European airport forced to set up ‘passenger assistance zones’ after flight cancellations

A European airport is going the extra mile to help passengers facing delays and cancellations by setting up support areas with food and water.

Travelers are filling airports across the continent for the summer, raising expectations of challenges for passengers.

In response, Hungary’s Budapest Airport has set up areas for those affected, with sandwiches, water and even baby food and wipes.

Dubbed BUD:carezone, passengers will be informed whether they can use the service through a public announcement, either by the airline or airport staff.

The new support system is a joint effort between the airport and the Hungarian Ministry of National Economy.

It will include the provision of comfortable chairs, recliners, phone chargers and unlimited Wi-Fi.

The support site will also have a QR code that travelers can scan to get updated information about their flights or cancellations.

Budapest Airport CEO François Berisot said the airport aims to go beyond expectations in supporting passengers.

According to the Daily News Hungarian, he said: “As an airport operator, our priority is to provide passengers with high-quality services, even beyond our scope of responsibility.

“Now, with many people having to wait at the airport due to flight delays, we have responded as quickly as possible by setting up assistance points.”

The aviation boss said he was encouraged by the government’s support.

He added: “We welcome the fact that the Ministry of National Economy also considers this problem a priority and, as owners of Budapest Airport, we were able to act together quickly and effectively to remedy the situation.”

The airport advises passengers to arrive two and a half hours before departure and to closely monitor updates from the airline and airport staff.

It is warned that setbacks will be frequent until the end of the summer season on September 30.

This is because flights are making more trips and are therefore more likely to experience delays.

Major storms can also threaten aircraft punctuality.

Budapest’s new efforts to help customers facing horrific waits come as UK airports grapple with security delays.

Long queues have been seen in Birmingham Airport car parks due to last-minute government changes to liquids rules, causing confusion among passengers.

In June, a power cut caused cancellations and delays at Manchester Airport and caused chaos for travellers searching for luggage.

A group of holidaymakers heading to Heathrow Airport were hit by a technical fault last week, delaying several British Airways flights.