Geneva Airport review by Ali Dan

29 March 2007  Customer Rating :

I don't understand the description given by Harry Albright. I've just come back from Geneva where I flew into the swiss side, picked up my baggage at the carousel, exited quite normally into the swiss sector, turned left to the passport control between Geneva airport switzerland and Geneva airport France (with luggage already to hand, no baggage handlers involved!) and went to the car hire desk to get the car. The return journey was a different story! How are you supposed to get from Geneva Airport France to Geneva Airport Switzerland without finding yourself airside and having to ask passport control and customs to let you through the arrivals area and back out into the Swiss airport? There must be a way, but obviously an awful lot of people don't find it because none of the airport staff batted an eyelid - they just looked bored and annoyed at our stupidity. So how do you do it? Anybody? A definite plus on the way out is that the security areas are spread out and people get through faster (at least that was my experience).

Geneva Airport review by Peter Bedson

28 February 2007   Customer Rating :

Looking at the comments GVA is really not that bad - granted it is a zoo on week-ends in the ski season but otherwise it is not too crowded and quite efficient. You can get to France through the Swiss side terminal - just collect your luggage in the main bagage hall go out into the Swiss side and then walk upstairs (to the left I think) through a small door and you are in France! There is a place for someone to check your passport but I have never seen anyone there. The French side is much less crowded and has a full set of (albeit fewer) check in desks so you can check in and leave your luggage here without a long wait but be warned - you need a boarding card to go from France to Switzerland in the terminal so you can't go back to the Swiss side once you have left - make sure you have all your children with you! I have no idea if there is any public transport or taxis on the French side - probably not - but there is a full set of car hire booths (if you hire on the French side you must bring it back to the French side otherwise Herz or whoever will charge you lots of money to move the car about 100m). There are lots of shops selling pricy watches and chocolate and a reasonably good duty free - before security - but the cafes in the departure satellites (after the security has removed your drinks) are horrendously expensive - €3 for a small bottle of water anyone - but aside from that the only problem is the lack of seating downstairs however if you go upstairs near the frequent fliers lounges (follow sign for chapel) the lounges are usually empty.

Geneva Airport review by William Hogan

26 February 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

Just had the frustration and displeasure of experiencing the Swiss efficiency machine in action yesterday at GVA, travelling with 5 adults and 5 children the enjoyment of our ski holiday was quickly replaced by discomfort and stress. Voted unanimously by our group as possibly the worst airport to visit in years. Reading through the other comments published by dissatisfied travellers let me update and reassure them that nothing has changed - long queues, no seating ( floor space only if you were lucky ) overcrowding and a total lack of facilities for the traveller. Security processing slow and inefficient. Would love to go back to holiday area but not if GVA is in the travel plans.

Geneva Airport review by Donald Munro

26 February 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

I have often wondered how I could exit Geneva airport through the French sector when heading for France anyway, in order to take advantage of the cheaper car hire rates. Harry Albright's comments looked promising until I came to the statement, "You will need to ask a baggage handler to go and fetch any checked luggage from the Swiss side. "Has anyone ever tried this, and if so how many hours / days does that take? I think I am stuck with Swiss cars for the foreseeable future.

