Sofia Airport

I am so disappointed with Sofia airport, terminal 1. I have never seen anything like it in all of Europe. The toilets were so dirty, there was no toilet paper, the seats were brokenthe doors were broken and could not lock- and there was no soap to wash your hands. Those responsible for the airport shall really fix that, this is the capital of Bulgaria at the end of the day and the first impressions of visitors will be made at the airport - fix it!

Possibly the quietest capital city airport I have passed through. I arrived on a Friday at 13:00 and ours seemed to be the only plane at the airport. No one queuing at immigration and no officials in sight at customs. From landing to sitting on the metro was less than 15 minutes (without checked baggage). Leaving was also a breeze.

Using easyJet means you get to experience SOF Terminal 1. This is quite a dated building and contrasts with the shiny new Terminal 2 next door. Although it is small and doesn't appear very efficient or tidy, the fact that it is small means you actually get through it both ways (ARR and DEP) really quickly, which is a bonus. In fact on arrival I got from plane to taxi in no more than 10 minutes. There's plenty of seating in departures and a few shops and cafes plus an ATM landside, so it might be basic, but has everything you need.

Terminal 1 and 2 vastly different experiences. 2 is clean, efficient, really not bad. Works well and the dozen or so times I have used it been very quite which is great! Term 1, the low cost one, is dirty, long queues, apathetic staff. An unpleasant place. Really needs work. Also, it has what must me the most unpleasant complimentary transfer service between terminals 1 and 2. Staffed by miserable individuals who show none of the Bulgarian friendliness the city of Sofia normally exudes.

Terminal 2. Rudest security staff. I was yelled at for even attempting to use the fast lane (marked "Crew Only") and not the zig-zagging labyrinth made of those removable lane dividing ropes. There was absolutely nobody at the entire security area and absolutely no difference whether I would use either path as they both ultimately led to the same metal detector/X-ray security check. The only difference was that the first one was about 10 feet long the second one - about 200 feet long. Having undergone a recent knee surgery I thought maybe I could save myself a couple of unnecessary strides as again I was the only passenger/crew in sight and there was no difference as to where either path would take me. No way! I was made to go back and use the "proper lane" in a rude and unprofessional manner. Unfortunately Sofia does not have a different airport in its vicinity otherwise I would never use this one again.

Sparkling clean (though I did not use the bathrooms another reviewer complained about) modern. However it was very hot and stuffy with no escape given the somewhat long wait for luggage. Fast and easy through immigration/customs. Don't use the currency exchange desk before security - terrible rates. Wait for the bank money machine after immigration. There was an info desk staffed by someone time warped from the Communist era; though I was the only customer she was very obvious about the fact that she wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible. Be sure to look up information about finding the correct "OK Taxi" service to get into town; the taxi desk agent was gruff but effective. As I had no small bills the driver initially helped himself to a very large tip (30%-40%) but I smiled and asked for more change and got a bit more back. He laughed about it so it was OK.

I was shocked by the dirty toilets: no water to flash the toilet or to wash your hands! No toilet paper the most dirty airport I visited around the world. Airport management must consider this and take the appropriate action.

What struck me about this airport was how empty it was. Several of the shops were closed and many of the others including alcohol were very poorly stocked. There is nothing to do but the good point is that there was free wifi there. However on my most recent visit they seem to have removed seating and power sockets that were plentiful before. The airport was quick to get in and out of.

The new terminal is a lot more modern than the old one but the airport cannot compare to other major EU airports. T2 seems somewhat dingy after you check-in and go through security. Signage is sparse but the terminal is small so it is easy to get around. Duty free is almost non-existent and cafes/restaurants are expensive compared to others in Sofia. The staff's attitude is mediocre.

As I'm Bulgarian I've been flying in and out on multiple occasions. T2 is modern and convenient but seems empty compared to other EU or worldwide airports. In terms of facilities there is nothing much to do waiting for your flight. Luckily there is WiFi. Duty Free lacks variety the cafes are overpriced and the shops over- priced. Always go to the taxi kiosk and ask for estimation for your fare. Public transport connects the Central area and the airport. Overall the Bulgarian hospitality and food and entertainment need to be advertised better.