Bordeaux Airport

I wrote the first review of Billi in 2010, it was awful then and apart from one '4' and one '3' nobody has rated it higher than a '2' since. Although I have visited the region many times I have managed to avoid this horrible terminal until last month. So how was it? Well I am going to be honest and say not as bad as I feared, but that is because I was on the only flight scheduled in several hours: arrival was handled efficiently and with hand baggage only we were out in about 10 minutes, departing was very irritating but just about bearable. The really annoying thing about it is that you are being treated as rubbish because you are on a 'cheap' airline (only Easyjet and Ryanair appear to use it). I have news for the airport's management, these airlines are not always cheap and those of us who live near their bases have little choice but to use them - or are we supposed to transit through Paris on your precious Air France? An example of the sixth rate service, we arrived about two hours before departure to find no staff in the terminal. There are also no toilets in the check-in area (how is that allowed?) so I went to the nice 'normal' terminal about 100m away. It too was empty except for some soldiers and staff standing around looking bored, I noticed that one flight was scheduled between 6pm and the following morning. So a simple question, why can't all airlines use the main terminal? It is not exactly overstretched. No, instead you have to carry your own bags, suffer conveyers that don't join up through security, queue for everything and sit in a windowless shed. With a bit of luck the new TGV line will reduce air traffic and bring about the closure of this dump.

✅ Verified Review | Flying in to Bordeaux from the wonderful Marco Polo Airport in Venice, we arrived at Bordeaux - what a come down - Hot. Cramped. Dirty. Only one male toilet cubicle (no urinal). Almost 20 men queuing. Also disgustingly filthy and smelly, being a Sunday, I'm sure there were no cleaners employed. Long queues (30 mins+) for passport control (only one officer on duty). No seats after check-in, so people were sitting on the dirty floor putting their shoes back on. Uncomfortable chairs. Hot and getting hotter due to poor Air-con. (and this was beginning of March). Only two screens displaying flight information. Piercing whining / screeching noise from some machine somewhere. A long, 500m walk in the rain (no cover) to the taxi rank. Poor signposting. Confusing car parks called 0, 1, 2 and 4. No machines to pay for parking. All in all - torturous.

Billi - This is the reality of no frills travel. It was the most unpleasant terminal I have been in - and I have had lots of experience across Africa and the Far East. It seems to have been designed on a de-minimis basis. The journey through the security and gate process was very stressful, and this was amplified by the attitude of the staff who no doubt find it stressful working in the building. If it was this bad on an off-peak weekend in January, it must be truly hideous during the summer. The best advice I picked up was to spend as much time as possible in the (empty) main terminal. If you do need to travel to this part of France, consider flying by BA or use another airport.

Bordeaux is one of the worst airports in the world. Unworthy of a country like France. Passengers are parked into a hangar like animals. No comfort, no aircon, bad seats, very uncomfortable.

Who invented the Billi Terminal? There is a beautiful airport at Bordeaux with space, cafes, seats, shops, lavatories, air conditioning and many, many check out desks. Don't get excited, if you're flying no frills you won't be going there. The check out desks are mostly closed in the main terminal, the torture begins in Billi. You will queue, and queue, and queue. You won't find a seat, there is a paltry selection of refreshments, there is no loo at check in and more queues for the loos when you are airside. If you've paid for speedy boarding it's very hit and miss that you will actually get it because they can't be bothered. Once you get to the departure lounge, usually after standing around for ages, you are likely to then be told to exit to the aeroplane, you think it's all over, it isn't. Last week, on a baking hot day, we all stood on the enclosed stairs to the tarmac for what seemed like a very long time as the sun was beating down on the metal enclosure. It is a terrible way to treat people. I like no frills flights, I'm happy not to have the frills, but I don't like to be treated as though I'm being processed by people who care nothing for my comfort and well being. There is a perfectly good airport standing almost empty, why in the world did they need to invent the cattle shed that is Billi? I tried to take a photo of the endless queue and I got a severe ticking off from security.

Well, after a lovely relaxing holiday in beautiful France it's a pity that Bordeaux airport causes so much stress. It was just as well we arrived at departure early so at least the queue wasn't very long but still we waited a long time. I felt sorry for the 2 staff on duty trying to deal with economy class, priority bookings, late arrivals, people with too much luggage and checking in passengers for flights to UK, Porto, Marrakesh. After baggage is weighed you have to take it round to the loading area. There aren't any toilets in this part of Billi terminal so my husband had to find them in another terminal. Actually when we'd arrived 2 weeks before there were only 2 toilets in the arrivals hall and they weren't very clean. I felt sorry for passengers with children. The facilities after security were OK if you're not expecting much though there is minimal seating so anyone lucky enough to find a table in the cafe tends to linger which of course means that others can't find a table. At the boarding gate there are hardly any seats. A hint, if you agree to put your cabin bag/case in the hold because the flight is full, you get to board before others. Since Bordeaux and surrounds are truly wonderful, they are let down very badly by the experience at the airport. Another hint - if you're driving up from Sarlat on the toll motorway and have time, stop off at a motorway service station for lunch. I enjoyed delicious coquille st jacques!

Terrible airport. No proper food available after security. Only 1 small desk selling apples and toasted cheese sandwiches. A pack of Haribo from a candy machine was my best choice. Ample seating not available at gates so people sitting in the floor everywhere. 1 tiny shop selling overpriced chocolate and wine. Lovely city, rubbish airport.

Billi Terminal was the worst experience at an airport. I will never use it again. It is simply a cattle shed for herding passengers on low cost flights. Hot, stuffy and no air conditioning, basically DIY terminal with never-ending queues. We were delayed for an hour and it felt like longer because the facilities were so poor and it was so hot. No information given on the delay either. Had to hunt down staff to ask what was happening. It was a complete contrast to Liverpool airport which we flew from, and also caters for low cost airlines, and was the swiftest check in ever.

I flew back to the UK with Easyjet from Bordeaux Billi terminal on 3rd Sept 2016. I found the experience so appalling. It took over 2 hrs of queuing to get through this ill equipped and hot terminal. We queued outside for ages in the 30 deg C plus heat with no cover and no information. The staff were rude and unhelpful. You even have to carry your own bags to the conveyor belt! When you finally get to the 'facilities' side, the cafe is limited and expensive and the toilets disgusting. The men's toilet was overflowing right into the sitting area and people were dragging their trolley bags through the water/urine. Interestingly there didn't seem to be the same issues in the terminal next door where Air France are based! Avoid if possible and if you must travel through here allow lots of time!!

✅ Verified Review | Chaotic queues in security and departure in Billi terminal. Smelly loos in insufficient numbers in both terminal buildings. Access to Gate 46 in Billi through long, airless, excruciatingly hot corridors involving steep steps up and then down. Any delay in boarding would have caused passengers real difficulty due to the heat. Fortunately Easyjet boarded very quickly, not always the case on my experience. A lack of competent organisation and forethought makes this an extremely unpleasant airport. Even out of season Billi is crowded and shed-like departure gates are always uncomfortable. Long overdue for a refurb. Avoid if possible.