Geneva Airport review by Harry Albright

10 December 2006   Customer Rating : n/a

To help people avoid the problems that Jenny Eckersley encountered, here are a few tips. First of all, the signs are for Ferney (note the second "e") because that is the French town next to the airport. The only reason for using the French sector even if you are travelling on into France is to pick up a French rental car. In this case, follow the "Secteur Francais" signs before passport control (do not go through Swiss passport control) and you will arrive at the French car rental desks. (You will need to ask a baggage handler to go and fetch any checked luggage from the Swiss side.) This does not apply if you are arriving from France as you will be in the French sector to begin with. Or if you aren't renting a French car, exit through Switzerland where you will have the full range of transport options, including trains to the main station and on to France. If you have rented a French car, on leaving the airport, follow the signs back to Geneva (it's hardly the airport's fault that the French authorities don't sign their roads very well) and cross back into Switzerland. You will go under the airport runway and link up with the Swiss autoroute that passes in front of the airport. Take this in the direction of Geneva (not Lausanne) and continue on the autotroute until you reach the Bardonnex customs post. From there you will link directly on to the A40. On the way back, come off the A40 at Bardonnex and follow the autoroute to the airport. Follow the signs for "secteur francais" to return your car, then go to the Swiss side to check in for flights to countries other than France. If in doubt, ask the people at the rental desk for directions to your destination. As for walking miles to the B gates, there are travellators. You actually have to walk very little at all. Walks to the gates at Heathrow or Gatwick are much more arduous. Geneva is actually one of the most compact, best managed airports I have used. It is true that if you want to shop or eat, stay landside as long as possible. Airside, most of the facilities are in the main terminal, so avoid going to the gates until as late as possible. They really are just pre- boarding holding areas (as they are in most airports).

Geneva Airport review by Jenny Eckersley

7 December 2006

My recent experience of GVA was absolutely horrendous. Having flown by EasyJet from Newcastle, we were happy to be back in France and looking forward to our weekend. We did not realise at the time how angry and depressed we would be a few hours later. Coming out of the airport (French sector) led us to the village of Ferny, where there were no motorway signs to be seen for the A40. The exit from the airport was gloomy depressing and unhelpful. As a result of the lack of signposts we took the signs for Dijon, as we live in Burgundy. This led us, I think, into the Jura mountains. Later next day, In the daylight, it was funny but at eght pm in the dark with a long drive ahead, it was not at all amusing. On the way back on the 4th December, I could not believe how unhelpful the main signposts were on the A 40. We had arrived in Switzerland before the signs for Ferny were shown on the motorway. As a result we had to find our way back into France and follow signs for Ferny yet again. Why do the signs not say on the motorway "For the French Section please follow signs for Ferny only"??. Anyway, WHY FERNY? What is it's significance? Once in the French section we had to walk miles to the other side of the airport to a small departure lounge, dealing with several flights. I refer of course to the B gates. There was no clear distinction between which were smoking and non-smoking areas- the shops were a disgrace. The whole area was filled with cigarette smoke and very smelly. It felt that the Swiss were treating the EasyJet passengers as a very "poor relation". I have a second home in France, and if there were any way of avoiding Geneva airport, I would do so. I cannot believe how chaotic and badly managed it is

Geneva Airport review by Maurice Bulmer

10 June 2006

I have travelled via GVA for skiing in the March of each of the last 2 years arriving BA on Saturday mornings. I also use Calgary when skiing in Canada most years and have used other airports around the world for similar trips. None can compare with the abject chaos that is the luggage and ski collection process that reigns in Geneva. You would have thought they would have realised that many people arrive with skis on Winter weekends. Apparently not as the method used seems to be to dump them in piles on the floor and leave it to customers to identify and drag out their ski bags; which have not even been sorted by flight. Frankly it is a mess and compares incredibly poorly with Calgary in this respect. Another issue is the lack of seating in an overcrowded (Winter weekends again) airport resulting in people sitting wherever they can, blocking the narrow gangways between high end shops selling over priced goods ranging from Rolex watches to caviar - but no seats to be had at the cramped self service restaurant! I am looking for another alternative. An additional 2 hour drive from Lyon would be preferable.

Geneva Airport review by Simon Smith

31 January 2006

Flew out of GVA last Saturday. Huge queue at security although no worse than BAA regularly manages at LHR. The main problem was that they have so many shops that there isn't enough space for passengers to sit, and there were 100+ passengers sitting on the floor. I would have thought providing seats for passengers would be a minimum basic service for an airport. Overall, travelling through GVA was a pretty nasty experience.

