Vancouver Airport

✅ Trip Verified | I arrived from San Francisco, USA. Not a busy day at the airport, arriving on a Dash 8 Q-400 (not a very large plane). Maybe 1 or two other airplanes unloading passengers and all that. I only had carry-on luggage and still it took ages to get through the security alone. Everyone was forced to be in a rather limited area of the arrivals "kiosk security/whatever" area. Standing in what more and more became a chaotic line as there were very poor instructions or any hints of where to go and what to do. Everyone waiting to find an empty kiosk where you had your photo taken and answered all sorts of questions regarding your stay. I was lucky since I was just travelling by myself, but others were families or single mothers with 3-4 children (trying to get a decent photo, and getting rudely told to get back to a kiosk by a staff if it wasn't up to some sort of weird standard). No signals or signs to see which kiosk was available or not, those further away were all empty since nobody saw them in the first place from where the line was entering that area. This was for all non-Canadians. After finishing that chaotic mess I was even confused and walking in circles for a bit to figure out where to head off next. Finally did and handed my passport and a receipt-like ticket with the photo and questions and answers I just did at those kiosks. Only to have the security person ask me MORE and even the same questions I already answered. To top things off, rather weird personal questions also ("why aren't you staying with your friend while visiting." "Who do you work for?" "why does your shirt have that tag on it?"). Aside from long distances to and from everywhere. Food was mediocre, wifi good. But the important travel-related stuff some of the worst I've ever experienced, even when arriving as an international in the USA. Admittedly rather lucky with my travels usually, but seeing the chaos and frustration in fellow arrivals. Some almost in tears from being returned to those damn kiosks a 3rd or 4th time, with their children crying and screaming) was very telling.

✅ Trip Verified | On our connecting flight to Calgary, we knew we were going to go to another security check which is understandable and appreciated. Being on our last leg of our very long and tiring day, I was not as prompt anymore. I was asked for my boarding pass, which I handed over to this young man. And while I was putting back by passport in my bag since I wanted to get my stuff ready for inspection I heard him say, "hello, hello" while waving my boarding pass in front of my face. I said I was sorry that I didn't hear him because it has been a long day, but I don't know if he was having a bad day or what, but in his mind it was okay to sneer back and say, "And I have been waiting for you the whole day to get your boarding pass back...duh." I ignored him. I was truly not impressed. I understand that security needs to act with authority but I think they are mislead that authority equals rudeness and worse, acting like a uniformed bully. I have been in many flights, in many security checks, but this so far tops the rudeness chart. Train, re-train personnel.

Not Verified | This airport can be summed up as “Rip Off City” with regard the food and refreshments on the departure side. On the arrivals side and for such a small airport the baggage reclaim is awful, wait wait and wait again. The airport has been designed to be asthetically pleasing, the services are apparently designed to be as frustrating as possible to the passenges, very long distances from security to gates, minimal facilities and marginal services. For a one of trip it might be acceptable but for the frequent traveller its an airport to be avoided.

Not Verified | Baggage claim consistently slow. I travel through here several times a year and it just keeps getting worse. Wait times exceed an hour and the last two times announcements have been made that there are “technical issues” but that we’ll get our bags “today”. This is one of the few airports where baggage claim takes longer than the flight.

✅ Trip Verified | The fastest departure experience ever. I'm sure it took me from dropping my bags at the Air Canada counter to be at the airplane gate within 20 minutes. Arrival experience can often lead to queues in immigration which are not too bad. The only place this airport lacks in is the food and shopping options especially during nighttime when most international flights leave. However, this is the best airport experience I have had in North America.

Not Verified | Typically a good airport, reasonable assortment of restaurants and shops, I'm urked they had an x-ray tech take away my solid shaving soap. She thought it could be spreadable (even though I rapped it with my finger to show it was a solid), and they took it away because there wasn't an ml written on it. Of course there wasn't - you don't measure solids in ml. The security area was slow - but x-ray totally backed up, the supervisor seemed apologetic as she also saw it was just a solid soap - but she said the final decision was the x-ray techs. Another plane saved from the evils of a crumbly piece of soap in a plastic container! This airport is good for general travel, I just want to rant because everyone got held up over a 3$ solid soap that I hated because it was a pain to have to lather while shaving - but brought only because I figured it was OK not being a liquid - and apparently it's not. Why even try? I take off my shoes and even my wallet so there's nothing in my pockets - last time they asked me to go for a random screening - OK, fine - but when I came back, I caught a random passenger going through my jacket - where my wallet was. I loudly said as I approached "Why is someone going through my stuff?" and he took off - but come on - if we have to take all our things off and walk away - at least keep our stuff safe! No harm done, in fact I think it was a senile old guy going through my stuff - so he probably didn't know what he was doing, just felt a bit violated.

Not Verified | The most terrible airport we experienced in a very long time. This airport has been designed by a marathon runner and is totally wrongly designed with customers lugging connecting luggage through the whole airport even if luggage has been tagged through the final destination. This airport should have invested money in a proper flow chart of Pax not waste money on waterfalls and Haida sculptures. Security is done again on connecting flights even you have been cleared by security on the previous flight. Security cannot cope with PAX since connecting pax are screen twice. This airport should be totally leveled and completely properly rebuilt by somebody who knows passenger flows etc. What a waste of taxpayers money.

Not Verified | Bright and shiny with minimal facilities for travellers, food stands area a total rip off. The main resturant is a pretentious dump and everything costs twice as much as outside as soon as you pass security.

✅ Trip Verified | Ok, so I’ve flown out of this airport to North American destinations and the departures lounge, the restaurants, seating everything really are of top class. Not crappy takeaway booths. However today I used the international, boy the poor suckers who have to use this are left with a final remainder of Canada that is truly dross. The duty free stocks nothing but Canadian stuff, “World duty free” as long as it’s Canadian. The restaurants are truly horrid. If you can even call them that. The only good testimony I can leave this place is Canadas amazing acceptance for immigration and integration but then again when you need help or direction and the staff have bare minimal English/French skills and my Mandarin sucks things become stalemate fast.

Not Verified | I travelled from Manchester to Vancouver, which was a very good flight. The arrival process however took over 1 and a half hours from landing to getting through security. This time was spent queuing in queue after queue. There was little communication from staff about the reasons for the delay. Staff appeared at best disinterested and had low customer service skills. This meant people waiting had a most unpleasant experience. Immigration was very slow and again staff were unhelpful and signage was poor. It was the worst experience I have ever had arriving at an airport and the process fell well below the standards that were expected. A poor welcome to Vancouver.