Heraklion Airport has the unfortunate title of Europe’s worst (Image: Getty)
Ever endured the nightmare of an airport experience that feels more like a survival challenge — having to spend hours standing in a crowded, sweltering terminal, wading through seas of passengers, and dealing with poor amenities?
Chances are it might have been Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” in .
The airport has garnered the rating among Europe’s 85 busiest airports according to a ranking, with frequent complaints about the lack of seating, poor cleanliness, and inadequate facilities.
In an article from The Telegraph, travel writer Heidi Fuller-Love said: “Approaching Heraklion’s airport, cars were abandoned along either side of the road – it was like a scene from a post-apocalyptic film.”
The travel writer’s visit to the airport reveals scenes of chaos, overcrowded terminals, and inadequate air conditioning.
:
Terminal in Heraklion Airport (Image: Getty)
She described the lines for various airlines merging into a single chaotic crowd, and the airside facilities are equally dismal with limited seating, bad coffee, and poor amenities.
Holidu, a booking portal for holiday homes, ranked the worst airports by looking at millions of Google reviews, revealing that the airport scored just 2.6 out of 5.
Frequent complaints included a lack of seating, dirty toilets, and poor cleanliness, all of which appeared often in its 21,000 reviews.
One of the reviews said: “The Heraklion airport has not been updated since the 1950’s.
Don’t miss… [REPORT ]
“The departure gate area was standing room only for hours. People were almost in fights trying to get a seat. The washrooms were beyond disgusting.
“Toilets without toilet seats , soap (I think) was a pink liquid in a coke bottle (not making this up). Both men and women were in the same state.”
Heraklion is the main airport on the beautiful island of Crete and Greece’s second busiest airport after Athens International Airport.
Another Google user said: “I was appalled by the unsanitary conditions.
“Trash littered the floors, and a putrid stench emanated from the bathrooms, which were in a horrific state.
“The lack of cleanliness and maintenance was evident throughout the airport.”
However, a new airport is set to open in 2027 and promises better amenities, more boarding gates, and a significantly improved travel experience.
Heraklion Airport has been approached for comment.