A travel writer has described Athens International Airport as potentially Europe's worst, calling it a 'living hell' after a chaotic experience. The airport, which opened in 2001 as part of preparations for the 2004 Summer Olympics, has been criticized for confusing logistics and long queues.
Departure Board Confusion
One of the major flaws highlighted is the departure board system, which only shows flights departing within the next hour and those that left an hour earlier. This means passengers have to wait until 60 minutes before their flight to find out the gate. The airport has three separate gate areas — A, B, and C — and heading to the wrong one can result in a long walk back, potentially requiring re-security checks.
Long Queues and Delays
The writer experienced a massive queue at bag-check for area C, with hundreds of people waiting. The queue would intermittently halt as passengers, unable to find staff for directions due to the lack of departure board information, were rushed to the front. After clearing bag-check, a similarly long passport control queue awaited, causing many to miss their flights. The writer made it with just five minutes to spare, but others were not so lucky.
Missed Flights and Refunds
A group of about 20 passengers pleaded with staff as on-time passengers were taken to the tarmac to wait for a delayed flight. Some were told they could not board despite the plane being visible. The flight was further delayed to remove their bags from the hold. Ryanair stated that passengers not at the gate by boarding closure missed their flight and that all who were at the gate travelled without incident.
Greek Airport Issues
Greek airports have faced negative press due to the EU Entry/Exit System, requiring fingerprints and information for some passengers. Queues have built up at major airports, with one passenger reporting a two-and-a-half-hour wait at passport control in Athens. The airport expects up to 15,000 passengers daily in summer. Initially, Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni exempted Brits from queues, but the exemption was later scrapped. Athens Airport was contacted for comment.
