# Heathrow Loses Europe's Busiest Airport Crown, Says Expansion Crucial

Heathrow Airport has been overtaken as Europe's busiest airport, prompting its leadership to argue that expansion is urgently needed. The loss highlights competitive pressures and infrastructure constraints at the UK's major hub. This matters for UK aviation policy and broader economic connectivity.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### World
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/aug/11/heathrow-expansion-not-europe-busiest-airport-istanbul) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:02:59 GMT

### Business
- [BBC Business](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdx7kwkqqkgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:24:19 GMT