| Note: Egypt has now threatened me for this post criticizing the airport, and has even tried to “expose” me for lying. Suffice it to say that I won’t be returning to Egypt. |
In the past I’ve written about my favorite airports in the world, though I don’t think I’ve ever shared my least favorite airport in the world, which has to be Cairo International Airport (CAI).
I’ve traveled through the airport more times than I can count, and I suppose it’s actually a love-hate relationship, because I keep going back for more. I’m curious if anyone disagrees, and has another major airport that they like less.
In this post:
Why Cairo Airport is absolutely awful
First let me explain why I travel through Cairo Airport so often. There are some airports that are known for having reasonably priced premium fares, and Cairo is perhaps the best of all. If you’re looking to travel in a premium cabin at a huge discount, originating in Cairo is the key.
But gosh does Cairo sure make you work for it, by having to tolerate the airport. It’s not that there’s just one thing wrong with the airport, but rather just about everything sucks about the airport, if you ask me.
Look, I’m pretty good at navigating and dealing with airports (I mean, you’d hope!), as it’s something I have a lot of experience with. Airports don’t really stress me out in the way that they stress many others out, because I try to come in with reasonable expectations.
But Cairo Airport is kind of special. Like, I know “the system” for using the airport, yet I feel like it never gets any less miserable. What makes Cairo Airport so bad? Below are some thoughts, in no particular order…
Cairo Airport staff are rude, unhelpful, and distracted
There’s a nuance to Egyptian culture, and I find many Egyptians to be quite friendly… just not the ones at Cairo Airport. I don’t know what it is, but I find that a vast majority of the security and police staff (who are all over the place) are actively hostile and rude. They yell like crazy, and if you don’t understand what they’re saying due to a language barrier, they just yell louder.
It’s not just that they aren’t friendly, but the level of bureaucracy is next level. There are constantly passport and security checks, yet it seems like no one there is actually paying any attention. They’re all either on the phone talking with someone, or they’re just talking to one another, and act like you’re an inconvenience for being there.
I also don’t understand the general incompetence. For example, when you enter the airport, you have to show your ticket, before going through the initial security check. I showed the security officer my ticket, and he must have looked at it for two minutes, as if he had never seen a ticket before. Huh?
There’s just not an airport that has ruder and more disinterested staff, in my opinion.
There are endless requests for tips
This is perhaps more reflective of what it’s like to be a tourist in Egypt, but it’s incredible how many people within the airport expect tips. There are those guys who place the bags on the security belt for you (even if you ask them not to), and then they say “you have tip?”
Yesterday I was in a Priority Pass lounge and went to the toilet, to use the urinal. The “bathroom attendant” followed me into the bathroom, closed the door behind him, stood maybe two feet behind me, and then waited for me to pee. He then handed me a paper towel and said “tip please?” Dude, I’ll tip you to get out of the bathroom.
There’s zero order among passengers
Traveling through Cairo Airport requires spending a lot of time queuing. How do I put this politely, but… Egyptians aren’t good at waiting in lines (and neither are people from several other countries that see a lot of flights to and from Cairo).
If you’re a nice guy, you’re going to end up waiting twice as long as you would have to if everyone just followed the rules.
The disorder continues during boarding. For example, while boarding my Ethiopian Airlines flight yesterday, I was first in line to board. As they started boarding, a guy walked right in front of me, put his foot at an angle in front of me so that I’d basically be tripped if I walked forward, and then tried to board first.
The gate agent very clearly said only business class was boarding, and he wasn’t in business class, so the gate agent told him to step back. He refused, and kept standing there, blocking the door.
Never mind how many passengers tried to poach business class seats, claiming they were told that they could sit there.
There’s nothing redeeming about the facilities
I wouldn’t rank Cairo Airport as the worst in the world purely based on the physical attributes, because there are lots of ugly airports. However, Cairo Airport is just awful in that regard as well, whether you’re flying out of EgyptAir’s Terminal 3, of the newer Terminal 2:
- The terminals are really run down, and even the newer terminal already has endless wear and tear
- The lounge situation is bad, including EgyptAir’s “flagship” lounges; maybe the Emirates and Saudia lounge are fine, but otherwise… yuck
- There’s a smoke smell throughout the airport
- If you’re at the airport at night and not in summer, it gets really cold, as I don’t think they use heat
- The retail and food and drink options in the terminal are much weaker than at many other airports
Bottom line
Cairo Airport is my least favorite major airport in the world. I’ve never had my travel through the airport be seamless, but rather my visits have varied from inconvenient and disorganized, to outright chaotic. I just can’t think of a single redeeming quality about the airport (well other than the low fares, and the Le Meridien Cairo Airport is also quite good).
