Varna Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 7 reviews
5/10
No Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"professional conduct of these staff officials leaves a lot to be desired"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Utter absence of thought, empathy and planning would synthesize our experience. We initially headed to the 'departures' sign to find it locked with a sign on the door pointing to another building. Upon reaching the second building, another arrow pointed to a third building and entrance to 'departures', leading to a 20-minute initial meandering, which could have unsettling and anxiety-provoking effect on passengers. There is no information board so you would have to be physically alert to movement to figure out which gate you would be flying from. The experience with border control was very similar: we headed through to the baggage control desk to be informed that we needed to return to a different desk for initial Covid screening and issuing of new boarding passes (the ones we had already printed were deemed unnecessary). The professional conduct of these staff officials leaves a lot to be desired. Remnants from communist eras, these privileged state representatives impose an extremely offensive, authoritative and subjugating tone in the way they demand, command and threaten passengers. The screening of passenger locator forms and codes was precipitated by sharp military style commands and requests to provide multiple proofs of having booked and pre-paid for post-arrival Covid tests, which was completely unnecessary and evident within the passenger locator forms only. The tone was humiliating and demanding, rather than humane and down-to earth. The exact justification for this was that staff needed to inspect all possible evidence to ensure I was not lying. Needless to say, my family had all the necessary provisions and the accusation inflicted pain and public insult. Similarly, the passport control officials demanded all of our dual citizenship documents, checking each and every page and reading all of the information in a silent passive-aggressive way. When asked for explanation, they said that they had the right to request all documents and that this would make the procedure easier for them. My experience was that the customer officials were deriving pleasure from inflicting fear and a sense of humiliation onto others. I am utterly disgusted with the professional conduct of both customer support passport control staff and the border police officials at this airport. The attitude is in the 'how', class-based and passive aggressive and might not be felt by citizens of other countries. However, my family was left feeling humiliated and insulted by this demonic chain of proteges who are occupying key administrative and representative positions. I would not recommend the experience and would advice to avoid this airport at all cost.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2021
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
6/10

"very expensive duty free"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Ok, not much to do, but not bad queues. Very small and modern airport. Has a smell of cigarettes in the gates where S7 fly. There is an outdoor bar in the summer and has very expensive duty free. There is also a McDonalds and a coffee store (both expensive).
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitAugust 2017
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
8/10

"a good experience"

(Bulgaria)

I flew from and to Varna Airport in April. The airport is good, but the lounges were closed early in the morning. There is only 1 duty free shop and the prices there are good. One bad thing is that boarding the plane is always by bus, otherwise it is a good experience.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitApril 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
10/10

"new, modern and colourful"

(Bulgaria)

The airport is new, modern and colorful. Everywhere is clean. There are nice looking green areas with flowers and trees outside. The employees were polite and smiling.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitSeptember 2015
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
2/10

Varna Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

Terrible place. On arrival waited 50 mins around a baggage claim carousel that displayed the flight for it to change to the other one (yes only 2 claim belts in an arrivals hall) So not a problem you may think wrong. Literally hundreds of people (One full British flight and one full Russian flight) shoved in one room waiting for their luggage at the right belt then for it to be switched at the last minute is not a good combination. On return flight check in speedy and good overweight baggage didn't stir an eyebrow (to my advantage) but then the fun commenced. A queue stretching around the departure lounge and back again for security checks and the reason one person at the control desk. There were at least 7 flights due to leave according to the flight board. Everyone queuing to get through but the queue just grew longer and longer as the names of flights were shouted out to try push past everyone in an attempt to make their flight (we arrived in ample time thanks to our tour operator). Utter unorganised chaos. And all this in sweltering heat as very little in the way of air-conditioning.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
3/10

Varna Airport customer review

Much the same to report as Tony Maddern - I agree with all his comments. Baggage claim is still taking a long time considering the short distance from the aircraft and minimal schedules. Priority baggage tags don't seem to be recognised either. The two baggage carousels are positioned on either side of the walk route to arrivals so if there are a lot of people they end up blocking the path! There is a handy radiation monitor just above the exit from baggage claim - useful if you're about to sit in the sun (I presume it was UV radiation)! A clarification on the taxis - unlike Sofia that have fixed fares the taxis in Varna and particularly those at the airport are allowed to charge by the meter AND the meter can run at whatever rate the driver chooses as long as it's displayed on the window of the taxi. So before getting in any taxi check the rate displayed on side or on the wind screen. 0.29 Level per km seems ok but many taxis at the airport will charge three times that amount per km! Even Costa Sands resorts should only cost 20-35 Leva let alone Varna City. If departing from the airport be aware that there aren't any eating establishments - so if you'll be hungry get something before you get there! Overall not an amazing airport but it much better than many others of it's age! And if there is only one flight departing from your terminal it shouldn't take too long to pass through security.
no
3/10

Varna Airport customer review

Varna airport is interesting. Aircraft are parked on stands about 200m from the airport. An old truck with airstairs pulls up beside the plane and you get off and wait 5 - 10 mins in a really modern bus. The immigration hall serves its' purpose but once you get into the baggage hall that's where it gets interesting. 21st century technology beside old world equipment. It looks like they have just decided to put things in there without any real thought or planning. There are 2 baggage belts which seem to have been cut into the floor. The baggage hall is about 10m X 10m and looks like it has been built to handle 2 flights and there are only a couple of toilets in the baggage / arrivals hall. I think that 40 mins was far too long to be waiting for my bags considering that my flight was the only one at the airport. As you leave the baggage hall into the arrivals area it's just like anywhere else - scrum of people keen to get you into their taxi. A word of warning about taxis though. It's about a 15 - 20 min drive into Varna. (about 15km). The taxi drivers are always keen to rip you off and have a trick of pressing the meter button 2 or 3 times depending on how much they want to rip you off by. A taxi fare into Varna should only cost about 20 - 35 leva.
no