Berlin Schonefeld Airport

After reading other reviews it appears I am not alone. Definitely the worst airport I have experienced. The facilities are shocking. Staff are simply rude. I am sitting in a cafe called Marche. Seems clean enough but check out the ceiling space above the food prep area. All that is landing in your food! The owners / operators of this place should be ashamed.

I guess their way of solving the lack of facilities is not to allow people in sooner than 2 hours before the flight which by the way I haven't seen published. On their site on boarding passes anywhere. It's ridiculous I had a VIP lounge pass which I couldn't use because the lounge was airside so I couldn't get to it. I had to wait outside where the seating is also lacking and the smell of food nauseating. It's a disgrace for a capital like Berlin. German people should be ashamed of such an airport. They are not able to have a decent airport built the new one is expected to be finished in 2017!

Just returned from five day trip to Berlin and once again flew through this deplorable airport. Have been here several times but continue to be amazed at this dump. Slow check-in (an hour) slow security (over 45 minutes you have been warned!). If you are infirm disabled elderly have children etc. you will find long walks no lifts all the seating areas full dirty toilets horrible food. Oh yes the duty-free areas are clean modern well-lit and welcoming. Don't let this fool you. It is the only place in this black hole that is. Would it be so much to expect a few extra cheap plastic seats so that you don't have to sit on the floor? Is it even possible for the ceiling fans to be operational and they are there because I have seen them to be used so that the departure gates aren't unbearably hot even in winter? Oh yes and once you make your way to/from the trains you have another long walk outside up and down ramps no lifts no escalators. Nothing ever changes here so I don't imagine anyone reads any of these reviews and if they do they have a good laugh because they are sadists. They must be to allow the state of things at this so-called airport to continue. Give this a wide berth if at all possible. As for the managers/owners of this airport and all the airlines using it you should be ashamed of yourselves.

This is quite possibly the worst airport I have ever used. On arrival in the airport there was a strong sewage smell on the apron. The police officers at passport control were wordless and unsmiling (although on the return flight from Berlin this was different). The toilets in arrivals were very small dirty and there was an overpowering smell (not a pleasant one). On a positive note you do get out of the airport very quickly as it is so small. For the return flight the check in queue did not move for ages. The airside/shopping area was cramped and far too hot. There was far too many people in this area considering the size of the airport. The airport is clearly not intended for this amount of passengers as there is very little seating areas so most people had to sit on the floor. The new Brandenburg airport is much needed!

Woefully poor airport. Echo the comments elsewhere that there's really inadequate seating long queues through security but the worst bit easily is the lack of lifts/ escalators everything is designed here that you're able to walk! So forget it if you've got a buggy or you're in a wheelchair! Staff couldn't care less. Airport is like a shed. The exception being of course the duty free shop where it seems no expense has been spared to get you to part with your cash! I know the budget airlines fly from here and this airport will be defunct when the new combined Berlin airport is built but it's really at the cheap end of cheap!

Just back on easyjet from SXF. Awful place about 20 minute wait for passport control on arrival in basically a shed. Long walk up and downstairs to baggage reclaim with queue for gents toilet totally inadequate. Departure just as bad with crowded cramped security area and not enough seating in departures. Getting to gate 62 was a nightmare with massive bottleneck of people trying to get downstairs to farthest gates. Not for the faint hearted!

The sooner it closes the better it is a far cry from other German airports I have encountered which are least efficient. Arriving involved a 20 minute wait for passport checks despite being the only recently arriving flight as far as I could tell. The walk to the U-bahn is lengthy though the train into the centre is good value and fairly quick. Leaving was worse; having joined a very slow moving queue in Terminal B we were advised to go to A as 'there are no queues there'. Wrong there was a short queue for initial luggage scanning but we then joined a very slow queue (over 20 minutes) for secondary screening. This was entirely down to one scanner out of four available being used despite several staff standing around chatting. As we reached the head of the queue they started a second luggage scanner but it made very little difference as everyone had to go through one body scanner and almost everybody seemed to set it off. Once through the facilities are basic and very tatty. The final insult is that as the aircraft taxies out it passes the large and brand new terminals for Brandenburg - all completely unused.

On Sunday 28th I had the dubious pleasure of a flight from Terminal D. The facilities before check-in were limited but on passing through to the departure lounge things did deteriorate. Although there was no obvious dirt the ladies toilets smelt. As for the catering facilities - a latte consisted of 3/4 cup of froth 1/4 coffee. As for the wrap which were declared to be "freshly made" - stale is not an adequate description they were rock hard and inedible. Most unpleasant - ensure you have used toilet facilities and had refreshments before you reach the airport!

Terminal B. The lack of seating past check-in and need to stand around the shopping areas until the departure gate is ready has been mentioned by others; however I meant to add in my last review that it is fairly compact so there is no need to proceed beyond check-in until nearer departure time. The entrance to the security area is visible from check-in so you can check the queuing time. In early June a new security line was being built suggesting that Brandenburg International won't be opening any time soon.

Grim place. Arrived earlier than our check in time and there was nowhere to sit except in the lone eatery. Washrooms on the ground floor were dirty smelly and no toilet paper. Before check in each piece of luggage has to be security checked - this was particularly difficult for us as we are quite elderly. Once past check in and security one enters a long corridor with some shops and eateries. One of the fresh sandwich bars looked good. Again seating is very limited. Hectic scene as travellers were making their way down the corridors to their respective gates. On the plus side a walk to the furthest gate is less than 10 minutes and wifi is free. A flight delay at this airport would be most painful.