It’s funny, because I’m writing this post from Addis Ababa Airport (ADD), and earlier I was telling some friends about how I’m here, and they mentioned how much they hate this airport. Like, no, this airport is like Singapore Changi compared to Cairo. At least the staff are mostly friendly, it doesn’t smell like smoke everywhere, the security staff are decent, and Ethiopian Airlines’ lounge isn’t half bad.
Anyone else dislike Cairo Airport as much as I do? Or does anyone want to nominate a worse major international airport for the title of the world’s worst?
The most annoying part of Egypt is them asking for tip for Eveything. It's so sad and disgusting and should stop. How can they behave like this. I was there 2 weeks ago and in the bathroom as Ben said they stood behind me and asked me for top. why should I pay your tip for the service that you did not provide even if you did they should stop asking for it. It's a...
The most annoying part of Egypt is them asking for tip for Eveything. It's so sad and disgusting and should stop. How can they behave like this. I was there 2 weeks ago and in the bathroom as Ben said they stood behind me and asked me for top. why should I pay your tip for the service that you did not provide even if you did they should stop asking for it. It's a very ugly culture and make tourist feel so uncomfortable. Tourists should stop going there until they fix their horrible tipping and ripping off tourists culture.
I'm an Egyptian living in the US and I am absolutely LOVING the spectacle this has become. Here's one thing Americans probably don't understand: Egypt has an authoritarian government and they do NOT like criticism. Every government institution is corrupt and the people in charge do not like change and they want to preserve the status quo, ie. their jobs. For Ben to throw this bomb on them is perceived as very threatening because Ben is (rightfully)...
I'm an Egyptian living in the US and I am absolutely LOVING the spectacle this has become. Here's one thing Americans probably don't understand: Egypt has an authoritarian government and they do NOT like criticism. Every government institution is corrupt and the people in charge do not like change and they want to preserve the status quo, ie. their jobs. For Ben to throw this bomb on them is perceived as very threatening because Ben is (rightfully) questioning the status quo. The airport authorities will continue to deny, deny, deny because that's what corrupt governments/institutions do. Btw, if you think the airport is corrupt, try to get a license or permit to start a business or construct a building...you will be amazed at how many people need to be paid off and bribed. And as far as the airport employees being rude/unhelpful...this is also completely accurate, however these people have never been trained properly and 95% of them have never been to an airport (ie. in Europe) that functions like it's supposed to...so they really don't know any better. So anyway, let the negative comments keep coming in...again, Ben's post has really upset the (corrupt) apple cart and it's so fun to watch! Keep it up Ben!
Sal
Well Ben Schlepping, as an Egyptian, I also have some comments, as well I've very bad experience with many of European airports.
But the video which published by Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation, proofed that you are pure liar!
Kindly check: https://youtu.be/tTyw4vmxXDs?si=lQn3lCXiTbrSN6e6
Try again super liar!
God forbid you should call it a shithole...
Egypt, after Sisi’s coup, has become very bad for the Europeans, and I will not go there again. What makes matters worse is the reactions of the Egyptians, and this is a dangerous indicator
I just came back from Cairo, and I can safely say I would never ever go back again. It's chaotic, every five minutes someone asking for a tip, the airport staff were extremely rude, and I travelled to most major countries and airports, I have never seen security like that ... It's by far the worst airport (And city) I have visited if I'm being honest.
Wow. This post clearly states throughout that is it is the authors opinion, and the very bizarre defensive and outright hostile responses from Egyptians often in broken English are DEEPLY off-putting. I have never been to Egypt but I have traveled across six continents and had hope to visit Egypt at some point, but based on these responses, I never will. If you are Egyptian and want to continue to see western tourists visit your...
Wow. This post clearly states throughout that is it is the authors opinion, and the very bizarre defensive and outright hostile responses from Egyptians often in broken English are DEEPLY off-putting. I have never been to Egypt but I have traveled across six continents and had hope to visit Egypt at some point, but based on these responses, I never will. If you are Egyptian and want to continue to see western tourists visit your country, then I would seriously reevaluate how you respond to criticism because the response to this one man’s opinion is quite frankly, UNACCEPTABLE.
I'm Egyptian living in Washington DC and I travel through Cairo airport about 5 times per year. This is a very accurate account of what it's like going through Cairo, the airport is a national embarrassment. Hiring practices are shady and it's difficult to fire anyone for incompetence. I think most of the negative posts are from people working in the aviation ministry...they're all lying. It's a hell hole.
