Warsaw Chopin Airport

Even if you're departing from the rough Etudia Terminal and you have waiting time before your flight take the 4 minute walk up the ramp to the Marriott Hotel. The lobby is just like a Business Class lounge they have internet facilities for next to nothing and comfortable sofas.

Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Airport has just gotten a new Terminal so maybe disappointed passengers will now have a chance to experience something better than before. About Etiuda - if you're travelling with low-cost airlines the conditions are bad. It's not airport's fault that airline doesn't want to pay more for the better terminal.

Travelled to and from Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin airport 25-27 October. Arriving at WAW is like taking a step back in time but not in a good way. Bleek airport - many flights do not have access to gangways - it's all via stairs and busses. Terminal itself is really grey and very outdated. Departures is worse. Left on a Friday afternoon and it felt like all of Poland was trying to escape to the West. No seating anywhere. Shops were full and it was more because there is nothing else to do. As a business class passenger I was given access to the business class lounge (used by *ALL* airlines) only to find a small cramped room with even fewer seats. Plenty of drinks yes but other catering was miserable. Also no good ventilation thus making it seem like a sauna. They are building a new terminal but looking at the rest of Poland I don't know if this will be any better. Poland especially Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of Europe. In any case beware of travelling through Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin.

Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Airport seems to be one of the few still operating the strictest rules with respect to carry-on baggage. Travel from LHR on LOT carrying on a briefcase with computer and expect to check that into the hold on return from Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin with confiscation of any pens etc carried in jacket. Information management on this was very poor and some staff were very surly.

It must be the worst terminal I had the misfortune to use its luggage handling is hopeless check in beyond a joke everyone in the same queue for different flights you still have your luggage with you even though you have supposedly checked it in. I felt exhausted before I even got on the flight the parking is totally inadequate and uncontrolled.

I transit through Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin airport frequently. They are expanding the airport but at present the facilities inside are few- insufficient toilets one restaurant (usually empty) one bar (usually overcrowded) no defined smoking area (so people smoke in toilets) no ATM cash machine. However this can be overcome by passing through customs (which is quick) and into the arrivals hall. Departures is on the floor above. It is then possible to use the restaurant on the mezzanine above the departures hall to find an ATM and to smoke. I would also recommend going out from departures and into the Marriott opposite where the lobby cafe is very good and reasonably priced. The x-ray screens are at the gates rather than after border control when re-entering the airport so this causes minimal delay.

Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Okecie airport for me is a mixture of pros and cons. I used Terminal 1 and on the plus side it is very close to the city centre taxis are reasonably priced and are plentiful outside the arrivals hall and immigration / baggage delivery is quick. The downside for me was the departure - we had to be bussed to our aircraft even though there were airbridges available the gate area that we waited in was for 4 flights but with barely enough seating for 1 flight and had no toilet facilities and the airside cafe / bar was extremely expensive. However having read previous comments I realise this is a walk in the park compared to having to use the low cost Etiuda Terminal. The airport is no Budapest or Prague but there are a lot worse airports in Eastern Europe. Maybe things will really improve with the opening of the new terminal ?

For the flights that leave from there you only have to arrive around 40 mins before the flight leaves. Granted the queues to check in are sometimes rather long but when the clock is ticking down and they know that people still haven't checked in for a particular flight they start asking passengers from that flight to make themselves known. I did this once and they simply pulled me to the front of the queue and I was through in seconds. All very friendly and helpful staff. Facilities (food/drink) are lacking a little bit and the toilets are limited. There are vending machines to cater for basic needs and no restaurant unfortunately. If you're using the terminal it's because you are on a budget flight so people really shouldn't be disappointed.

A terrible airport for transiting. On leaving the incoming flight you will be required to pass through an x-ray machine in the transit corridor and show your passport. The most bizarre thing is the men on the x-ray machine totally ignore the machine probably to keep the over-growing queue down. Then when you are lucky enough to pass there is just one solitary bar/cafe which is always too busy for you not to get a table. Finally before the gate as is increasingly becoming the norm you wait in another long queue to pass through another x-ray machine to reach your gate. Frustratingly they have 3 gates grouped together so you must wait with passengers going on other flights. As transiting is supposed to be quick and easy unfortunately in Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin it is anything but.