gibraltar verus Malaga airport??

[samizdat]

hello, just flew back to Gatwick on Easyjet - well thats probably first and last time I use Malaga. Huge traffic queues to get into airport - long walk to find the terminal (2) then most ridiculous walk over 5 mins from check in to security. You walk the entire length of the new terminal to get to 5 security desks for the 3 terminals...!!! of course huge queue with everyone who was using Terminal 2 in a bit of a panic as there are signs saying 3 but no mention of 2.


So get through security another 15-20 minutes, then have to walk through nice new shiny terminal 3 to get back to start ! another 5 minutes. Now thats an additional 30 minute delay - But the deciding factor was arriving at Coldiz prison aka old 'UK" gates B (normal budget airlines part) to find that NOTHING was open all the cafes, shops, access to restaurants etc is either closed down on denied once you go in. Only thing still open was the Coke machine.

So..... I'm thinking that in future I might use Gib, it seems to be about same price - 120-150 £ ish return flight, but I'm thinking its more like using Granada was, small easy to access, pick up car quickly etc etc.

Has anyone tried Gib? is it easy to get in and out of? How about rental cars? - would there be a problem at the border?

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

If price is a factor, and you are a smoker, you can recoup about £100 per person if you buy one carton on arrival at Gib and one carton on departure. 200 fags is about £60 in uk and £10 in Gib. Not that I smoke... stunts your growth.

[samizdat]

thanks but not a smoker - just trying to avoid wasting hours in queues at Malaga. Now I hear there is normally a 1-2 hour queue to pick up your rental car in the new terminal.... and its not even a bank holiday

I really miss Granada and the Monarch flights from Gatwick :twisted....: it just worked!

[spanish_lad]

so swapping a half hour queuing at malaga for 1.5 hours extra on the car journey is a good thing?

i really dont understand you lot sometimes.

[Trato Hecho]

I dont think Gib is even a starter from where you are coming,

Are there no alternatives?

You have the hire car issue at Gib plus walking over the border...just dont think it works....

Is there nothing out of Granada to the UK now?

[Nimrod]

thanks but not a smoker - just trying to avoid wasting hours in queues at Malaga. Now I hear there is normally a 1-2 hour queue to pick up your rental car in the new terminal.... and its not even a bank holiday

I really miss Granada and the Monarch flights from Gatwick :twisted....: it just worked!

Just back from Spain....I had to wait 10 mins only at Auriga Crown....but their cars are older than Record's (if that's possible!)

[geo]

I use Malaga every two weeks and have no problems with it , the distance between T2 and the new T3 security was a short stroll, had a look at the new shops and eating places, looks much better. there are much worse airports in the UK.

[Nimrod]

Geo,
I didn't find T3 any problem but there seemed to be a chronic shortage of seating once through security.

[geo]

gotta give them a chance, only open two weeks,

[Nimrod]

Geo,agreed,not a bad effort....
but before there were loads of seats upstairs in T2 and more seats on the lower level by the big windows overlooking the runway.
When I was there these seats were all blocked off.
So,in T3 after security,apart from a few benches ,the only seats available were in the cafes and these were mainly full up with people outside standing around with nowhere to sit.
And the terminal was nowhere near crowded.
I think they will have to up the seating for the Summer.

[julian]

apart from the elderly maybe, the last thing you need before a flight is a seat !!

[Nimrod]

If you're one of these people who turn up at the last minute maybe you don't need a seat.
If you like to get to the airport in good time then the last thing you want is to stand around.

[Campo Steve]

Lack of seating is not uncommon around the world. They don't want you to sit, they want to get you into the shops!

[Retro P]

You're spot on there mate, I travel 6-7 times a year, I've been in various airports around the world and most of them have inadequate seating as you say they want you walking around spending money !!

[costakid]

Back to the original question, Ive used gib but arranged for the car hire from Spanish company who met me at the border. On return dropped car off to there rep who was waiting Spanish side for me and walked 100 yards into the airport. There are next to no facillities in the airport at gib.

[samizdat]

thanks for reply - which agency did you use at La linea?

Spanish boy - you're wrong - I just want to be in and out quickly without having to get stuck in unpredictable long queues which was why Granada was fantastic. Malaga is turning into a Gatwick type experience, last week the car hire queue with Carjet/Goldstar was length of the hall.(Crown guy tells me it takes about 2 hours at weekends and its not even high season!) Hertz. solymar, national desks all empty. So if its one hour driving on a motorway or one hour faffing around standing up/ dragging luggage and children - i'll take the hour's driving.

Terminal 3 is very nice, but useless if you are flying on Easyjet etc in the old B gates. =- plenty of seats but no food or drink

[lizzie]

I'm rather puzzled by all the references to B gates for UK flights because I use Easyjet and Aer Lingus every month or so and always depart through C gates.

Also, am meeting a Ryanair flight on Monday evening. Will this be Terminal 3 arrivals or the usual downstairs dark cavern ? Any advice will be much appreciated.

[murbisa]

Lizzie if they are coming from the UK they will come in T2 but you will meet them at door to T3.

[lizzie]

Thank you Murbisa. Just what I needed to know.

[katy]

Used Gibraltar quite a bit when we lived in Nueva Andalucía. Journey time can be less than from Málaga Airport and there is never a big queue at check out. Both Easyjet and BA have flights, maybe Monarch too? Don't forget to pick up your £3 litre of whisky before crossing the border