Milan Malpensa Airport

I've been travelling to and from MXP more 150 times and I think it has a worse reputation than it deserves. The main terminal is on several levels and it avoids long walks like on may other locations and is easy to find the way. The check-in area is spacious and bright: is a pleasure to have a coffee there with a full view on the planes. The queues at the controls can actually be improved but are huge just in certain moments of the day and on summer. The airport is very well connected to Milan either by train or bus. The T2 can be reached by a free shuttle that runs every 7 mins at day and every 30 mins at night. There's room for improvement (especially for the toilets and the elevators) but still it remains a very good airport and for sure the best in Italy.

All-in-all not to be recommended. Here's an overview (Terminal 1 experience): Pro's: train service to town works well and is well accessible; rent-a-car facilities easily reachable; Sheraton hotel within the terminal. Con's: most staff (not all of them fortunately) rude and unpleasant; waiting lines for security check totally unacceptable no priority given to travellers with small children all shops closed on Sunday and after 8PM impossible signs throughout the terminal no nursing rooms filthy impossible to get to the security check by elevator.

Travelled Easyjet to Terminal 2. Car hire is very expensive from T2 so forced to catch the shuttle bus to T1. Exit arrival building at T2 turn right and the bus stop is on the concourse about 30 yards along the bus takes about 5 mins. We landed at 09.30 and had arrived in Aosta by 12.10. The return went just as smoothly despite the Auto Europe (Dollar) car hire people dragging their feet checking the car back in. I read lots of negative reviews but had no problems at all and would certainly use Easyjet and this airport again.

One of the worst airports ever! Friendliness is a word airport staff have never heard of obviously! Washrooms flooded and unusable. Would never recommend this airport.

My partner and I took the airport bus from central station in Milan which was reasonable value at 7.5 euros but lacking in any information about the route - so easy to confuse which terminal to get off at. Once in the airport first impressions were quite good as the check-in area was quiet and uncrowded. However we were lulled into a false sense of security once we went down to the lower level we found an immense queue - several hundred people squashed into a tight space and shuffling towards the scanners. This took a full 30 minutes and the stress levels started to mount. Once through that we found another queue to get through passport control - manned by someone who decided to take a break as we approached. We ran as fast as we could to the gate to find that we had missed the shuttle to the plane by 1 minute. We ended up paying 800 euros for the two of us to fly back with BA. All in all a very expensive and stressful experience.

Changed planes from Schengen to Non-Schengen with 3½ hrs between flights. The staff we met at MXP were disinterested and bored. When asking about directions for transit they either didn't know or didn't care. Luckily didn't need information on the return to avoid further disappointment with this airport and we speak some Italian to ask basic questions and understand answers.

Arrived from USA and it was so easy. Walked a short distance picked up bags and a friendly Italian man looked at my passport having had to stand in no line. No filling out of forms no asking what I am bringing in or what is the purpose of my visit no searching of my bags just a welcome. The airport is small and manageable and immediately got on a bus for 7 Euro which takes you to the main Milan train or bus station.

Malpensa T1 seems to be old and run down. The rental car return signages are poor and the elevators from the basement to the second floor departure area is a nightmare with luggage. The washrooms are the dirty and the signage inside the terminal is poor. However the airport is very functional. There was hardly any queuing for check-in customs for VAT refund security check or passport control. From the check-in queue to the lounge it took us just 40mins. We were surprised not to see a separate queue at passport control and security for Business Class passengers. There were some duty free shops airside but the wine selection at these shops were surprisingly (for Italy) inadequate. Also noticed some eateries but we preferred to snack in the airline lounge.

Old and run down airport. Malpensa has the dirtiest bathrooms ever. Just terrible! Finding staircases is hard and avoiding elevators is best. We were in an elevator that allowed travel from the basement floor to the second floor where we needed to go. Lo and behold the button for the second floor landed us on the third floor which was supposed to be inaccessible from that particular elevator. Pushing all the buttons and going up and down a few times we did catch the second floor. Would have left elevator but had so much luggage in there and there was so much hustle for spots on elevators. The translations into English and German are so ridiculously wrong that one wonders why the airport administrations did not bother to have a native speaker check them. Smacks of unprofessionalism. Flew KLM and at least that was great.

Our aircraft pulled in to the terminal and after half an hour came the announcement that the air bridge was faulty and all passengers would be disembarking by the rear door and would be taken by bus to the main terminal. Finally 45 minutes later we arrived at customs. We were flying business class and instead of being first off the plane we were last and were at the end of the customs queue. In total it took nearly two hours from aircraft arrival to exiting the terminal.