Catania Airport

✅ Trip Verified | The dirtiest airport I've ever seen. No one cares about covid protocols. People smoke in the bathroom. Bars and places where food is served very messy and dirty.

✅ Trip Verified | The worst airport in Europe. No air-conditioning, no wifi access, all flights were delayed, I have never seen such dirty toilets and so much garbage everywhere.

Not Verified | Immigration control was easy. Very quick but a week later I have never encountered such useless people. Totally outside the airline's control. My flight to Gatwick was scheduled to leave at 13:30 and the checking process didn't start until 13:10 by two bored looking police officers. My week long holiday in Sicily was really good. The only bad thing was the incompetence of the police on departure.

Not Verified | Outrageous! A horrible and obviously discriminatory experience. Passengers of 3 non-Schengen flights are left to wait in line for more than 45 minutes until someone from the staff arrives at the passport checkpoint. Of course, the plea continues with the mournful attitude of these people who, despite the situation, exchange impressions on WhatsApp and talk to each other. In addition, low cost airlines operating in Eastern Europe and other non-Schengen areas are assigned the worst ports and areas in the airport. I don’t care what contracts exist between the airport and the airlines, but I would suggest taking action in this regard.

✅ Trip Verified | This has to be one of the worst airports in Europe. The flight was half an hour delayed by the slow outbound passport check process. Very clearly the staff were being deliberately slow and extremely bureaucratic. The airline indicated that they would feedback to the airport management but having flown out of this airport many times I doubt anything will happen. The passport check agents were even asking passengers to provide alternate photo ID despite the lateness of the departure which was only because of this process. The airport is otherwise crowded and affected by bureaucratic slowness in all other aspects (although security checks aren't that bad).

Not Verified | One of the worst, long queue for passport check (more than 20 minutes) without possibility for elderly ones and for people with mobility problems to skip the queue ... everyone in a big, huge line. After this we waited another 40 minutes for luggage. Cleanliness not for an international airport standards.

Not Verified | This is a truly dreadful airport. Check in and security were slow but by no means worse than many others. However, having gone through security there was an 80 minute queue to get through passport control. When asked why the delay the airport staff were rude and hostile. Facilities were generally poor and not up the standard you would expect from a European airport. Sicily and Catania are delightful but I wouldn't travel there again through Catania Airport.

✅ Trip Verified | Arrival was pain free. It was a coaching job to the terminal and passport control was quick. I had hand luggage only and was from plane to pre-booked taxi within 20 minutes. On departure I read on this website the passport control would be a disaster and I should start queuing as soon as I got through security. My fears were unfounded. I arrived 2.5 hours before departure, I had my BP on my phone app, hand luggage only so went through security which was quick. I noted the passport control was open and spoke to an airport employee about going through (it was 2 hours 15 before my BA departure) he said I shouldn’t go through yet it was only the EasyJet flight departing in the next 40 mins who should go through. With 1 hour 50 to departure, I decided to go through passport control. There were two non-EU flights departing within 5 minutes, so thought I should go through in case it got busy (as per posts in this forum). I got through within 5 minutes and noticed the subsequent queues were not bad. Beyond passport control, there was a duty-free shop, toilets and a vending machine. My flight was called for boarding with one hour to departure. As I was in group 1 I went through the gate first. Unfortunately, priority boarding meant standing in the air bridge for 10 minutes then boarding the bus first, which meant standing in a stationary vehicle for 10 minutes. We then drove to the plane to discover a service vehicle was helping a wheelchair passenger first. So we again waited on the bus for a further 5 minutes. Not sure if the faffing about and queuing / editing was a British Airways issue or airport issue. Overall the airport is no worse than other small Italian airports such as Pisa or Bologna. Sone faffing about boarding, but the fear I had queuing and stressing for an hour for passport control never materialised

Not Verified | Appalling airport from start to finish. Inadequate signage, counters, boarding controls - everything was an absolute nightmare. I think it’s one of the worst airports I have ever visited. Staff also looked harassed and rude because they seemed aware of the hopeless conditions in which they worked. What a disaster.

✅ Trip Verified | This really is the most disgraceful airport in Europe, considering it’s the 6th busiest in Italy you would think there would be at least some standards but sadly not. On entering the airport I noticed the McDonald’s at the far end and not much else. Decided to just get through security and then have something to eat rather than going to McDonald’s there and then. Security was quick and I was looking forward to grabbing a bite to eat and maybe doing some shopping...the reality was quite different. Once through, you have a choice of two ‘deli bars’, a few small shops and that is literally it. There are nowhere near enough seats either. On seeing this, I decided I would head up and pay into the lounge instead so I could relax with a drink and a bite to eat. On arrival, I was told you don’t pay into the lounge but get access other ways (assuming this is first class ticket holders etc), I can’t say I was too disappointed as it was absolutely heaving with people and a lot were standing as again, not enough seating. In the end, I just sat and read a book until close to boarding time. Gate 20 is through passport control unlike most of the other gates and once through you can’t get back out. Unfortunately I found out my plane was delayed only after going through pp control so was stuck in a greenhouse like area with one tiny shop and that’s it. I love Sicily and will definitely return but it absolutely will not be via this disgrace of an airport.