Geneva Airport review by Chris Joynes

8 November 2005

Went through Geneva airport twice on weekend of 5th November. Arrived by train and from train to plane was timed at 8 minutes. Apart from maybe Basel Airport, I don't know of any other International Airport of this size that can beat that! Check-in times for Y class is 40 minutes, C & F class is 35 minutes. It's possible to check in at one of over 50 railway stations (including luggage at many) and, for frequent flyers, by telephone. There are also self-service check-in machines. If travelling with hand-baggage only, you can go straight to the gate. Of course, easy-Jet have there own rules. I was sat on aircraft to ZRH 27 minutes after having arrived at the station, including a double-espresso and 2 croissants at the SWISS lounge. If I was forced to have to use an airline that wanted me to check in 3 hours before the flight, I would make sure I had a plan of attack. Geneva City is only 6 minutes away by train, with LOTS of restaurants and cafés. At the airport itself, the Swiss Chalet is open until 9 p.m., as is the Transit Restaurant. Le Plein Ciel Restaurant is open until 9:30 p.m. and the Aux Bonnes Choses Restaurant, has a last service of 10 p.m. Security checks are immediately after passport control and are all grouped together – Gates A/C on the left and right of Gates B which are located in the centre and are accessed by two escalators going down. All the gated are clearly marked. Easy-Jet flights leave from the B gates which, apart from about 30 metres, are accessed by moving walkways. Access is also possible to gates B, by lift and stairs, from the airside of gates A/C but these are not clearly signed, as I suppose it is assumed people leaving from the B gates would usually follow the signs to the B gates. I arrived back at GVA two days later and plane to train took exactly 6 minutes. Again, I find this difficult to beat. Luggage can be sent directly to one's local railway station and arrives a few trains later. Another plus point is that there are many shops above the station at GVA, including a supermarket where great sandwiches and drinks can be had at affordable prices : sandwich £1.30, mineral water 43p. Compared to what I paid early in the day at Heathrow (£2.95 and £1.20 resp.) I think GVA to be very reasonable. Bottom line is that I think Geneva Airport has a lot going for it and shouldn't be blamed if airlines make people check in 3 hours before a flight, neither can the airport be held responsible if these same people don't have a clear plan of what to do or where to go.

Geneva Airport review by S Simpkins

2 November 2005

We used GVA for a late-Saturday Easyjet flight to Newcastle at the end of October. Returning the hire car was easy and quick, the return desk being in the airport's underground carpark. The Easyjet self-service machines opened at 19.25, so we decided to wait and eat airside. What a mistake! At 19.30, everything stated closing up, even the shop selling Swiss chocolate, leaving just one bar with limp sandwiches and crisps. The shops don't have much variety anyway as others have pointed out, but they're even worse with the shutters down! Security checks to the gates are shown as A, B, and C, with A and C very prominent, so that's where we went through. It was only then that the Easyjet departure gate was shown on the monitors, from gate B24. There are no indications for the B gates, but a verbal enquiry saw us directed down an indistinct stairway, followed by a long walk to the gates. The Swiss may like to think GVA is an excellent example of an international airport. I can only recommend they do what we did, and travel to Newcastle.

Geneva Airport review by Leslie Simpson

9 October 2005

As other people have submitted, easyjet area does get congested due to the amount of flights going out at nearly the same time, Budapest, Luton,and Liverpool at 1030 in the morning, although seats at a premium easyjet staff very thorough and, people taken as to ticket allocation. Also found check in quite easy and the facilities at the airport excellent - especially the supermarket selling sandwiches and drinks allowing us to purchase very reasonable food in Switzerland - not an easy thing to do. Found it a good airport too for getting to as the train runs right into it a mere 7 minutes from central Geneva on about a 10 min average.

Geneva Airport review by Ian Peel

29 August 2005

Geneva airport is great for connecting to linking transort. The Swiss trains in particular being a breath of fresh air for all British travellers. Tri lingual staff are the norm at the station there which is only a 5 minute stroll through the arrival / departs hall. Food is ok at the airport but a the eateries at the station are excellent. The normal with my friends being to check in luggage and then head for the station forecourt for food. There is a supermarket in the station complex and a licensed bottle shop.

