Istanbul overtakes Frankfurt to lead Europe’s air cargo market

In a major shift for the freight forwarding sector, Frankfurt Airport has lost its long-held status as Europe's top air freight hub to Istanbul Airport, according to the German Aviation Association (BDL). Despite a 6% global rise in air cargo volumes in 2024, Frankfurt managed only a 1.2% increase, while Istanbul surged ahead with a 39.6% jump in freight transport.

The BDL attributes this decline to high ground handling costs, regulatory inefficiencies, and bureaucratic hurdles issues that are weakening Germany’s position in supply chain and freight forwarding. In contrast, airports in neighboring countries, such as Istanbul, are offering more competitive logistics environments, with lower operating expenses and faster freight processing times.

To address these challenges, the BDL has proposed a five-point action plan. This includes reducing state-imposed ground fees, digitizing EU aviation safety compliance, standardizing customs law enforcement, streamlining import VAT collection, and allowing more flexible scheduling at air cargo centers. These reforms aim to strengthen freight systems supply chain solutions in Germany and prevent further erosion of its logistics competitiveness.