Palma de Majorca Airport

Much of what I said last year still applies to Palma in some cases even more so. My wife and I were on our own this time and travelling with hand luggage only yet both transits took approximately an hour. The chief problem on arrival was the passage through passport control: we joined a queue that stretched halfway along a main bridge/concourse and shuffled forwards slowly only to discover that the other equally large queue to our left had to filter into our queue at the end as there was only one man checking passports! Had he actually been doing any more than merely glancing at them it would have taken even longer still. Given the cursory nature of the check I did wonder what was the point of any check at all. (There was none at all on our departure in contrast to our experience last year.) The hold-up on the return journey was through security where the queues stretched back from a double and very long set of "chicanes" into the main concourse. Again it proved the case that the twin queues filtered into one (because of building alterations going on?) so transit through security took over half an hour. Security is still fairly strict with watches having to be removed but there are plenty of staff who seemed both efficient and pleasant. Even so transit at the height of the season (this was September) must be a nightmare. The metal detectors through which one has to pass also seem to go off fairly frequently: I set it off and the only possible reason was my spectacles which have never been a problem before. These delays apart Palma still seems to function fairly well: plenty of seats in the gate areas loads of shops etc (if you want them) though they don't seem particularly cheap and loos at regular intervals. You do have to walk long distances though and watch out for the electric "buggies" used to transport the less mobile. It was noticeable that there were frequent "last calls" for missing passengers so anyone departing from Palma needs to be aware of how long it can take from check-in to departure gate. Also if you do need to check in and have luggage the desks are on one floor and departures are on the floor above but the indoor route from the car park accesses the upper floor with limited lift availability to the floor below.

An airport for the energetic because of the huge distances to be covered from arrival gate to baggage reclaim or from check-in to departure gate. Everything seems to work well but there could be more lifts because access from car parking/car hire collection or return to check-in usually involves going up or down one floor with a laden trolley. Transfer of less mobile passengers is usually efficient but on our return journey from Palma to Liverpool yesterday the two elderly and less mobile members of our party were deposited at the wrong location and I had to start searching for them! Luckily I found them fairly quickly but it could have been a real problem. Security is thorough and slow moving: even wrist watches have to be removed. Passport control en route to departure gates was also slow yesterday: two queues 50 yards or more in length gradually combining into one with just one man to inspect the passports. All in all you need to allow plenty of time to make your way from check-in to departure gate: 30 -45 minutes at least.

We travelled via Palma Airport in Sept 06 and both ways it was clean efficient and friendly. It is enormous and seems well designed to cope with the number of folk who travel to Majorca each year. The shops airside had prices much lower than Majorca or UK.

We found it to be a very clean efficient airport - obviously noticably busier in May then in the winter months. I can imagine it must be heaving in July/August. Depending on where your aircraft lands you are probably in for a long walk although there are moving walkways to assist. There are plenty of toilets - in fact it seems that every gate has them. There also seems to be plenty of seating especially at the gates. Food quite expensive but then airport food always is. All in all - a good and pleasant airport.

PMI is a nice airport. It is very large so I imagine it can cope when busy although I have seen it only in two Januarys. Spain's new smoking laws are relatively effective thus quite properly limiting the impact of the filthy habit in the terminal although the restrictions are not well observed by arriving passengers. The toilets were many and very clean. Food outlets seem limited. I rarely complain about airport or airline food but I have to say that the alleged Gourmet cheese and ham sandwich for which I paid 4.60 euro was quite one of the most hideous I have ever had.

Airport was efficient both as an arriving and departing passenger. The airport public areas and toilets very clean and the eating facilities and shops did not charge the 'rip off' prices usually associated with airports. The signs provided for passenger guidance were satisfactory although perhaps better guidance could had been provided to assist departing passengers to locate their correct check in desk - I found mine by pure good fortune. All staff with whom I came into contact with were polite.

I was reasonably impressed with the modern image it presented though comments about 'long walks' are well justified - leave plenty of time to make it to the departure gates on time! One drawback was the 'security' arrangements. We all appreciate the need for heightened vigilance in these troubled times but the demeanour of the security staff appeared a tad arrogant ...and inconsistent to boot. By comparison I felt the security 'scrutiny' at Heathrow was more subtle courteous and far more effective.

I have just travelled back from Palma airport. It was disgusting. We were told that the cleaners had gone on strike. There were bins overflowing half eaten sandwiches on the floor etc. I was expecting to see rats and other vermin but did not. You could not sit on the chairs for rubbish. If the airport was in such a state (and this was 10:30am) I would have thought the food outlets would have closed but they were still serving food. (If you wanted to sit down the tables were next to a large pile of rubbish). Not a good experience at all.

The airport is wonderful clean and spacious the staff are very friendly and helpful. Although on the downside the catering facilities are not up to a high standard but the shops are ok. There were also bird droppings near the baggage collection part of the airport which didn't look to nice but the overall journey was brilliant and we would certainly travel from Palma airport again as the customer service was remarkable and most of the staff working in the airport were more than willing to help.

If you are elderly or disabled don't bother going to Majorca. Palma Airport's provision for such passengers is grim. Have just travelled back from Palma -at check in I informed the clerk that assistance had been booked for 83 year old father. I was asked whether he required a buggy or a wheelchair (not being informed how important this choice would be) - opted for the buggy. I checked with the person collecting him that he would be taken to the gate - 04 and was assured he would. As it happened we walked to the gate only to find that he wasn't there. I brought this to the attention of the clerks at the gate desk and was told "he will be here". They called the flight everyone started getting on the bus - and he still hadn't arrived. Then we saw him staggering down a flight of stairs totally unaware of where he was going and sit in the nearest available seat (at the opposite end of the hall). I informed the despatcher at the gate desk and she said "but buggies can't travel down stairs"!! My answer isn't repeatable but needless to say the lack of care aforded to elderly or disabled left me absolutely staggered. Why they should think an elderly man who needs a buggy to get through the airport would be able to walk downstairs and another 200 yds or so beats me.