Frankfurt has overtaken Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport in the annual air connectivity stakes which is based on the number of direct air services offered by an airport, according to ACI Europe.

Frankfurt is now the leading European airport in terms of direct connectivity, as a result of significant network expansion via both Lufthansa and low cost carriers serving the German airport.

Schiphol has been pushed down to second place for direct connectivity in Europe – still above the sixth position it held back in 2008, ACI Europe said. London Heathrow fell  from second to third this year and was the only EU airport to record a loss in direct connectivity.

Schiphol has direct connections with 326 airports in 98 countries.

The Amsterdam airport handled 68.5 million passengers and 1.75 million tonnes of cargo last year, putting Schiphol in third place in Europe in both categories. More than 65,000 people have jobs connected to the airport.

ACI Europe represents over 500 airports in 45 European countries.