HERAKLION AIRPORT review : 26 July 2008 : by P Scholey
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
Worst airport I've seen in Europe. Cramped, badly designed, half the size it needs to be for the
number of departing passengers. Smoky, to boot (airport staff standing next to the food counter
checkout, smoking).
HERAKLION AIRPORT review : 3 July 2008 : by D Matravers
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
Worst airport I have ever used. Arrival not too bad, except waiting ages for luggage to come
through. Departures, however, are your worst nightmare. If there are several flights leaving at
close intervals, the airport becomes clogged. You have to queue outside. We were out there for over
an hour. Luggage has to be checked in, then taken off the scales and taken to a scanner. In
Departures you will be lucky to get a seat. There is one cafe, and that has people smoking at the
end where you get your sugar, etc. There is one monitor for flight info. It is so small that if ten
people stand in front of it, you can't read the information. Really dreadful airport, it must be due
for an upgrade soon, and a big one at that.
HERAKLION AIRPORT review : 29 April 2008 : by Alex Jansen
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
Crete is a great destination but Heraklion airport is pretty worthless. Arrival was quite
straightforward, even though there was no info on which carousel our luggage would appear.
Departure was horrible though: first of all two chaotic queues were formed in front of one check-in
desk. After some minutes the checking-in was moved to other desks! As you can imagine this involved
a lot of pushing - I do expect airport staff to manage such situations more efficiently.
Staff worked very slow. We finally got our boarding card but after this everybody had to move their
luggage to the one scanner that was working, at the other side of the departures hall.
Again chaotic queuing and pushing. After this another queue for the security check - the whole
ordeal took more than an hour. Facilities in the departure lounge are extremely limited, just one
very small shop and 2 bars. We went through this airport in low season (April). I guess it will be
complete hell during the summer months.
Heraklion Airport review by L Cadwallader
29 October 2007 Customer Rating : 
We must have passed through Heraklion airport at much the same time as your previous correspondent,
but our experience was much easier - perhaps things were quieter because of our late evening flights.
We last used Heraklion 6 years ago and remembered little apart from the crowding - until we read the
reference about the entertainment value of the bottom step from the duty free, as we'd been
entertained, too! Obviously Heraklion has been redeveloped since then because there's much more space
and no longer an irregular bottom step from the duty free. On arrival, we, too, did have a long wait
for our bags and I would agree that it was not easy to find which carousel was to be used. While I
waited for the suitcase, my wife went through to process our car rental pick-up and had it all sorted
long before our bag came through. Leaving from Heraklion was far easier than departures we've had
from other Greek airports. BA check-in opened early so that only took us about 10 minutes, there was
no queue at all for the separate baggage drop and there was plenty of seating in the pre-security
departure area. We didn't even have to queue to go through security, either time (more of that
later!), though we're not sure how searching security actually was, as the visible screen didn't seem
to recive much attention. Lots of space in the departure lounge and much cleaning going on. We
didn't try to buy anything, as we tend to avoid airport food anyway, so I can't comment on price or
quality. The only problem that arose was when our flight was called - we were in the wrong depature
lounge! We had to go back through security, right through the check-in area, through more security,
to find Gate 1 at the other end of the terminal building. We don't think we missed any signs or
information, but most other passengers for the flight seemed to be in the right place, so we assume
that it is something to do with "Schengen" which is a mystery to us who are more used to shorter
journeys with low-cost airlines. By the time we reached the gate, the buses to the plane were being
loaded, but we weren't the last by any means so perhaps we weren't the only ones in the wrong place.
Otherwise the "new" Heraklion came as quite a pleasant surprise.... though we did miss the
entertainment of that bottom step!
Score: 4
Heraklion Airport review by Tom Maule
28 October 2007 Customer Rating : 
This has to be one of the worst airports in Europe! On arrival passport control was very quick, but
that was the end of any efficiency. After a wait of about 15 mins, the monitors (which are badly
positioned), showed the carousel for my BA flight. However, after another 15mins - still no baggage
and it was only when another passenger went into the other baggage area did we find all baggage
delvered on another belt. Departure was equally chaotic as check in staff took forever to get
themselves organised. When you eventually check in you have to take your bags back and stand in
another line for security checks. Heraklion always seems busy and it is difficult to know which line
is for what check in desk or security point and there are no staff around to organise anything. As it
was a BA flight to the UK the extra schengen gates are used - this was the only flight so that part
was quick and the lounge comfortable because of low numbers. Buses to the aircraft again - for about
50 feet. Catering is poor with little choice - weak coffee and stale cheese pies!
Heraklion Airport review by Allan Thomson
4 July 2007 Customer Rating : 
I've passed through between 20 & 30 times now (always in summer), so I feel able to comment. Be
prepared - arrivals are hot and sweaty, you'll have a very short bus journey to the terminal, and
you should get through passport control fairly quickly. The luggage reclaim is something else!
Information can be hard to come by, but things do seem to be improving (unless several holiday
flights arrive at the same time!). Departure involves long queues often starting outside the
teminal, efficient security checks, and a packed, hot and usually uncomfortable departure "lounge".
Our flight was once a couple of hours late, and we were offered complimentary soft drinks - either
Coke or Fanta. I requested water - but that wasn't allowed! Toilets can be very clean or disgusting
- blame the tourists. If the gents toilets are out of action - just use the ladies! But Crete is
worth this minor inconvenience!