Geneva Airport review by Laurent Sfumat

22 July 2005

I find GVA very average. Try to catch a flight there on Friday evening. Three easyJet flights departing at about the same time manage to get the airport almost paralyzed (at least it was the case last time I flew out of GVA on a Friday evening). That day there were only two customs officers and the line became huge (all to way to the top of the escalators) and average waiting time was 30 minutes at least. It's time for Switzerland to join Schengen and reduce those monstruous lines. Then there was only one X-ray scanning machine and one person to scan the bags of passengers about to board 3 different flights (around 600 people, I guess). People started getting nervous and some passengers who were trying to cut the line were met with insults. So much for Swiss discipline! Of course GVA is convenient because it's very close to the city center, but Switzerland being such a small country, it's not difficult for things to be located nearby. The selection of shops is a bit boring (targeted at big budget travelers with caviar, luxury watch or cuckoo-clock shops - how about a nice bookshop instead of those tiny newsstands?) Thank goodness the airport railway station offers better alternatives.

Geneva Airport review by N Jardin

6 May 2005

As am often travelling to GVA from France, this comment will mainly deal with the French sector of the airport. In fact GVA airport is built on the frontier between France and Switzerland and all flights to France are leaving from the French part. First of all, if you want to buy things at duty free prices, I advise you to arrive by the Swiss sector. On your left, at the end of the check-in area, there is immigration to France. You can't miss it. It's very well signposted. Just after, there is a small duty-free shop. There's often nobody inside so the shop assistants are very helpful. Then you arrive at the French check-in area. It's very small, but I've never seen any queue for check-in. There is a cafe just behind, car rentals and also a desk of the tourism office that can book you a bus to a lot of ski resorts. Unlike other airports, I've never seen the security check point jammed and the staff is polite. Then, you enter into a brand new boarding area. It allows passengers to board with an airbridge (is was not the case before with long and uncomfortable boarding by bus). On the first floor, you can enjoy a very good view on the montains, which helps you to wait because the facilities airside are very limited (2-3 shops). The fact to board in the French sector saves a lot of time on arrival as you don't have any immigration to clear. Overall a well organised and stressless airport.

Geneva Airport review by D Olorunda

1 April 2005

Although GVA is substantially smaller than many of its counterparts, I found it to be relatively easy to navigate. Customs was quick and easy, within minutes you have luggage and are out on the street. The major downside to GVA is that there are basically no direct long-haul connections from USA, Asia, Africa, etc.

Geneva Airport review by Mark Evans

16 February 2005

As I now increasingly use no-frills carriers, airport catering assumes greater importance in my criteria. GVA scores well in this respect, and I recommend the Swiss Chalet restaurant on landside. Fully decorated in traditional rustic style, complete with gingham tablecloths, the Swiss Chalet provides a relaxing ambience (albeit incongruously within a modern airport), and it offers good meals at a reasonable price, topped up with friendly at-table service. The self-service bar nearby is also a pleasant place to be on a sunny day, when one can sit outside. Airside, the facilities are less special.

Geneva Airport review by Sandro Bouchat

15 February 2005

I am Swiss and I speak french, no difficulties to communicate in Geneva. But each time I have to fly from Geneva Airport, I get nervous. If you listen at the staff, they consider having the best airport of a leading international city. And if you do not agree, they do not hesitate to strongly correct you. But let us open the eyes. Geneva Airport is dirty, the check-in area narrow, custom and security very slow, the baggage claim area is a smoking area despite the prohibition signs and the staff is generally unfriendly. One good point? the train arrives right below the airport. But for a city having a part of the UNO offices and international conferences round the year, its airport quality is quite poor. Even if Zurich airport still faces some disadvantages, at least they are trying to fix them. Any improvements planned at Geneva? Yes but nothing critical.

