The worst airport you've ever been in

thelad95

Just after getting through bag drop and security in Berlin schonefeld and I can categorically say that this is the biggest dump of an airport I have ever been in. Thrown from one cattle shed terminal to another, having to walk up a narrow stairs to reach gates and the most inefficient security check I have ever seen in my life. German efficiency? I think not....

People complain about Dublin airport especially terminal 1 but this is on another scale of ****hole.

xabi

Vilnius Airport, horrible drab place.

BrokenArrows

Knock airport.
And they charge you an extra fee at the airport to depart which is not included in ticket prices.

0ph0rce0

Derry Airport. Years ago Flight was late. Airport closed at 6pm ??

No one there bar 1 or 2 folk it was like here's your bag and out the side gate.

Any busses mate? Nah gone at 6. Sure its only 8 miles to the city.

Ahh grand.

Had to thumb a lift.

Madness.

Mint Sauce

Salzburg. Feck all to do in it, then Security nicked our drink, and that was even long before fluid restrictions and shoe bombers. In recent years, Lyon, it had worst transport connections than Dublin, although I do believe they have seriously improved things, Lyon that is, not Dublin.

jellybellyelly

Coventry. Felt like a few portacabins had been dropped on an unusually large pavement. Security took a tampon out of my bag and questioned me on what it was. Stag do crowd behind me in the queue had a great time :rolleyes:

Jack the Stripper

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Knock airport.
And they charge you an extra fee at the airport to depart which is not included in ticket prices.

How much?

Aglomerado

Rome (Fiumcino) - worst security queueing system I have ever seen. Only two or three metal detectors operational at any one time and passengers for about 7 or 8 flights being funnelled through.

Winterlong

Anguilla international airport. It is little more than a bit of tarmac surrounded by a fence with a shack as a terminal. But they still insist that you check in 2 hours in advance. In the heat.

D0NNELLY

Gatwick. Horrible horrible horrible horrible place.

fg1406

Waterford could be mentioned as the "worst". There's feck all there. No working luggage belt when I was there and no public transport in or out of the place. But it was charming and very handy to use.

As for the worst overall airport that I actively seek to avoid, it would be Charleroi. I've never met such rude, ignorant staff in my life. There's nothing there. There's not enough seating, as I found out to my detriment while waiting during a 6 hour long delay, wifi cost something ridiculous like €5 for 15 mins.

Dots1982

thelad95 wrote: »

Just after getting through bag drop and security in Berlin schonefeld and I can categorically say that this is the biggest dump of an airport I have ever been in. Thrown from one cattle shed terminal to another, having to walk up a narrow stairs to reach gates and the most inefficient security check I have ever seen in my life. German efficiency? I think not....

People complain about Dublin airport especially terminal 1 but this is on another scale of ****hole.

It's terrible but it's because they are waiting to rebuild it next year or later this year I think.

Boom_Bap

For queueing, it has to be the airport in Jo'Burg. Queues everywhere.
The final customs one before picking up your bag has to be the longest queue in the world.

For waiting in a queue without moving, it has to be the Visa counter in Nairobi.

Schonefeld is grand, if they ever completed the expansion it would be great.

Eponymous

Stanstead is pretty awful.

Mr. Incognito

Frankfurt Hahn.

Dump

Alun

Dots1982 wrote: »

It's terrible but it's because they are waiting to rebuild it next year or later this year I think.

Exactly. It was always Berlin's second airport, but there's a new airport, Berlin Brandenburb, being built adjacent to it which should open next year and the existing infrastructure at Schonefeld will be renovated / expanded to cater for the budget end of the market. Hence why they're not spending any money on doing it up at the moment.

BrokenArrows

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

How much?

€10 cash only.

They won't let you through security without paying.

Kimbot

I remember about 15 years ago or more Glasgow was a dive. Other than that any of the ones I have been in are grand

ScumLord

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Knock airport.
And they charge you an extra fee at the airport to depart which is not included in ticket prices.

Knock airport is one of the best airports. Feck all waiting, or cueing, no walking around in circles for miles, you can have a smoke after you've checked in, decent food in comparison to other airports, it's only down the road, Mary waves to everyone as they're leaving.