Heraklion Airport review by Colin Seeney
20 November 2006 Customer Rating : n/a
A really terrible airport. Visited in August 2006, perhaps the Schengen terminal was better but I
doubt it. On arrival the baggage hall was chaos with poor signage and clearly no capacity for the
number of flights arriving. It took over an hour from arrival in the baggage hall for us to leave
with our bags and it was packed with nowhere to sit down and elbow room only at the carousels to see
your bags. Even though most people seemed to be at the wrong carousel because of the poor
information. The return flight was no better. If you were travelling independently there is almost
no way you could work out which desk to check in at, with huge snaking queues managed by the travel
operators. There were no worthwhile facilities before the 'security check'. The friend I went with
has metal pins in his body and triggers the metal scanner you walk through. The red light flashed
and a bell rang but he was waved through without a search. This was just after the liquid bomb
threat in the UK. When you got to the waiting area by the gates it was no better. The seating area
was full with people even sitting on stairs. We waited upstairs near the duty free. The departure
boards were not visible so when, unbelievably, our flight was called 45 minutes early you didn't
know and were treated like a drunkard who had stayed too long in the bar (if there is one). Overall
Crete is a great holiday destination but Iraklion Airport should be avoided if possible.
Heraklion Airport review by K Thomas
3 August 2006
It may not be the most modern airport in the world, but the staff are
friendly and it allows us to get from A to B. Every time I visit, I am
glad they do not weigh the bags to charge ludicrous amounts for excess
baggage which does happen at most other airports. I am extremely
suprised to hear about personal belongings being stolen as the Cretan
people are very honest, however, Mr Olden (above) did say his wife was
silly to put an expensive item in the case. Personal items can be stolen
from any airport, including those in the UK! You may be please to hear
that they are currently building another airport further to the South
East coast although the road links will not be as good as we have now
become accustomed to in Crete, although I have no idea when it will be
completed. It seems such a shame to moan about an airport, which in
reality, we spend very little time in, when we could be looking forward
to/reminiscing about our holiday in beautify Crete.
Heraklion Airport review by Alison Thornhill
29
August 2005
I love Crete but hate Heraklion Airport. Departure lounge very small and very
crowded. The steps from the duty free shop provide people sitting at the side with endless amounts of
fun as each year I have been I never remember that the last step is deeper than the others. When we
go back in September I am waiting until the last minute to go through to the gates and will stop
on the otherside after check in and keep an eye on the departure board.
Heraklion Airport review by Nik Xomik
17
August 2005
Flew in and out in the last week of July and the first week in August. My first
impression was how small and confusing. You get on a bus from the plane to go 20m to
some steps into the luggage hall. Waited no more than usual. Plenty of trolleys.
Although after midnight has passport examined quite detailed. Outside was very
confusing as you exit into the car park full of coaches. Going back to the UK was OK.
Arrive early as all luggage is x-ray'd before checking in. We made a mistake and went
in the intra-schengan lounge (gates 1-6) rather than the extra (gates 7+). This
proved quite a find as it was very quite and the duty free shop was very empty. Only
found out the mistake when they asked us to go to gate 10. The other lounge was very
busy and noisy. Most staff we met at the airport spoke English. Not the best airport
but better than Heathrow on a strike day!!
Heraklion Airport review by Neil Baldwin
25
January 2005
Been to Heraklion twice. Going to Crete again this year as I love it. Heraklion airport may not have
the nice things we are used to in UK airports but even though it can be crowded etc, I got on with
it. Queuing outside in the sun beat waiting in a cold Newcastle departure lounge.
Heraklion Airport review by Joanne Payne
1
November 2004
Crowded beyond belief, no departure lounge apart from the terminal itself and the rudest people I have ever met.
Our luggage was damaged to the point where it is not secure enough to use again and the food pricing
was expensive as well as the fact that they advertise different products to that they sell - I'm a
vegetarian and bought what was advertised as a vegetarian pizza only to find a thick slice of ham in
it. Awful place.
Heraklion Airport review by Phil Olden
21
October 2004
Heraklion is indeed an awful airport, off-peak flight but still a massive queue on departure.
Although my wife stupidly put an expensive watch in the luggage, it was stolen. Are security staff
looking out for explosives, etc. or are they just looking for things to steal from passengers'
luggage? Is it safe to fly from Heraklion airport?
Heraklion Airport review by Liam Connolly
9
August 2004
A truly hideous place - expensive and desperately overcrowded - catching an early Sunday morning
flight, I expected a quiet wait - but there was barely a place to sit in the departure lounge as it
was so busy. And the line waiting for the toilet was around 30 people deep! Refreshments were
prohibitively expensive and the queue for the gate was ludicrously disorganised. Dreadful.
Heraklion Airport review by Robert Luff
25
June 2004
This has to be the worst airport in Europe. Its just a giant soulless concrete structure. Maybe I was
unlucky, but on arrival in HER, baggage reclaim was delayed by one hour, and after travelling all
night from UK, the last thing you want is standing around waiting for luggage. Anyway, departure was
even worse. Flight was delayed by 4 hours. Queues outside terminal building and over the road.
People sleeping, sitting ANYWHERE they could find due to large number of delayed flights. Seating
very uncomfortable/non-existent. Duty free/shopping also non-existent, staff very rude and unhelpful.
I hope they've improved it since!!
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