Catania Airport

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.

Not Verified | This airport should be nominated for Europe's worst airport of 2019. I've traveled extensively in my life, so did my wife, and Catania airport is comparable with those you find in the poorest parts of third-world countries. Just one of the many tortures passengers are put through: The connection between the gate and the aeroplane is operated by 6 flights of stairs, attached to the exterior of the airport building. There was no elevator. Elderly and children were exposed to 40 Celsius for about 40 minutes for lack of coordination. The criminals who manage this airport should not be allowed to operate such a business.

Not Verified | Horrendous and dangerous chaos at passport control. One out of six manned passport control booths to service a queue of circa 500 people in departures on gates 19-22. No control, organisation and passport control and airport security knowingly allowed the situation to build over 2 hours. Never known a situation like it, dangerous and negligent. Rude staff in cafe, appalling food and hygiene standards, utter disbelief this is the parting memory from an otherwise wonderful holiday.

✅ Trip Verified | This is like a third world airport. Restrooms are poorly maintained. Many toilets did not flush. no toilet paper. Disgusting. I’d avoid this airport at all cost. The people who maintain this airport should be fired.

✅ Trip Verified | The worst airport I have ever been to in my life. Absolute chaos and far too small to handle the number of passengers. We arrived 2 hours 20 mins before our flight and we are still here queuing. We have not sat down the whole time. First we queued an hour to use the Bag Drop. Only four staff at bag drop/check in desks. In reality it didn’t matter whether you had already checked in or not it was all the same queue. Staff continuously making sub queue-jump-queues the whole time too, for people whose flights were leaving imminently. This slowed the queue down even more and meant that they were continuously calling out sub queues as the main queue moved nowhere! Chaos. Then queued for security. Then for passport control (have never queued separately for passport control when departing an airport). There are very few seats when you get through to the gate so queued again at the gate for 20 minutes - and counting. In short, awful airport very poorly run, leave lots of time!

Not Verified | Small airport, not too much after security. You can not buy cigarettes in the duty free, but can do in another shop. Toilet was dirty. The queue for the passport control was like a never ending story, took 25 minutes. Staff could improve their english knowledge. There was one very friendly young guy at security, the rest was rubbish and even dreadfull. Not a smile or anything. Boarding was ok.