Warsaw Chopin Airport

This was my first visit to Poland. The people the welcome the atmosphere were absolutely delightful! Then on may way back I had to go through Etiuda Terminal. Welcome to hell. All descriptions above are true I could verify all details. This terminal is probably the best monument to the glory of communism : everything is done to make you understand you're just an element of the herd.

Etiuda to Doncaster-Sheffield by WizzAir. Long queues dreadful conditions virtually non-existent facilities minimal information. The so-called departure "lounge" had more people on the floor than on seats (due to lack of seats/space). Even Poland's PKS (national bus service) stations are more pleasant than this and that's saying something. I had hoped that everything I'd read on here about Etiuda wasn't true but it is. Diabolical.

The Etuida airport is not a place you want to spend any time in if you can help it. When we arrived there was a massive queue leading out of the front doors and round the corner into the car park. Thankfully it moved fairly quickly. Then you get to the check-in desk. After your check-in luggage is weighed you then have to pick it up yourself and take it round to security and put it through the x-ray. This means that once you are in the queue for the check-in desk you are locked in to going through to the secure side. When I say "secure side" I mean a holding pen or some sort of converted (small) aircraft hanger with one make-shift kiosk. When we were there planes were being delayed and the holding pen was packed with passengers from the delayed planes and boy was it hot. Now normally at Etuida once you are in the holding pen you can't go back through to the other side. I actually asked once and was threatened with having my ticket cancelled. But at this time they were forced to let people back out so bad were the conditions - the smell of cigarettes from the toilets was also becoming overwhelming.

Chopin Terminal 2 or how to lose a winning game. The new T2 is almost fully functional. Almost - I still had to queue for check-in at T1 then walk and ride a rolling path to T2. A really long journey: although at this time (11 pm) the airport is not very busy three departures were gathered together in three adjacent gates at the end of the almost empty T2. Altogether 550 people flying LOT to Tel Aviv LOT to Larnaca and Atlas Blue to Agadir crowded trying to find out which queue is theirs. Foreigners would try hard to understand the PAs from the loudspeakers but they faced no chance. Some strolled looking for toilets which are well hidden - apparently the airport likes to play Hide and Seek.

Thankfully I had not read reviews on Etiuda before arriving there today. Can an airport seriously get away with this monstrosity in the 21st Century? And with this your final impression of Poland surely their tourist board would do well to petition for a shut down. Small the one shop/kiosk was closed and there was no service from the staff. Have to say we were lucky in that the flights were on time and the shambolic queues did not get out of hand. But I can imagine on a bad day. Just watching people faces as they entered the departure 'lounge' proved to be entertaining in a sick sort of way but if you didn't laugh you'd cry.

I just returned to Athens/Greece from Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin flying Norwegian. We had to use the notorious Etidua terminal to fly out. I read so many bad comments on the internet that I literally lost my sleep on my last night in Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin trying hard to hide my feelings from my wife as we were celebrating my birthday. Our flight was at 6am so we arrived at the terminal at 03h45am. We stood in a long but disciplined queue. After 30 minutes we checked in. Reasonable waiting time. We then dropped our suitcase as we were instructed to do and proceeded to the departure hall. A bit small to handle so many passengers but not suffocating. Shops opened at 05h something. Bought water and soft drinks plus two sandwiches. Though expensive (13 to 15 zlotys each) the food was delicious. We departed on time. Bottom line no drama! We travel a lot and have been through different situations. And Etiuda was by far not the worst. Taking into account what we saved by flying Norwegian I found the terminal ok. The airline very ok and reliable too. Just be there well ahead of time that's all. Or fly another airline and pay double or tipple. The choice is yours!

I was unfortunate enough to read all comments posted here on the Etiuda terminal after I have used it. Arriving from Athens to Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin with Norwegian Air Shuttle was a breeze since the Terminal 1 was used. But leaving Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin for Athens through Etiuda was really my worst check-in ever. The terminal is very small to handle all low-cost passengers and there are only 4-5 check-in desks resulting in a total chaos. There was a huge queue and not a proper one I might add since the place is so small not even queuing lines work. There is no information and signs people try to find their way into the crowd going all directions with their baggage. Once you manage to check-in after an hour's waiting on the queue you are required to stand another hour in the second queue for security scan while also carrying your baggage for x-ray scanning (they don't take it at the check-in counters). Flying budget airlines is not an excuse this is clearly the Chopin airport's problem. I have traveled with low-cost airlines in several airports (Athens Berlin Milan) and never faced this chaos before.

LOT from LHR and then to IST and found it quite efficient. There was a line up for imigration as only two non EU options out of six open the wait for bags was not too bad although it is confusing when you come across the lost baggage option before the actual baggage claim area. The check in to Istanbul was quick with only 10 people ahead of us and 5 counters.

I have just returned from Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin and used the notorious 'etuida' terminal. I thought it was going to be bad after reading these reviews but nothing prepared me for this horror. The queue outside the terminal stretched for miles right outside the door. It was freezing cold but at least it was not raining. After waiting for 30 minutes the check in staff casually strolled passed and took their time getting things going.Five check in desks opened and after about an hour I checked in my case and then had to carry it to be scanned .When finally in the passenger lounge which was the size of my bedroom with people lying on the floor because of no seats there was a vending machine serving hot chocolate coffee etc and that was it. The gift shop was closed and another coffee stand was also closed .When the coach arrived to take us to the plane people gathered round in a 'rugby scrum' pushing and shoving to get their boarding pass processed. Some old man ran from the back and just barged everybody out of the way the get on the coach first .There was no order and no queuing system .I have never seen anything like this in my life. It really needs to be shut down right away as this can not be allowed to continue like this. Its a wonder nobody started fighting in the chaos .

Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Etudia - this "terminal" is a joke! Inadequate size shabbiness lack of facilities chaos and complete disregard for passengers. The queue of several hundred people to get into Etudia stretched back down the road along the unfinished pavement. People were jumping the queue after nearly an hour still not inside the terminal and with the flight about to close so did I. At the head of the queue there are about six or seven check-in desks. As everybody has to carry their checked-in luggage to the luggage scanner in the security point at the end of the line of desks the desks are choked with people and luggage. Fortunately it was not raining. Fortunately there were no delays cancelled flights or security scares. Fortunately I can fight my way up a queue if I have to. How dare they allow this "terminal" continue to operate the way it does?