Geneva Airport review by Roger Boylan

8 January 2005

Comment to David Stieber's comment of August '04: Not to be a nitpicker, but the conurbation of Geneva, although certainly not huge, has far more than the 200,000 inhabitants he claims. Indeed, the canton exceeded that number when I first went there in 1957. Today the canton, which is essentially coterminous with the city under the unique Swiss system of autonomous communes, has 450,000 inhabitants and counting, and adjoining suburban areas on both sides of the border have another 450,000, making for a realistic urban community of nearly a million. Absent communal and national boundaries, population figures would reflect this more accurate total. This places greater GE on about the same medium-sized metropolitan level as Strasbourg, Brussels, Edinburgh, and Seville--none of which, BTW, has an airport as modern and efficient as GE Cointrin.

Geneva Airport review by Harry Albright

1 November 2004

Geneva is my hometown airport. I have used dozens of airports over the years, but I have used GVA far more than any other. (It was even one of my playgrounds as a kid - I had a pass that let me go airside whenever I wanted!) If you are flying Easyjet, you usually arrive at one of the small, round "satellite" buildings, about 150 yards from the terminal, disembarking through a jetway. There are travelators in the subways leading to passport control. Don't be fooled if these are not moving as you approach them - they will start when you step on them. BA arrives at the main terminal, which has just been expanded. However, there is still a similar walk to passport control. If you are transiting, and have your onward boarding pass, turn left before passport control, following the "transit" signs, up an unobtrusive escalator, and you will find yourself in the departure lounge. Passport control is quick and easy (Unless several flights have arrived together). They normally just glance at your passport and wave you through. Immediately on the other side is baggage reclaim. This is glassed in, so people waiting can see who is arriving. Once through will find bars, restaurants, car rental desks, newsagents, and cash machines. Getting away from the airport if you are not being met or renting a car is very simple. There is a train station attached, with a shopping mall that is open 7 days a week (the only place in Geneva to open on a Sunday. All trains from there go to Geneva's main station. My tip though is to take the number 10 trolley bus. Go upstairs to where the check in desks are and outside. The bus stop is at the far end of the airport, next to the station. The fare for one zone valid for an hour is 2.20 francs (about £1). One zone should be all you need if you are going to most hotels. You pay at a machine, so you will need change. There are change machines, but they only change coins. If you just have notes, buy your first chocolate bar at one of the newsagents in the airport. Taxis are horrendously expensive, but worth it into town if you are two or three with lots of luggage. By road, airport to station is about 20 minutes, 10 by train. On departure, reaching the airport is equally simple. When you arrive, however, don't go to the top floor for "departures". You need the middle floor where the check in desks are. This is more obvious if you arrive by bus or car, as you are dropped at the right place. it can get a bit confusing if you arrive by train. Geneva is one of a very few airport I know of that physically straddles two countries, and there is a French sector, where flights to and from France arrive and depart. So make sure you go to the right bit. Especially with Easyjet, the check ins are at opposite ends of the airport. Also, if you are returning a rental car (and it is much cheaper to rent a French car) make sure you return it to the right sector, or you will be surcharged. The signage on the road isn't brilliant, but try to make sure you follow "secteur francais". My advice is to go through passport control and security as late as you can. The reality is that there are very few services airside, and they are expensive. Here's another tip. If your flight is hugely delayed, you can go back landside. Just go down the escalators as though going to B-gates (where Easyjet usually flies from). Right at the bottom, make a U-turn and you will find yourself in front of passport control. Go through as if you were arriving. I've even done this toting the duty- free I just bought! Then you can go back the through when you want. Speaking of duty free, it's not brilliant. On my last trip, a couple of weeks ago, I made a point of jotting down whisky prices in one of the supermarkets, and found prices in the duty free were in some cases higher! Especially if you are flying Easyjet and want a picnic, once you have checked in, go downstairs and into the station/mall. At the far end is a good value Migros supermarket, open 8am to 8pm, where you can get all you need. It's a bit of a hike, but if you have checked in reasonably early, you will have plenty of time. It's an uncongested airport, a great gateway for western Switzerland, eastern and southern France, and northern Italy - and of course skiing in the Alps.

