The Consumer Choice Center has revealed the findings of its first annual edition of the European Consumer Airport Index, highlighting the top 10 airports in Europe ranked by passenger-friendliness.
The index is the first of its kind in Europe, and should be used to inform both consumers and administrators as to who is doing the best job accommodating passengers. The top 10 are as follows:
- Brussels Airport
- Zurich Airport
- Düsseldorf Airport
- Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
- Manchester Airport
- Copenhagen Airport
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Stockholm Arlanda Airport
- Frankfurt am Main Airport
- Munich Airport
Interestingly, nine of the top 10 were in northern Europe, with Madrid-Barajas as the lone exception. There was also a lack of eastern European airports—although three Moscow airports were the only ones to crack the top 30 in terms of require passenger volume. The top three—Brussels, Zurich and Düsseldorf—are all roughly one-third the size of Europe’s larger airports.
Yaël Ossowski, deputy director of the Consumer Choice Center, said the ranking demonstrates the power of offering both practicality and comfort at major airports: “High points were awarded to the airports that offered great destinations around the world, but also a healthy mix of shops, restaurants and conveniences found at the airport.
Consumer Choice Center examined Europe’s 30 largest airports (by passenger volume) and ranked them in terms of passenger experience, location, transportation options, in-airport experience and flight network access. Other factors determined in the ranking included direct jet bridges (rather than bus boarding), proximity to the city center, the number of lounges, low security waiting times and on-time performance by airlines. Bonus points were awarded to airports with pre-clearance for U.S. flights and ability to broadcast security wait times.
Looking for the best choice of airport lounges? Heathrow Airport (London) came out on top with 44 lounges. Zurich, Vnukovo International Airport (Moscow), Frankfurt and Vienna International Airport round out the top five.
The best shopping and dining experiences can be found at Zurich, Malpensa Airport (Milan), Munich, Orly Airport (Paris) and Amsterdam.
