Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Europe's worst airports
Last week, I wrote about the worst airports in the states, at least when it came to delays. It's probably no surprise that not a single US airport made it into the top 10 rankings for best airports in the world, according to the air travel consulting firm Skytrax. But Euro-lovers, don't think your neighborhood, sprawling mess of an airport has escaped my attention (or that of the New York Times.)They've given the honor of worst European airport hands-down to London's Heathrow, with dishonorable mentions to Charles de Gaulle outside Paris, Leonardo da Vinci near Rome, and Frankfurt airport.
The irony here is that for Americans, these four airports can seem like walking in the park--on ecstasy. I, for one, would never have thought Heathrow or Frankfurt were particularly bad boys. Granted, I only had 20 minutes at Heathrow to go from an arriving flight from Beijing to a departing flight to New York. And it took me exactly 20 minutes at a full sprint to catch my flight. The airport is notorious for being one of those sprawling messes that take 20 minutes to get anywhere. But Frankfurt was pretty clean and well designed, I thought. Of course, the whole time I was consumed by rumors of a adult movie theater on the premises.
Anyone know if that exists?
Filed under: Airports
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Matt Kleiderman Jan 21st 2008 10:01AM
While I like Frankfurt for the most part, there is that endless rainbow tunnel between the Schengen and non-Schengen sides that seems longer than it needs to be that I've had to run through more than once.
Eva Jan 21st 2008 10:26AM
I have sort of a fond loyalty to Heathrow after transiting and flying in and out of there several times in the last few years, but it really is a mess a lot of the time. I've had the (dis)pleasure of sleeping on the floor there after a flight arrived late and the trains had all stopped running for the night, I've waited in line for Customs for well over an hour on several occasions, I've also had them lose my bags when I transited there, in BOTH directions on the same return trip.
Other than Heathrow (and Gatwick and Stansted), I've only been to small out-of-the-way European airports, on budget flights, so I can't really say if Heathrow is the worst. Seems entirely possible though.
Nick Hawkins Jan 21st 2008 11:47AM
Heathrow, without a doubt, is the biggest shithole airport in Europe. I hate it. I absolutely hate it. From their lackluster staff to the endless walking between terminals, delays galore and missing luggage - I hate it. I've been through there probably close to 50 times and I hate it. From the decor to the terminal smelling faintly of mold and urine it's awful.
CDG is a piss-poor airport too. I didn't mind FCO actually. It seemed ok. Brussels Airport sucks just because it's a long-ass walk from security to your plane (they always put the US flights at the end of the terminal).
Very few European airports are actually efficient it seems. Schiphol is cool to spend time in, the Berlin airports are small but efficient.
Stijn Jan 22nd 2008 9:45AM
My sister went through Heathrow for Xmas. She didn't loose her baggage there, but it was left behind. They sent it right away though.
Yeah Schiphol is #7 in world airport awards!
I like Schiphol, because I like flying, but also because they now have Starbucks.
Flying from there isn't too bad either, I alwasy have the D(?) Gates, which are 3-5 minute walk from the check-in.