Zagreb Airport

I made the mistake of arriving too early at this airport and by going straight through to departures. There is practically nothing there and I sat for 90 mins. To call it an international departure lounge is a joke. It's a medium size room which gets hopelessly overcrowded if more than two flights are due to take off. One inadequate poorly stocked cafe in the middle of the room which provides just two tables and chairs plus the usual ridiculously overpriced duty free shop.

I had to transit through Zagreb flying with Croatia Airlines from London to Pristina. There was a 50 minute transit window and it was a shambles. It is obvious Croatia Airlines has a hub system my flight arrived at 1405 and it appeared a few other flights had just arrived and there were certainly a lot departures happening within minutes of each other. On arriving at the arrivals there was a transit channel of which passengers had to go through security screening. There must have been at least 40 passengers waiting to go through security. However there was only one operative to operate the single x-ray machine and deal with people going through the metal detector this was a joke. Some manager then came along and decided to let all the passengers just go straight through with screening. This really was a shambles. I can't comment on anything else on the airport as I did not have time to do anything except use the toilet.

Certainly the worst airport whenI was in it. The passport control was very slow. The check-in area is very small - with 3 or 4 flights it becomes chaotic. Near the departures doors we find just one bar (and a small one). Croatia is a fantastic country that deserves a much better airport.

The airport gives a rather bad impression of Croatia for the travellers arriving in Zagreb. Every time I fly into Zagreb I have to spend a minimum of 1 hour waiting in line for the passport control with only 1 or 2 officers working and checking the passports and visas of the arriving passengers. They were also rather rude including customs officers. The very first time I arrived in Zagreb while waiting for my luggage about 90% of the passengers lit up cigarettes which was almost unbearable. However the most recent ban on smoking in public places in Croatia eliminated this issue.

Everyone says it is cozy which is a euphemism for very small. Facilities are extremely limited and the lounge compares to the average doctor's office. The check-in person was efficient and personable and the human element was fine. I tried to change Kuna into Euros and was told they had no Euros! The free internet access was a plus. Experience was neither bad nor good just "cozy."

This year 2008. it would start the construction of new terminal of Zagreb Airport. Separated from the old terminal it should be finished in 2011. when today's airport will serve only for low-budget flights. Today's building is old from 1960-ies but it has a soul which you can not find in many modern airports.

Zagreb Airport terminal building is old and dark and cannot compete with other international airports in the region which have already developed as international hubs. Staff working at check in counters is the rudest I have ever seen - numerous situations like refusing to take my frequent flier card number "because she does not have a list of passengers and she is very busy at the moment for dealing with such things as frequent flier numbers" then commenting my overweight suitcase and wondering what I have "packed inside for God's sake"... List is very long. Maybe I am disappointed more as a Croatian citizen than passenger as this airport and it's staff are often the first impression foreigners get about Croatia. In addition to that I am also disappointed as customer relations services are doing nothing regarding this matter.

Small and cozy. Everything to be found easily due to visible panels. Very clean: toilets especially. The smokers area is really welcomed and there is more than enough fresh air renewal to respect non- smokers. From restaurant at first floor excellent view on apron and runway: expensive food but very friendly staff.

Zagreb Airport is small but cousy. It is easy to find all passenger needed services. Over all it is better than most of airport in East European area.

The airport doesn't look like an international: it's very small and cozy not crowded. Actually saw real chickens browsing around on the lawns! The building is clean and cheerful but almost no place to eat at. The duty-free shops are small and over-priced. The overall impression is not bad