Istanbul airport closes gap on Heathrow for Europe's busiest status

Istanbul Airport is close to overtaking Heathrow as the busiest airport in Europe. New passenger figures show that Heathrow is ahead by just 3,012 passengers. That is an extremely small gap for two major international airports.

Heathrow, in London, has held the top position in Europe for many years. Istanbul Airport has been growing quickly and is now very close to taking that title.

Airport rankings are based on total passenger numbers each year. A change at the top would show how air travel patterns across Europe have shifted. More people are now flying through Istanbul, which has become an important hub connecting many regions. If Istanbul's numbers continue to rise, it will soon pass Heathrow.