Jack the Stripper

BrokenArrows wrote: »

€10 cash only.

They won't let you through security without paying.

Oh the starved cnuts.

Tabnabs

There are lots of crappy airports out there, but two that stick out in my mind are Male International Airport for the heat and the queues and Jakarta airport for the dodginess and ever present risk of being robbed (by men in and out of uniform...).

Shenshen

Amsterdam, though that might be because of the building work that was going on at the time. I really disliked having to go through security twice for no reason.

Dots1982

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ireland+West+Airport+Knock+(NOC)/@53.9136782,-8.8112729,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s-lDp_jEhhM9o%2FWD4aeShgzfI%2FAAAAAAAAG30%2Fr1IcoIPVDwcgWypAO79VLbmZVcKUL8I5wCLIB!2e4!3e12!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-lDp_jEhhM9o%2FWD4aeShgzfI%2FAAAAAAAAG30%2Fr1IcoIPVDwcgWypAO79VLbmZVcKUL8I5wCLIB%2Fw203-h170-k-no%2F!7i2981!8i2502!4m5!3m4!1s0x485ead1284273c2d:0x12ee344ec9741dd5!8m2!3d53.9138057!4d-8.8112192!6m1!1e1

You can fly to Boston from Knock?

ScumLord

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

Oh the starved cnuts.

You can shmoke a fag!

pconn062

thelad95 wrote: »

Just after getting through bag drop and security in Berlin schonefeld and I can categorically say that this is the biggest dump of an airport I have ever been in. Thrown from one cattle shed terminal to another, having to walk up a narrow stairs to reach gates and the most inefficient security check I have ever seen in my life. German efficiency? I think not....

People complain about Dublin airport especially terminal 1 but this is on another scale of ****hole.

Have to agree, it's an awful place. Cramped, old, it really is not a nice place to spend time. Tegel, the other airport in Berlin, is not much better. Very barn like and cramped. I wouldn't bet on the new airport being opened anytime soon either, it was originally meant to be open in 2010. I was in Berlin in 2014 and a guy in the airport told me the next time I was there I would be at the new airport, was there two weeks ago and still in fecking Schonefeld!

Love Berlin though, great city.

In response to a couple of posts:

• Lyon there's a train direct to the city centre from the airport, not sure what else you would want by way of transport links
• Gatwick is a great airport - never any security queues (you see, you CAN do it if you care enough), passengers from Dublin routed away from immigration control, Wagamama in the terminal building - ie semi decent food at reasonable prices. No idea why anyone would have an issue with it.

In general, most American airports. Security queues can be ridiculous and they take the 'captive audience' approach to food and drink or at least a lot of them do. London City Airport used to be great but has become more popular and nowadays is more like an extended game of musical chairs - plus the holding pen of course.

Gonzo

Eponymous wrote: »

Stanstead is pretty awful.

i thought Stansted is one of the better airports, lots of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars past security and plenty of seats, clean and modern.

dizzyn

Arrivals in Palermo airport is awful, very dark and drab! Departures is fine though, like a whole other airport

Kimbot

Shenshen wrote: »

Amsterdam, though that might be because of the building work that was going on at the time. I really disliked having to go through security twice for no reason.

It was actually very nice when I was there last month, there was building going on but I was going the opposite direction

diomed

London City

lisasimpson

Havana is a bit like a shed too

Now it was over 10 years ago but i didnt like JFK. The baggage system was nuts too

ancapailldorcha

Luton. I mean there are probably worse airports but I thought it was unthinkable that a London airport could be so utterly terrible.

Cloudio9

D0NNELLY wrote: »

Gatwick. Horrible horrible horrible horrible place.

Gatwick is fine. Really efficient security system too.

Worst I've been in is probably Rio de Janeiro. Major airport with one crappy shop and no proper bars, just a few plastic chairs outside kiosks. Ordered a beer and was handed a can

Sue Pa Key Pa

Zakynthos Airport. When I was there it was tiny and not anyway near big enough for the numbers going through

Stephen15

I can't say I've been to any airport thats particularly bad an airport is an airport to me queing and waiting is all part of the game.

brownbinman

Manila, especially the domestic terminal...100% the worlds worst

ScumLord

Deleted User wrote: »

Gatwick is a great airport - never any security queues (you see, you CAN do it if you care enough), passengers from Dublin routed away from immigration control, Wagamama in the terminal building - ie semi decent food at reasonable prices. No idea why anyone would have an issue with it.

