Kelowna International Airport

CW: ableismI've traveled through this airport multiple times over the past couple years. It is consistently awful, second only to O'Hare at Christmas time. I had a terrible experience last year that I am only now ready to write about.I am autistic. I was struggling to find my boarding pass in line to have my ticket scanned to go through to security. I asked the security woman for help. She told me she didn't have time. There were no other employees around. I pleaded with her explaining that I am autistic and was in need of assistance to make my flight. I asked her to please get someone who could help me. She ignored me. It was not only frustrating, but humiliating and dehumanizing. It triggered the worst public meltdown I've ever had. I have never experienced such dismissive, rude, and demeaning service as a paying customer.When I went back the next time, I used my text to speech app in hopes of avoiding the type of difficulty I experienced before. Some employees acted annoyed, impatient, and bothered. One security guard was very kind and helpful but talked to me like a small child. Though I'd prefer that to the earlier experience, it wasn't great. Staff needs training to deal with persons with disabilities.The staff seem generally miserable and unfriendly. I don't know what is going on in this airport, but clearly the working conditions are sub par.If you are autistic and going to use this airport, I highly recommend preparing for the worst, making a safety plan, and bringing comfort items. Best of luck.

Nice size airport with a solid line up of food and convenient options. Staff are very friendly, especially the security

Likely the friendliest security staff I experience while traveling. It's a busy airport so don't come an hour before a flight without your Nexus card and all will go well.

It's fine. Not the best airport, not the worst. Good size parking and pickup areas. Security was friendly but super slow. Seems like the area has grown much faster than the airport. There probably needs to be 100-200 more seats and spaces for waiting - the airport can accommodate larger planes but doesn't have the matching seating/space at the gates.I like how quick it is to get out of the airport - I didn't realize it was under 5 mins from tarmac to pickup.

As someone who frequently travels, I can confidently say that my experience at Kelowna International Airport was nothing short of outstanding. Compared to other airports I have been to, Kelowna International really stands out in terms of accessibility and convenience. From the moment I arrived at the airport, I was greeted with a wheelchair-accessible entrance, which made navigating the airport a breeze. Additionally, the airport also had a wheelchair-accessible parking lot, which was a huge plus for me.Once inside the airport, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of amenities available. Whether I was grabbing a cup of coffee from one of the many coffee shops or grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant, I always felt well taken care of. I was also impressed by the car rental services available, which made it easy for me to get around once I arrived at my destination.Another standout feature of Kelowna International Airport was the friendly information booth, which was always staffed with knowledgeable and helpful personnel. They were able to answer any questions I had and provide me with all the information I needed to make my trip as smooth and stress-free as possible. Additionally, the presence of a police station at the airport gave me a sense of security and peace of mind throughout my entire experience.Overall, I can say with certainty that Kelowna International Airport is a top-notch facility that truly prioritizes the comfort and convenience of its passengers. From the accessible entrance and parking lot to the diverse range of amenities and services, Kelowna International exceeded my expectations in every way. I would highly recommend this airport to anyone looking for a positive travel experience.

Lovely peaceful and professional airport with the most good food and stores around that I've ever seen at any airport in the world! Kelowna is going places as long as they focus on walkability and public transportation in the city to stop the waste of space vehicle traffic that has grown here. The gate numbers for departing flights need to be more visible although there may be digital signage hanging from the ceiling which was not working today.

Kelowna airport is cozy and beautiful. People that work there is friendly. Washrooms were clean. After security, there is a children's playground that made the boarding waiting time less boring for kids.

YLW is a cute and small airport. Perhaps too small. Flying out of here as spring break began, the area past security was packed to the brim with passengers. This doesn’t make it bad by any means, but they clearly need to expand the terminal in the next few years. But, a super pleasant experience at this airport.

Nice airport in general. It would benefit from a more spacious or better planned oversized luggage pickup area considering how much ski and snowboarding equipment comes through this airport each winter. It's tucked into a corner and you end up with a few people unloading it onto the floor while a hoard of people crowd around and block access.

Nice little airport, different options for food and gift purchases past security compared to some other smaller airports. The departure lounge was very crowded though especially when multiple flights were boarding at the same time