The improvements carried out at Liszt Ferenc International Airport resulted in a clear increase in standards – this was revealed by the international Airport Service Quality (ASQ) conducted in the last quarter of 2020. Within the framework of the research, passengers evaluated the airport services that most affected them on the basis of 37 different criteria, and the scores registered in the last quarter of last year confirm the results of the development package of 167 million euros (HUF 57 billion) in the last two years, reveals the press release of Budapest Airport.
According to utazomajom.hu, the ASQ survey is the most important indicator for Budapest Airport every quarter, as it directly reflects the improvements made by the airport operator and the quality of passenger services based on the evaluation of passengers. That is why Budapest Airport has decided to conduct a satisfaction survey in 2020, giving passengers the opportunity to give feedback on their impressions of the airport environment.
Only last year, Budapest Airport spent EUR 74 million on airport development, the majority of which concerns passenger services, terminal infrastructure, and the airport environment, and if we look at the last two years, the amount spent on developments amounts to EUR 167 million. These improvements are also evident in the results of a survey conducted by an independent service provider; the overall satisfaction level of the respondents reached 4.17 points in the last quarter of 2020, which is outstandingly good. The score for the general atmosphere of the terminal received a much higher rating of 4.09 points in the last quarter of 2020, after 3.79 points in the same period in 2019.
On a scale of 5, the passenger information system and the ease of navigation at the airport received a score of more than 4. This was also helped by the new information boards last year, as well as the newly introduced display of waiting time and walking distance.
Top-rated aspects include the thoroughness of security checks, the helpfulness of staff, and an overall sense of security,
and compared to 2019, the rating of airport toilets has also improved significantly. In the latter are, Budapest Airport has carried out a significant expansion in recent years, during which the capacity of the restrooms has increased by 75%.
The lowest scores were typically given to aspects connected to the roads leading to the airport, and passengers gave lower ratings for car parks and, as is typical of consumer surveys, certain product prices.
Overall, the results measured between October and December 2020 fully confirm the continuous increase in the quality of passenger services and the airport environment, and Budapest Airport expects passengers in 2021 with a renewed environment, excellent terminal infrastructure, and a consistently high level of security.
“Passengers’ opinions are the most important consideration when judging an airport, as the airport and passenger services are for them. That is why the continuous increase of passenger satisfaction must be a constant goal for us,” said Dr Rolf Schnitzler, CEO of Budapest Airport. He added: “We are constantly rethinking passenger services, taking into account international trends and adopting the best practices to ensure that passengers arriving in or departing from Hungary have the best travel experience. I am pleased to see that, based on the survey results, our multi-million-euro developments will pay off, as they have a major role in achieving this goal.”