I use Gatwick fairly regularly, it's an airport I've spent way too much time in. It's generally fine, especially when you're flying into it. I get the express into London and I'm there in 20 minutes.

Winterlong

Another is Bodrum airport. I dont know what is is like now but you used to have to pay 5 pound sterling in cash on arrival. No euros or other currency accepted - had to be sterling.
And then there are a load of hustlers pretending to be from the tour company trying to rob you once you get past baggage control.

Walter H Price

Both in France Beauvais an absolute cow shed and CDG just a pure head wreck of an airport to find you way around i think the french staff in both don't help the situation at all , typical rude ars*holes

Jrop

Leeds Bradford. Our flight was delayed due to fog. Everything closed at 9pm. We didn't leave til 10.30
Smelly pub carpet reeked of stale booze and sweat

sheroman01

Fes, Morocco. Nice on the outside but once you pass security you only have 1 shop for food/drinks and they do not accept cards and there is no ATM.

ScumLord

Aran islands airport was basically a tiny shed in the middle of a field when I went there years ago. The pilot would wait in there doing god knows what until people wanted to go home again.

Sligo is another horrible airport, I don't actually remember what the airport is like, I think it may have been shut when my flight came in. But the runway is pointing out in to the sea and as you're landing all you can see under the plane is ocean, just as you think you're about to crash into the ocean the plane lands on the end of the runway and everything is alright.

callaway92

D0NNELLY wrote: »

Gatwick. Horrible horrible horrible horrible place.

Eponymous wrote: »

Stanstead is pretty awful.

Can't say I agree with these. I find the three big airports in London very good (use Stansted and Gatwick a lot).

thelad95

The funniest thing about the departure Hall I'm in is that the choice of food is either Burger King or an Irish pub and the duty free only sells chocolate and liquor.

uch

Dar-es-Salaam, there's pretty much feck all in it

Walter H Price

Jrop wrote: »

Leeds Bradford. Our flight was delayed due to fog. Everything closed at 9pm. We didn't leave til 10.30
Smelly pub carpet reeked of stale booze and sweat

To be fair to the airport having been twice the entire of Leeds reeks of stale booze and sweat hahahahaha :P

Laphroaig52

"It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the expression "As pretty as an airport."

Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort. This ugliness arises because airports are full of people who are tired, cross, and have just discovered that their luggage has landed in Murmansk (Murmansk airport is the only exception of this otherwise infallible rule), and architects have on the whole tried to reflect this in their designs."
Mr. Douglas Adams about 30 years ago.

Jrop

Walter H Price I like Leeds itself but the 'airport' leaves a lot to be desired

Timmyr

Kumasi Airport in Ghana, the most corrupt place on earth, everybody wants to be paid

ArnoldJRimmer

I absolutely despise Heathrow, but its because of the difficulty of getting between terminals, the fact that they force you to go through security again even its a connecting flight, and the staff seem to lack any form of human decency. Its got good facilities though.

The worst airport I've been in was the domestic airport in Kathmandu. You check in, walk past a security guard and then you;re outside in an area with only a couple of seats until your plane is ready to board. Not even a vending machine, let alone a cafe. Someone was actually looking to board a plane with a live chicken when I was there

http://www.mountainsoftravelphotos.com/Nepal%20-%20Pokhara/Kathmandu%20to%20Pokhara/slides/Kathmandu%20Flight%20To%20Pokhara%2001%20Kathmandu%20Domestic%20Airport%20Check%20In.html

Richard Hillman

If you are ever going to Paris Beauvais, don't go through security until you absolutely have to. There is nothing beyond that gate bar a small cafe, a vending machine and a small duty free.


The dodgiest I have ever felt was at the entrance into Istanbul Ataturk. You feel like a sitting duck at the first security screening trying to get into the place. Incidentally, there was a terror attack at that exact entrance a few weeks later.