The British research company Skytrax has detailed the ratings of Rostov-on-Don airport, which in winter became the first in Russia to receive a 5-star rating. As Travel expected.ru, the airport received the highest scores for navigation, information services, speed of pre-flight and post-flight formalities, the process of transferring from flight to flight and comfort in the terminal - while transportation to the airport, the work of the staff, the choice of cafes and shops were rated more modestly.
At the same time, according to all parameters, Skytrax assessments of Rostov airport fluctuate between 4 and 5 points out of 5 possible. In more detail, the breakdown looks like this.
Airport transport is rated 4 points for all three criteria (transport variety, distance to stops and taxi service). It is worth noting that since the audit in January, the transport situation has improved somewhat - large buses have finally been put on the route from Rostov, although there is still sometimes a shortage of seats in them.
The scores for security control are also far from the maximum - the same 4 points for the criteria "information on security requirements", "staff attitude", "language skills", "service efficiency" and "priority control line" (the latter is absent at the airport in principle, and it is unclear how it received any score). Only "waiting time for control" was rated higher by 4.5 points.
Border control was assessed similarly – 5 points for waiting time on departure and arrival, and 4 points for “staff attitude” and “language skills”. The airport received the highest marks for the organization of transfers from flight to flight – 5 points for short walking distances during transfers, information signs, security control and ease of the process. Only one parameter of this process was assessed at 4 points – “transfer waiting area”.
The airport received high marks for navigation. The organization of signs at departure, arrival and transfer, translation of signs into foreign languages, and clarity of announcements received 5 points. The translation of announcements, clarity of signs and flight boards, terminal maps, information kiosks and operation of the information desk were rated at 4 points. The location of the flight boards was rated at 4.5 points.
On the route of departing passengers, signs for security control and the space near check-in counters were rated at 5 points, signs for check-in counters and the availability of seats near counters were rated at 4.5 points, and the organization of queues was rated at 4 points. On the route of arriving passengers, the shortness of the walking distance, the availability of toilets, the time it takes to deliver baggage, and the availability of baggage carts were rated at 5 points, and meeting places and the convenience of the baggage claim area were rated at 4 points.
In the section “Terminal Comfort and Services”, the following were rated at 5 points: occupancy, design and condition of the building, cleanliness of seats, free and easy wireless internet access, playgrounds, vending machines; 4.5 points: accessibility of ATMs, temperature in the terminal, accessibility of seats, variety and comfort of seats, access to power outlets, cleanliness of toilets, cleanliness of public spaces, changing rooms for babies; 4 points: toilets for passengers with disabilities, quiet areas, entertainment in the terminal.
The choice of cafes was awarded 4 points in both the public and clean zones, including the fast food section and the presence of international chains. Cleanliness in the cafe and the price level were awarded 4.5 points each. In terms of trade in the terminal, the choice of stores in both the public and clean zones, the choice of luxury brands and the work of store personnel were rated 4 points, and the choice of mid-price stores was rated 5 points.
In total, the airport was assessed according to 74 criteria. Let us recall that Rostov airport received 5 stars according to the relaxed requirements for regional airports. Skytrax introduced them in 2017 for small airports, explaining this by the desire to provide equal opportunities in the rating for both global hubs and smaller airports with predominantly domestic flights. The latter are subject to fewer requirements in terms of premium services, entertainment and conditions for transit passengers, hotels in the terminal or nearby, car rental, etc. In the rating for global hubs, for comparison, there are 9 more evaluation criteria - 83.
Rostov airport became the tenth in the world to receive the 5-star rating (there are 140 airports in the Skytrax rating). Regional 5-star status is held by Baku, Nagoya (Chubu), Haikou and Rostov. The more complex global 5-star rating is now held by 7 airports: Tokyo (Haneda), Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul (Incheon), Doha, Munich plus Shanghai Hongqiao, which recently joined this list. The Skytrax rating requires annual confirmation.
Source: travel.ru