Geneva Airport review by David Stieber

27 August 2004

Readers should take into account that Geneva is a very small city by international standards, with a conurbation of only around 200,000 inhabitants although serving a larger catchment area and, as such, is lucky to have such remarkably good airport facilities. It is only a 15-minute ride from most parts of town, with good bus and rail links, and adequate, fairly inexpensive, long-term parking. Check-in times for scheduled flights are minimal compared with many other airports (can be as low as 30 minutes). Yes, security queues are sometimes a hassle, so add 15 minutes just in case, and also try to avoid Saturdays during the ski season. As a regular user, I find the catering (including the less conspicuous full-service restaurants), duty-free and other facilities - recently significantly upgraded - are very good, again taking into account the relatively small size of the airport. But I agree that the Swiss might take more advantage of the absence of duty-free elsewhere in Europe

Geneva Airport review by Alex Rudd

9 July 2004

Geneva Airport is small and not what one might expect from a city such as Geneva. Airside shopping is limited as is airside food and beverage. Security and customs are slow getting in and out of Geneva, and can cause you serious delays on your outbound journey, especially when flying Easyjet, where there is only one x-ray machine before the departure gate - watch out for Swiss queue jumpers on these flights! For business travellers, the airport is covered with a Swisscom Mobile wireless signal, although coverage is poor in some areas. The airport has the usual compliment of cash machines, taxis, restrooms etc, but again airside is lacking. Given this is one of the only 'Duty Free' countries on the continent, more could be made of the opportunity.

Geneva Airport review by Brian Jensen

8 February 2004

How can anyone call GVA pleasant? My latest experience has shown everything but! The food court was equivalent to a U.S. Shopping Mall, service in the duty free shops was slow though it didn't lack smiles and greetings from the staff. The floors were covered with empty (Beer?) bottles and trash, people were sitting on the floor in the very narrow and claustrophobic halls of the shopping area! Security took FOREVER and the scrutiny was unbelievable. My belt and shoes apparently posed as such a high security threat, it had to be scanned over and over again - come on, it's a belt! I am pro high security, but this was truly ridiculous and served no purpose in order to increase security onboard the plane! Very disappointing when Geneva is such a beautiful and nice city to visit!

Geneva Airport review by M Devor

3 July 2003

Geneva has a beautiful Airport. What shocks me the most is that I find better facilities landside, which is important, but things are sparse and quiet airside. With Europe (and sadly so) doing away with internal Duty Free sales (good old Travel Value), the Swiss Airports are losing millions of SF's by not adding many more Duty Free Shops to the airside. Zurich Airport is similar. With that said, the airport is very clean, spacious, the staff are friendly and they seem to speak decent English (better at Zurich, fyi). They also have good outdoor cafes. The train station is also spacious, clean, and very easy to use, with a large supermarket, though it is way at the back, impractical for people just going to the airport and not the train station. There is also a complete France terminal/sector on the other side. Full departures and arrivals facilities, in France. They need to give everyone access to this area as you must have a boarding pass to get across, which is quite naive, in my opinion. BA lounge is large and with great views of the field. However, I was surprised with the Swiss lounge, too small. The negative, a warning to BA pax, the BA gate was a very long walk from the main security area so take that into account.

Geneva Airport review by Luigi Vallero

31 October 2002

A pleasant airport with a good range of services for business passengers and a reasonable network of scheduled services. The compact terminal provides easy access to all the facilities. Very good chocolate shops for "chocaholics", though prices are higher than elsewhere in Europe. Easy access to the nearby city centre to which it is connected by tram.