In February, Istanbul Airport became Europe’s busiest airport with an average of 1306 flights per day, according to the European Aviation Report by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).
This placed it at the top, surpassing other major airports like London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Paris Charles De Gaulle.
Sabiha Gökçen Airport also made the list as the 10th busiest in Europe with an average of 620 flights per day. Meanwhile, Istanbul Airport has been named “Airport of the Year” at the Air Transport Awards for the fourth consecutive time.
The award was presented to Selahattin Bilgen, Acting CEO of IGA, the operator of Istanbul Airport, at a ceremony in Ekali, Greece. This marks the fourth year in a row Istanbul Airport has outperformed global competitors to win this prestigious title, having previously won in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Bilgen, in his speech at the ceremony, said:” “We at iGA Istanbul Airport are incredibly grateful to have received this prestigious award for the fourth consecutive year. Being recognized as the Airport of the Year is a testimonial to the dedication and never-ending efforts of our entire team, who continuously strive for excellence in every facet of our airport’s operations. Together, we aim to set new standards of efficiency, sustainability, innovation and passenger satisfaction. To that end, we’ve set even more ambitious targets for 2024, this award reaffirms our sincere commitment to providing world-class services and we are honored to be acknowledged as the best in the industry. We thank the Air Transport Awards team for this honor and intend to continue delivering the best possible service for our stakeholders and passengers.”
Organised annually by Hermes – Air Transport Organisation, ATN (Air Transport News) and ALA (America Latina Aeronoticias), the Air Transport Awards are organised by a special committee elected by leading aviation industry organisations such as Airports Council International (ACI), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Air Transport News Director General and CEO, Dr Kostas Iastrou, said, “iGA Istanbul Airport has proven to be a resilient and innovative aviation hub despite all the challenges faced by the aviation industry since the Covid-19 pandemic. It has rapidly reached pre-pandemic figures in passenger numbers and has become a leading global hub by increasing airline diversity. This award is a reflection of the dedicated work of airport employees and the pleasant travel experience they strive to offer their guests.“
