European travel booking platform Omio has released a study ranking the main airports in 30 European capital cities, according to their levels of comfort and passenger-friendliness.
Among the study’s findings, London Heathrow ranks seventh, with airports in cities such as Rome, Amsterdam, Moscow and Helsinki ranking higher. In terms of connectivity, Heathrow is below average compared with other European cities, with only two public transportation options covering the significant 24km distance between London Victoria station and Heathrow Airport.
According to the ranking, Heathrow has the best facilities in Europe, making the travel experience most comfortable for passengers. The airport includes 20 private lounges and three hotels.
Yet London Heathrow ranks poorly in terms of stress-generating factors. For example, the taxis are the most expensive, flight punctuality is below average, and the airport is the busiest in Europe with the most passengers per day – over 241,000. These factors all contribute to exceptionally high levels of stress throughout the terminal.
Table 1: The top ten most customer-friendly airports in Europe
| Rank | International Airport | Connectivity | Facilities | Entertainment | Stress | Scoring |
| 1 | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) | 89.87 | 79.95 | 96.28 | 63.25 | 100.00 |
| 2 | Leonardo Da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport Rome (FCO) | 48.90 | 83.96 | 96.27 | 42.38 | 93.40 |
| 3 | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) | 68.11 | 86.22 | 83.99 | 41.80 | 90.40 |
| 4 | Copenhagen Airport Kastrup (CPH) | 100.00 | 67.17 | 81.06 | 74.55 | 87.00 |
| 5 | Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) | 44.93 | 69.92 | 100.00 | 33.53 | 85.70 |
| 6 | Helsinki Airport (HEL) | 60.50 | 87.97 | 63.42 | 80.25 | 84.00 |
| 7 | London Heathrow Airport (LHR) | 49.10 | 100.00 | 63.21 | 6.90 | 78.70 |
| 8 | Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) | 75.90 | 57.14 | 80.67 | 56.60 | 75.10 |
| 9 | Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) | 93.42 | 66.42 | 62.15 | 70.62 | 74.30 |
| 10 | Berlin – Brandenburg (BER) | 54.44 | 71.43 | 63.03 | 48.44 | 68.90 |
Omio said that when compiling the report, the connectivity of each airport was determined by identifying the distance from the airport to the city center and the number of public transport options available to get there. The number of facilities was also examined, including showers, rest and relaxation areas, charging stations and airport lounges, as well as entertainment options, such as the number of shops, bars and restaurants and children’s play areas. Stress-generating factors, such as flight delays and number of daily passengers were also included in the study.
“Even though the most far-flung destinations can be reached within a few hours, air travel can still be exceptionally stressful,” explained 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 traveled long distance, with long layovers, will know that a passenger-friendly terminal can make all the difference to a travel experience.”
To read the full Omio study, click here.