2035.
Istanbul Airport is set to become Europe's busiest air hub, with Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye expecting the transition to occur by 2027. Currently operating near capacity with two runways, Heathrow aims to expand by building a new runway, a project estimated to cost 33 billion pounds, or 49 billion pounds with additional terminal improvements.
Heathrow received approval for this expansion last year, aiming to bolster economic growth. The airport's shareholders require an investment framework to fund the project.
The airport anticipates handling 85 million passengers this year, an increase from the previous year, driven by larger aircraft. The timeline for the new runway involves final planning consent by 2029, with flights targeted to begin in 2035. Lawmakers are expected to vote on the expansion later this year.
