Varadero Airport
Lasting Impressions....
"The problem with Varadero airport is that the influx of tourists has vastly outgrown the size of the airport." (?)
Good times
tell us how much this airport rocked!
Not a bad place, but not great either
by roguespierre
Given the relative impossibility of using your capitalist financial instruments to secure more cash in Cuba, I was relatively surprised that I was the only skid sprawled out on the floor in J.G. Gomez International Airport. Tourists are hit with a lofty 25 CUC (pegged to the USD) on their way out of the country and I figured there would be others like me who chose going home over sleeping in fine style. Nevertheless, the staff were incredibly friendly and didn't seem to mind my presence. After the last flight, they dim the lights and one (especially one with a sleeping bag) can sleep with relative ease. The problem for me was that I was under-prepared for the air conditioning. It was cold as fuck in there and by 2:45 I had to go outside and soak up what was left of the Caribbean daytime heat. Had I been prepared - that is, had I had more than a soaking towel and a punch of t-shirts to keep me warm- it would have been great. The security and cops - as they are in most of Cuba- were really kind and helpful. I felt like they would have intervened on my behalf if some punk had tried to rob me. Viva Cuba but lay off the air-con.
Um, you may want to rethink sleeping in this place
by ?
"The problem with Varadero airport is that the influx of tourists has vastly outgrown the size of the airport. Renovations are supposedly planned, but who knows when they'll happen.Our wait at the check-in counter was close to two hours. By the time we got to the desk, we were assigned the last 4 seats on the plane and they were easily the worst seats going. Not necessarily the airport's fault though for the seats. Immigration and customs lines were longish, but went through pretty quick.The gates were horrid. This is a smoking airport and there are NO places to get out of the smoke. The gates are hot, stuffy, packed with thousands of people with not enough seating. The 2-3 hours we had to wait was excrutiating.Gift shops were the same tourist trap junk that we'd seen for two weeks.Hint: if it gets too warm and stuffy for you, go into the duty free where it's air conditioned for the precious cigars."
Airport Guide
Here is some information that we've picked out of from your reviews. Be sure to read the reviews on the next page for the most up-to-date info:
- smoking is permitted
- hot when air-conditioning is not working and freezing when it is working.
- limited seating without armrest at gates
- there is a VIP lounge that you can arrange to stay in
