Queues at Paris-Beauve-Tille airport are a common sight
As expected, the worst ratings were not given to the central airports of European capitals, but to small airports often used by low-cost and charter airlines, such as Ryanair and Wizz Air.
The list of the worst airports in Europe is topped by Paris-Beauve-Tille. Despite its name, the airport is not in Paris itself, nor even near it, but a good 90 kilometers from the French capital, which requires getting there by expensive buses or rental cars (users claim that this costs almost more than the flight itself).
The same story with the airports Rome-Ciampino (7th place), Brussels-Charleroi (8th place), Bergamo (9th place) and London-Luton (10th place in the 'negative ranking'). Getting from them to the cities after which they are named is far – in particular, to Rome, London and Brussels approximately 50 kilometers. The infrastructure is poor, in the airport buildings themselves there is nowhere to lie down or even sit, the food is bad and expensive, and internet is paid. 'It seems to me that everything here is done to make people hate this place,' wrote, for example, one passenger about the Belgian airport.
Greece appeared in the negative ranking four times: airports on the islands of Santorini, Rhodes, Crete and Corfu made the worst list (second, third, fourth and sixth places respectively). Passengers complain about dirt and unsanitary conditions, long queues, absurd baggage drop-off organization, and unfriendly staff. Some tourists who flew there even compare the airports to purgatory, which must be passed through before reaching the paradise island where they planned to vacation.
Germany is also represented on the 'black list': the unenviable fifth position is held by Berlin-Schönefeld airport, built in GDR times and still in use after some modernization. The airport is unlucky: as early as 2012, it was supposed to be replaced by the nearby new Berlin international airport Berlin-Brandenburg. However, due to numerous project revisions and delays in construction, its planned opening has been repeatedly postponed and may only take place in about three years. Until then, Berlin's guests will have to endure – or use the other capital airport, Tegel.
Participants of the same survey also named the best European airports in their opinion. This ranking is topped by Munich airport. Next in the list are the 'air gates' of Helsinki, Zurich, Porto, Tallinn, Amsterdam, Athens, Stockholm, Vienna and Warsaw.
As Deutsche Welle notes, the evaluation criteria are the same: comfort, cleanliness, service, speed and ease of check-in, staff politeness. Free and fast Wi-Fi and good coffee delight travelers. At Munich airport, survey participants found it necessary to especially note the presence of sleeping cabins, the 'Fit&Fly Spa' salon, and, of course, the airport's own brewery with excellent beer and decent snacks. Of course, even at such an airport, passengers prefer not to linger. But if they have to...