Travel: Black Hole of Zante

IF YOU think Corfu airport is bad, writes Jean McIndo of Abergavenny, wait until you see the one at Zante. Further to recent correspondence (Independent Traveller, 19 June et passim), Ms McIndo says that she was at Corfu airport on the same day as I was, and agrees that it was 'a bit crowded' (some understatement here; she must mean 'a bit' as in the England cricket team are 'a bit' hopeless).

She continues: 'If you had visited Zante airport, you would think Corfu was beautiful. Zante airport is so small, the place where you pick up your baggage isn't big enough for everyone to get in at the same time.' And she advises against a trip to Zante's toilets. 'They are down a spiral staircase. They are like the Black Hole of Calcutta, and the smell . . .] The departure lounge has hardly any seating; we were sitting on trolleys, old newspapers and there always seem to be delays.'

Presumably, apart from that, it's fine.

One thing to be said for old-fashioned airports is that there may be only one baggage carousel, but the distance from it to your hired car or transfer bus is only about 100 yards. At Gatwick, for example, the journey from the long-term car park to your seat on the plane presents a cross between an obstacle race and a marathon, which leaves you physically and mentally exhausted.