Study ranks 30 European airports

Heathrow is seventh overall despite having the best facilities in Europe; Madrid-Barajas comes out on top

Booking platform Omio has recently conducted a study analysing 30 European capital city airports for comfort and customer friendliness.

According to the findings, Heathrow has the best facilities out of all the contenders yet was ranked seventh overall.

Rome, Amsterdam, Moscow and Helsinki were amongst the European cities that ranked higher than the London-based airport.

London Heathrow was given a low ranking for stress-generating factors. It was found that the taxis are the most expensive, flight punctuality is below average and the airport is the busiest in Europe. All these factors contribute to high levels of stress felt by passengers travelling to and from the airport.

Although Heathrow was ranked highly for stress factors, Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris was voted the most stressful in Europe.

“Even though the most far-flung destinations can be reached within a few hours, air travel can still be exceptionally stressful,” says Julian Persaud, Commercial Director at Omio. “By sharing our findings on the most customer-friendly airports in Europe, we aim to help passengers travel comfortably and stress-free. After all, anyone who has ever travelled long distance, with long layovers, will know that a passenger-friendly terminal can make all the difference to a travel experience.”

In terms of transportation links, Heathrow ranked below average compared with others, as there are only two public transport options covering the 24km distance from the airport to London Victoria.

Consisting of 20 private lounges and three hotels, Heathrow was ranked as having the best facilities in Europe, making it the most comfortable airport for passengers.

Further findings suggest that Madrid-Barajas is the best airport in Europe due to its variety of shops and restaurants, with good connections to the city centre.

The most punctual airport in Europe was found to be Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport with 95.93% of flights arriving and departing on time.

Formerly known as GoEuro, Omio is currently partnered with over 800 European transport operators.