Grenoble Airport

Organisation of check in and security on a very busy day (28th December 2013) was very poor. We arrived at the airport more than two hours before our flight departure time and spent ALL of that time and more in queues. This resulted in our flight being delayed by almost one hour. More staff are needed on days like this to avoid passenger frustrations and to make the whole process pleasurable.

Traveled on Saturday using a Monarch A300 - a big plane. The immigration is through a large porch with only two people on duty the baggage reclaim has two small reclaim belts and there were other jumbos arriving. Return was worse - check in delayed as baggage handlers could cope entire check in area full (complete with guards with dogs). Security queues filled rest of departure area. Need to allow 2 hours for process. After security departure lounge was full say about 3 jumbo jet worth 1 cafe and about 10 toilet cubicles. The airport from hell at the weekend.

Departing from Grenoble Airport Sat PM 12/01/13 - Used this airport on a number of previous trips. It's never been a good experience but I thought I knew what to expect however this latest experience reached a new high. There were probably three planes checking out and the terminal was crowded. Queues through security were unacceptably long and guess why? When I got through the X-Ray / baggage check there was only one person checking passports! (On a Saturday afternoon.) Arrived back at Liverpool John Lennon Airport - One plane in - 3 Border Officials and the UK Border Agency think they have staffing problems - Customer consideration at Grenoble is a joke!

Departed Grenoble 21st Jan 2012. There were 3 check-in desks open for 3 Easyjet flights. We arrived in the queue 2.5 hrs before our scheduled departure. The queue consisted of around a thousand people all trying to push forwards. To add to this the airport tannoy was announcing "last and final boarding call" for our flight an hour before the scheduled departure. It took a further 30 mins to reach the front of the queue. In short all passengers agreed that staff appeared to be on a deliberate work to rule and a "go slow". Having checked in we zipped through security - the two open scanners seemed able to cope with people managing to check in and immediately boarded the plane. We boarded and the pilot informed the passengers that take off would be delayed due to problems at check-in. I have rarely encountered such a proficient display of gross incompetence as demonstrated by the Easyjet Grenoble ground staff. This is the third time we've flown through Grenoble with Easyjet. The experience is never slick.

The queues at the airport for departure at 9am on 19/03/11 had to be seen to be believed! The check in queues were long but nothing compared to the one for passport control and security which can only be described as a mass conger around the entire departure hall. It doubled back on itself so many times that it was not possible to easily find the end. The staff seemed used to this melee on a Saturday and did little to help. Essentially there were too many people trying to depart at the same time. This coupled with the shambolic organisation of the check- ins and security did not help. Many flights were delayed as passenger's bags had already been loaded. In spite of arriving 2 hours before departure we boarded 5 minutes after the scheduled departure and finally took off 15 minutes late. We did nothing but queue in that time. There was simply no time for anything else. I have suffered similar problems at Geneva but not quite on this scale. I don't see how it can be avoided other than to avoid flying on a Saturday.

Not equipped to cope with the ski crowds. Arrivals area is a portakabin with long queues for toilets check in building is OK but delay going through security as late as possible as gate area is really crowded.

Grenoble is a horrific airport. It is not able to handle the ski crowd. On landing there is one person to check passports - expect very long delays. On departure there is one exit gate - yes one gate - which you cannot pass through early and then you have to queue for security scanning which is admittedly very efficient. If delayed bring in seats from outside despite the protestations of security. Also be prepared for approx 50 min wait for a coffee and sandwich. Crystal Ski should avoid this airport or I will not book with them.

The airport is struggling to cope with the huge number of passengers that the ski charter airlines are bringing. Temporary constructions have been added to the once immaculate buildings to try to ease the queues. If you are lucky enough to be there when there are only a few flights going in or out it would probably be OK. If it is busy as it was when I went through it is not a pleasent place to be. You would be wise to take your own food to eat in the departures area since there is only one small counter.

Arrivals in Grenoble are now in a great building with 2 more baggage claim and a new hall. Departures are fine too but I think more Information on flights boards would be nice. The staff is particularly friendly and helpful. If you want to go to Grenoble the transfers to Grenoble are very cheap (4€ and 2€80 if you are less than 18 years old). There are also transfers to some french alps's ski resorts.

Arrivals in Grenoble is a bit of a joke. You are put through a series of tents to get through passport control and the baggage reclaim is slow and a bit of a mess. However departures is a drastically different story. The new terminal is very nice bearing in mind i came through Grenoble an the end of the February half term ski season so it was very busy. But the terminal dealt with it very well. Check in was fairly quick plenty of desks. Security was surprisingly fast. (More info on flight boards would be nice though). Departures was fine you can generally find a place to sit. Overall not a bad experience but it just seems when they built the new terminal they forgot that people actually have to arrive at an airport as well!