Charleroi Airport, recently marred by repeated strikes and passenger disruption, is considered one of the worst airports in Europe by travellers, according to Dutch website Vliegveldinfo.nl’s 2022 Airport Satisfaction Survey.
The survey aggregated and compared google review scores and annual passenger numbers to create a ranking of the top 10 worst airports in Europe.
“Of the busiest 100 airports in Europe, only three score less than three stars, namely Bordeaux Airport (2.6), Heraklion Airport (2.7), and Manchester Airport (2.9),” the survey noted.
Charleroi Airport, often named “Brussels South” despite it being some way from the Belgian capital and poorly served by public transport, ranked the ninth-worst in Europe with an average Google review score of just 3.3 stars. This is ahead of France’s Nantes Airport but behind the oft-criticised London Stansted Airport.
Charleroi primarily serves low-cost airlines Ryanair, Wizzair, and TUI. It has faced considerable online criticism for poor logistics, long waiting times, bad connectivity with the rest of Belgium, and lack of facilities.
Repeated strike action this summer by airlines staff, ground staff, and other workers at the airport have only contributed to the negative ratings, with users sharing photos of giant queues for security and passport control at the airport.
Challenging summer
This challenging summer for aviation has had a negative impact on the reviews of many airports in Europe, especially large low-cost hubs.
“Staff problems cast a dark shadow over the radiant summer at some airports in Europe,” said Guus Wantia, founder of Vliegveldinfo.nl. Major airlines such as Ryanair and Wizzair, as well as airports, struggled under the exceptional demand for tickets following massive layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The chaos has directly impacted the image of these airports, judging by the reviews and frustrations of affected travellers. Although staff shortages have also led to problems in many other sectors, it is hoped that we will soon be able to fly completely carefree once again,” Wantia added.
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Some of the poor reviews pertain to airports currently under modernisation works, such as Bordeaux and Manchester. Heraklion struggles with excess demand, but a new airport is set to be finished on the island by 2025.
Passengers were extremely negative about London’s Luton and Stansted airports, and a flurry of poor reviews were caused by the nine-year delay in the construction of Berlin Brandenburg airport.
Zurich Airport, Athens Airport, Porto Airport, and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport were ranked the best airports in Europe by travellers, notably for their architecture, short queues, transport connections, and friendly staff. According to Vliegveldinfo.nl, passengers especially appreciated fast WiFi, clean toilets, sufficient charging stations, and a varied catering service.
