Milan Malpensa Airport

Not Verified | I have been flying several times a year, all over the world, for more than 40 years and have never experienced anything like the level of discourtesy and incompetence I encountered at Malpensa airport last weekend. The experience left my wife, a non EEA national, absolutely distraught, as she was denied boarding a flight to the UK for a family Christmas holiday, despite holding a valid EU residence card and the EU and UK Gov websites also stating she did not need a visa to visit the UK. However, clearly untrained staff were obviously not aware of these important directives. They only allowed us to check in for the flight after a 10 minute delay while an invisible supervisor was consulted. However, after having checked in, things went from bad to worse. Firstly, a passport control officer waved my wife's residence card in her face and taunted her about being in his country and not being able to speak Italian. For the record, she has been in the country less than a year and has only just started taking Italian lessons and while she can speak her native tongue and English fluently, the passport control officer only spoke Italian. Secondly, at the departure gate my wife was denied boarding after airline staff consulted another invisible supervisor. They were absolutely not for listening, even when I showed them the relevant EU and UK government travel directives which indicated my wife had all the necessary travel documentation. The airline staff only wanted us out of the way as soon as possible and refused to let us discuss the matter with a supervising officer. In what was already a very embarrassing and stressful experience for my wife, further salt was rubbed into the wounds as we had to go back through passport control and endure further scorn from the aforementioned officer. After two days of wrangling with the airline's customer service staff, they finally admitted their error and resolved the matter. Furthermore, they mentioned that they would ensure their Malpensa airport staff would be given further necessary training. They clearly need it. I cannot imagine my wife is the only person to have passed through that airport with similar documentation. The inexperienced young officer at check in even alluded to this when she admitted confusion on the issue as sometimes her invisible supervisor allowed some passengers to travel and others not. That's simply arbitrary then and based on whim, not facts. If you are being paid as a supervisor, then you should be seen to be visible and supporting your staff and customers, not shirking responsibility and hiding in some back office. In conclusion, the level of service we encountered was simply worse than anything seen, even in so called 'developing countries' such as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Well Malpensa, it's time to wake up, because airports in these 'developing countries', are doing things a whole lot better than you are. What's more, their staff have a service mentality and work ethic and are usually much more warm and welcoming to foreign visitors. I hope Malpensa airport staff enjoyed their family Christmas -we certainly did not as a result of your gross incompetence.

✅ Trip Verified | At the arrival, not only there was no finger, but we also had to reach the terminal on foot and then go up the stairs on foot (long stairs). I recently sprained my ankle and it was super painful. On top of it, we had to walk through the entire departure terminal before reaching the arrival terminal, then go down the stairs and then walk a long way again. After the baggage collection, to go to the train station, you need to walk (again) outside and go to the train station (600 meters away). Once arrived at the station. Surprise: I need to wait 30 min for the train to the city centre in an area where there is no WiFi and not even a cafe where to buy a bottle of water. Is this the richest and most business vibrant city of Italy?

✅ Trip Verified | Although it was the period in which Malpensa airport also managed all passengers from Linate airport (Milan City airport), which was closed for renovation, the terminal was not under stress. Quick check-in and security checks. Sufficient seats in waiting areas for boarding

✅ Trip Verified | If you wish to experience a fourth world experience this airport is the place to be! On departure day the air con was off, thousands of passengers sweating and unhappy, the security screening process reduced to three active lanes. Passengers skipping queues and almost causing fights with no oversight by local airport authorities. Just check out security cameras for the 21 October 2019 at around 12 midday. They don't lie. Inefficient, poorly managed, uncivil and embarrassing sums it up. Be ready for anything and get there early. This is my second bad experience this year at this same airport.

Not Verified | Just wish to advise all those arriving at this airport that there are middle eastern unlicensed (illegal) taxi operators inviting tourists to use their services under the noses of the police and law enforcement authorities. They are not subtle and thus do not feel threatened which is bizarre given that until you exit the disembarkation terminal there is a rigorous check both at customs and immigration, well it makes you wonder. Please be sure to use regular taxi services since these are also insured and follow the law. One of those things you usually come across in underdeveloped countries.

Not Verified | Chaos! Unfriendly and badly organised airport! Crazy to have all the shopping and cafes restaurants etc before passport control. Means once you’ve gone through there is nothing to do and nowhere comfortable to sit. Also, it’s obvious that people leave going through to airside to the last minute because of this and then try to queue jump and create chaos at the security/passport check trying to get to flights at the last minute! What a ridiculous system. Must be the only airport in the world like this. Won’t be my airport of choice in the future.

✅ Trip Verified | A very uncomfortable, badly organised airport. A wider variety of issues. At arrival with the long queues for the "auto" passport. Poor signage for trains. No guidance as to journey time to different Milan Stations and no one to ask. A lot of smoke in the terminal at arrivals due to people congregating smoking at the doors. Very poor air conditioning, making the airport hot, even in September. Long registration for wifi, which required 3 attempts and then worked. Very slow 3G mobile broadband. Very few seats for waiting - In Terminal B when choosing to go in two directions for departure gates, there were very few seats. This was an issue as the gates were notified only last minute, so lots of people standing there for a long time until gate called. Very crowded airport. Very slow boarding due to unenergetic boarding staff, who seemed to be inexperienced and not particularly interested, chewing their chewing gum. I travel regularly for business. I would recommend using the other airports in Milan, Linate or even Bergamo, but certainly not Malpensa.

Not Verified | Terrible service. I was trying to register and log in to the wifi but it was exrrememly slow and kept giving error messages. The toilet was really dirty and smelly. I had to wait very long for the gate to my flight to show up. It was not until 10 minutes before boarding that the gate showed up and everyone had to rush to the gate. It was not only for my flight but also for a lot of other flights

Not Verified | More than 3 hrs to get through passport control! How ridiculously slow is that?! Never ever again will I use this airport again. Sorry, this building with its pack of lazy and chaotic subjects working here doesn't desreve to be called an airport. What an example of Italian efficiency.

Not Verified | One of the worst airports I have seen in Italy. Somone should teach the workers some english. The place is a mess. No clear signs of where to wait or where to go to. The place is dirty and the service is confusing. Looks like it is being run by school children.