Cyprus-Forum.com

[Niki]

QUEUE FOR CHECK IN:-

Heathrow - 20 minutes in the wrong queue (all queues bunched together so everyone was confused), discovered have to check in ourselves (no-one there to help), 40 minutes in right queue, stress levels high

Larnaca - 10 minutes straight through, stress levels zero

ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS AT AIRPORT:-

Heathrow - spent ages finding someone who could talk English well enough to help

Larnaca - all talk English well - no problems

BAG AND PASSPORT CONTROL:-

Heathrow - 30 minutes

Larnaca - 5 minutes

GETTING LUGGAGE AFTER FLIGHT:-

Heathrow - computers not working so no-one knew which carousel to get luggage, announcer got it wrong and was corrected by passengers, people fighting to get through crowd for their luggage, many p**sed off people, 40 minutes

Larnaca - luggage at correctly prescribed carousel - took 10 minutes

ahhh - don't you just love it???

[Brent2403]

Although I would normally agree I would like to point out that the last time I came to Cyprus, my return flight to Gatwick ( from Lanarca airport ) was horrendous.

Flight was for September 24th 2006.

When the coach dropped us off it was like they were giving away money ( or something ). There were no apparent queues for each check in desk - just a mass of people. Took almost 1 1/2 hours to check in.

This may have been a one off but was not the best end to a holiday.

[orokliniservices]

I would always avoid Wednesdays and Sundays at Larnaca airport as these are "turnaround" days. The not so tanned fly in, and the burnt to a crisp ones fly out!

[Brent2403]

The not so tanned fly in, and the burnt to a crisp ones fly out!

Yes you can always tell the newbies when they arrive at the resort as white as a sheet

[G.Man]

Came from Heathrow to Larnaca yesterday and can only reiterate what Niki says..

Heathrow is a joke now...

Huge queues for security checks, only 2 of 10 security stations open..

Checked in online with BA, went to "fast bag drop" only to find it is all fast bag drop now, and you have to check in on their computers yourself anyway... so same as checking in online...

And lets not mention the walk from waiting lounge to gate....

[Niki]

Although I would normally agree I would like to point out that the last time I came to Cyprus, my return flight to Gatwick ( from Lanarca airport ) was horrendous.

Flight was for September 24th 2006.

When the coach dropped us off it was like they were giving away money ( or something ). There were no apparent queues for each check in desk - just a mass of people. Took almost 1 1/2 hours to check in.

This may have been a one off but was not the best end to a holiday.

Maybe I was lucky at Larnaca but BA at Heathrow is just ridiculous now. One I will be avoiding in the future.

[ianflint]

Travelled form gatwick airport to paphos for xmas, was horrible.

British Airways fast bag drop is a joke, in the queue for 1 and 1/2 hours.
Then through security where they another 30 mins and then at gatwick BA used gate 112 for the Paphos flight. All flights seemed to be taking off about 45mins late cause of all this. I shouldnt grumble though at least Gatwick was not caught up in all the fog.

Headed back to UK from Larnaca to H´row. Waited 40 mins in the stack cause the airport was so busy. Then when collected luggage there where huge piles of luggage everywhere near the carosels , found our later (on the news) it was all the luggage BA had lost when it was foggy.

So yeah both Larnaca and Paphos airports are much better that Heathrow or Gatwick.

[humanist]

Brent we have to at times stuff so that we don't totally embarrass the Brits. joke

[Pete_D]

Travelled form gatwick airport to paphos for xmas, was horrible.

British Airways fast bag drop is a joke, in the queue for 1 and 1/2 hours.
Then through security where they another 30 mins and then at gatwick BA used gate 112 for the Paphos flight. All flights seemed to be taking off about 45mins late cause of all this. I shouldnt grumble though at least Gatwick was not caught up in all the fog.

Yep same happened to me. "Fast" bag drop queues much longer than normal check-in! Reason for delays in security was because they had about 2 belts working and about 4 empty, good thinking gatwick on the busiest day before xmas to fly! Also we sat on the plane for about 45 mins before take off, first as some muppet failed to show so they had to turf his bags off second because of the fog the planes were all queuing up to take off. Very annoying....

Pete

[villawagen]

yeah but what you have to take into consideration is that heathrow is absolutely mahoosive !!!!!!! it is the busiest airport in the world and acts as a hub for most of Europe. it also has to cope with horrendous security problems imposed by Britain's world standing regarding terrorism.

larnaca is very very very small by comparison!!! .

however i would rather eat my left leg than fly out of heathrow coz it is shit