MOSCOW, August 3 (Itar-Tass) —— Moscow’s Domodedovo airport, the biggest one in Russia, has published a rating of most punctual airlines in June.
“We created equal competition conditions for all companies – we divided them into eight categories depending on the number of flights and passenger turnover,” a spokesman for the Domodedovo airport told Itar-Tass. The punctuality list was topped by Transaero, Kogalymavia, Saratov Airlines, Avia Management Group, Germany’s Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, British BMI, and Latvia’s Air Baltic.
According to the spokesman, the rating was based on international rules which provide for a margin of 15 minutes to be added to each flight in case of any kind of unforeseen events. “In June, an average 375 flights a day were made from Domodedovo, and each timely performed flight means dozens of people who got in time to their destinations, who did not miss their connection flights across the globe,” the spokesman said.
“Participation in a contest organized by one of Russia’s and Europe’s airports is prestigious and implies responsibility at the same time,” said Yevgeny Rudenko, Kogalymavia director. “We shall try to live to the rating of the most punctual company we won in June in the months to come.”
According to the airport’s director, Igor Borisov, “punctuality is not merely satisfaction of passengers but also a considerable competitive advantage of both the airlines and the airport.”
The contest for the most punctual airlines was organized by the Domodedovo airport five years ago with an aim to improve the quality of passenger service. Over this time, the number of the airport’s Russian foreign partners has increase by more than a third. As of July 1, 2012, a total of 84 airlines make flights from Domodedovo to 244 destinations in Russia and across the globe. Flights to 88 destinations are done only from Domodedovo.