BOURNEMOUTH Airport has been praised in a report by consumer group, Which?.

The airport, in Christchurch, ranked in the top five UK airports and has received ‘Recommended Provider’ status from the consumer group.

The recognition comes as part of Which?’s annual airport survey of its members, seeking their feedback on a variety of airport experiences.

A customer score was calculated based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend. The consumer champion also asked travellers to report how long they spent queueing at security.

Bournemouth Airport had a customer score of 75%, putting it among the top five airports in the country, and received four-star ratings in five categories.

These included queuing at check-in, baggage reclaim and customer experience received from airport staff.

The airport also had one of the shortest reported security waiting times at 13 minutes.

And it had fewer flight cancellations than any other airport in the survey, at just 0.1% from May 2022 to April 2023.

The top 5 UK airports, according to Which?

1. Liverpool John Lennon – 82%
2. London City – 78%
3. Southampton – 77%
4. Bournemouth – 75%
5. East Midlands and Newcastle – 72%

Bristol Airport scored 55%, while Gatwick North scored 57%, alongside Heathrow’s Terminals 4 and 5.

Steve Gill, managing director of Bournemouth Airport, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see Bournemouth Airport recognised as one of the top three airports in the UK for customer experience in this survey conducted by Which?

“The esteemed ‘Recommended Provider’ status is a resounding vote of confidence not only in our airport but, most importantly, in our dedicated staff who consistently go above and beyond for our passengers.”

Bournemouth Airport also scored highly in last year’s Which? survey, being ranked fifth overall.

Earlier this summer the airport also received a ‘very good’ ranking – the highest possible – from the Civil Aviation Authority for its customer service to disabled and less mobile passengers.

And in April, the airport launched a groundbreaking 360-degree video guide for passengers, developed as part of an ongoing collaboration with Cranfield University.

The video guide offers a virtual tour of the airport, providing vital information to passengers with specific accessibility requirements before they travel.

Bournemouth Airport is owned and operated by Regional & City Airports, part of Rigby Group plc, and has flights to 35 destinations in 18 countries.

For more information, visit www.bournemouthairport.com.