Heraklion Airport

Not Verified | Airport busy, completely overcrowded and stinking and filthy. Toilets disgusting, nowhere to sit. Rent a car at Airport (Budget/Avis) appalling service, rude and poorly signposted regarding drop off. Which added insult to injury having to repair a tyre because we would be charged for a call out despite already paying for the insurance for that. Thankfully we had wonderful Hotel staff who went out of their way taking us to a Garage to get a repair. Flight delayed but nobody kept you up to date. Never offered even a drink of water. Queueing for hours, to be turned away to another boarding gate. Staff, rude, unhelpful and threatening if you said anything to them. Basically you are at their mercy as you get threatened with not being allowed on the flight if you challenge their poor behaviour or useless communication skills. In general the local Greek people are absolutely lovely, kind and approachable until you get to the Airport. There was elderly people and families with small children and babies left wondering what was going on. Absolutely disgusted and the worst treatment ever. If there had have been a fire we’d never have got out. It was unsafe and frightening. They should be ashamed to call themselves an Airport. Only just got back to travelling post COVID and that’s the kind of bedlam and unclean environment you have to sit (if you get a seat) or stand in. It must be rife with infection it’s so unclean. Given you have saved, paid £100’s of pounds and looked forward all year to go on your holiday to have to endure that. Completely spoilt our holiday the staff were so rude, like they were doing you a favour by allowing you to get on a flight you’ve paid for. I will never return to Greece again and it completely ruined the holiday for many people in that Airport yesterday. All because of heavy rain, thunder and lightning! Really? Yet so many other countries manage with weather extremes. Even manage to clean the place and smile!

✅ Trip Verified | Arrived on the day with a heavy rain, roof is leaking. They put the railings around but there is no space for people whose flights were on delay from 11:00 till 15:00. Toilets are stinky and dirty, nowhere to sit at all. Shame on Greece and Crete.

✅ Trip Verified | Was genuinely worried about Heraklion airport after reading all the negative reviews. However it really was absolutely fine. Arrival was indeed via a hot un-airconditioned bus, but that was a 1 minute journey so people need to get a grip. Getting through customs took about twenty minutes which really isn’t bad for an incredibly busy Sunday in summer hols. Departure was absolutely fine as well. Took no time on a busy Sunday to get through security. Place was clean and fantastic viewing area of all the flights as the entire place has floor to ceiling glass. Got some bottles of water for the flight and was most expensive water I’ve ever paid for in my life, about €6 euro for 500ml total rip off. Gate side place was rammed with virtually no seats but you can get that at most airports, was the same if not worse at gatwick. So ignore all the negative comments. Oh air con in the terminal was struggling a bit on arrival but departures it was absolutely fine.

Not Verified | Never again. Crowded - too many People for such small airport. Big queues. Low standards of hygiene. When arrived to Crete - had to wait more than 1 hour for a baggage. Crete is a lovely place, but this airport smashed the impression.

Not Verified | The worst airport I have ever had the misfortune to visit. Toilets were terrible. Wee everywhere, no loo roll, missing toilet seats, hand dryers that do not work, it was utterly disgusting. And that was just the womens. The tannnoy system is a complete joke - you could not hear a word of what they were saying and it seemed every time one message came on, so did another so the two messages were speaking over each other at volume 100. I would have been more comfortable sitting on a breeze block, seats were a joke. There was nothing clean about this dump at all which is a shame as Crete is lovely. Even Gatwick looks good compared to this place. Never again.

Not Verified | We love Crete but every time we depart this airport the chaos is so crazy that we say to each other never again. But the love for Crete and the hope changes have been made at this airport have won us over. I’m writing this review from the airport as we speak shocked at how terrible this airport still is. 3 out of 5 disgusting toilets are not working, the airport is way to small for the amount of people- long queues everywhere and no staff or ropes to lead the way- the information boards are not updated regularly - gate changes all the time. Its pure chaos. And it’s like this every time. Really it will stop us from coming here again.

✅ Trip Verified | I have no words to describe the mess and chaos I faced in this airport. Endless delays, no space for the people to move or sit while waiting, the toilets are extremely unhygienic no soaps or towels. The staff is rude, refusing to speak English. I never want to visit Heraklion Airport again.

Not Verified | Worst airport I have been to. It is dirty, crowded and poorly organised (my flight was not announced on the screens although later flights were), there is no signs after security to confirm the gate from which you depart and they set up multiple boardings from the same gate within 10 minutes of each other. Also check-in takes one hour but they only open it 2h before your flight so you better hope that security will be quick. Horrible experience, I am never flying via this airport again

✅ Trip Verified | Small. Crowded. No seating. Poor air quality. Loud and noisy. Seems outdated. Do not come early, seems like the worst airport in Europe. Try to avoid it. The shopping area takes all the space, that could have been used to improve the seating area.

Not Verified | Awful airport. Overcrowded, overpriced! €8 for a bar of chocolate airside, €4.50 for a soft drink either side. No wifi as its asked about below. Ive read some reviews on other sites to use the other airport on Crete next time. There are no toilet seats in the male toilets and the supplied charging points dont work. People that have checked in are being told to check in again.