Istanbul overtakes Frankfurt to lead Europe’s air cargo market

According to the German Aviation Association (BDL), Frankfurt Airport, which was formerly Europe’s top air freight hub, lost its top spot to Istanbul Airport. The BDL attributed the drop primarily to increased ground costs and unnecessary bureaucracy.

According to the association, the volume of air cargo increased by 6% globally in 2024, but Frankfurt’s rise was only 1.2%. Istanbul Airport, on the other hand, reported a 39.6% rise in freight transport, overtaking Frankfurt for the first time. The BDL cautioned that German hubs like Frankfurt and Cologne/Bonn will find it more difficult to keep up with the trend of freight traffic moving to neighboring countries that provide cheaper operating expenses and quicker handling procedures.

The group responded by announcing a five-point action plan and urging the federal government to move quickly to improve Germany’s standing as a hub for air travel. The proposals include lowering state-imposed ground costs, expediting administrative processes by implementing EU aviation safety standards digitally, granting air cargo centers more flexible work schedules, implementing EU customs laws consistently throughout the bloc, and streamlining import VAT collection.

According to the statement, which predicted that Germany’s freight growth would only reach 1.2% in 2025, “air transport is growing faster globally than at German hubs.” The group demanded urgent reforms to stop additional market loss to competing airports, claiming that structural inefficiencies and regulatory delays were undermining Germany’s competitiveness.