Well done, Ben. Thank you for bringing this up to the public. I am Egyptian, and cannot agree more on what you mentioned in this blog about CAI airport. Ready to share my personal thoughts and experience if I have a chance to, and I feel ashamed as it is my country’s largest airport. I wish our government could work on fixing these serious issues more than denying them completely.
The Egyptian ministry of aviation posted the CCTV footage of the trip, and most claims in the articles are proven false, and the WC picture is not from Cairo airport, you were enjoying the lounge while writing this as per the footage, I would take you to court if I was in their shoes.
True I accept with you, and I think all these other people should stop lying.
The CCTV footage doesn't "prove" anything. Sheesh...take the feedback and try to improve the airport which is the definition of a 3rd world airport.
I only been to Cairo airport once in early 2020 right before pandemic. I can’t say I remember my experience at the airport so it can’t be that bad. With that said, I probably had a meet and greet service which someone took care of the whole going through airport process. I think unless you are traveling through Changi, Dubai, type of airport, it is always prudent to use VIP service to bypass airport mess...
I only been to Cairo airport once in early 2020 right before pandemic. I can’t say I remember my experience at the airport so it can’t be that bad. With that said, I probably had a meet and greet service which someone took care of the whole going through airport process. I think unless you are traveling through Changi, Dubai, type of airport, it is always prudent to use VIP service to bypass airport mess in general especially in a less than developed region of the world. Just my two cents.
You are 100% correct.. my last trip thru Cairo airport was about three years ago.. since then I traveled more than 20 times between the gulf and USA and will never select the option with the Cairo stop over although it is much cheaper because of this poor airport. I’m talking about the stop over .. the idea of going inside Cairo and then traveling from the airport is a nightmare with a much higher...
You are 100% correct.. my last trip thru Cairo airport was about three years ago.. since then I traveled more than 20 times between the gulf and USA and will never select the option with the Cairo stop over although it is much cheaper because of this poor airport. I’m talking about the stop over .. the idea of going inside Cairo and then traveling from the airport is a nightmare with a much higher level of insecurity and PS. Never ever going back to this shitty place.
The worst airport for me is Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. It was a depressing experience that did not befit France.
Falsehood you lies see the airport video you stupid to lie about Egypt so you don't welcome in Egypt again
He is welcome any time , most of what he said is correct plus no wifi at airport, the government should pay attention to what he said and apply correction .
I'm Egyptian and I can say that the airport is a joke...rife with corruption and incompetence. The people posting negative comments to Ben's article are deniers.
Given that the cameras have been reviewed and refute your claims, I'm hoping you get sued for defamation. You want something to complain about, complain about the racism and disregard for travelers in US airports and flights into said country. I fly in and out of Cairo regularly, at least twice a year, and have never experienced what you claim. Sounds like questionable motives to me. Political and paid for, perhaps.
It’s quite funny that this guy just did the normal Egyptian lying thing and did not bother to read the article. Else he would have noticed that the lies his government is spinning him make no sense whatsoever.
Why is it defamation if he's giving a portrayal of his experience?
Please address and solve US airports problems first then talk about other countries.
The problems at US airports are nowhere near the scale of the problems at CAI, and I'm saying this as a passionate hater of US airports.
May be you are right about asking for tipping and that makes all tourists furious even the Egyptians and I suppose that it made you so angry and see everything negative . As an Egyptian I can say The Cairo airport both terminal 1 and 2 are reasonable, not one of the best airports but it is not the worst as I traveled to several countries . May be I am more tolerant than you...
May be you are right about asking for tipping and that makes all tourists furious even the Egyptians and I suppose that it made you so angry and see everything negative . As an Egyptian I can say The Cairo airport both terminal 1 and 2 are reasonable, not one of the best airports but it is not the worst as I traveled to several countries . May be I am more tolerant than you and I do not focus at all details but this is my advice to you : Please do not use the Cairo Airport again and pls do not visit Egypt for the rest of your life. That would be better for all of us and better for your mode
The answer to your question is yes. Have you been to Dhaka airport? It's - sometimes - comparably worse than Cairo's
Great read by the way, thanks
I would say that currently spreading inaccurate information is common so you are among the majority. People feel free to say whatever they want if they will go unnoticed but guess what, Cairo airport saw your article and published a response to you :)
To translate their response. You entered and exited the air port in 19 minutes :)
Yes it is common in egypt to give tipps, this is not allowed in the...
I would say that currently spreading inaccurate information is common so you are among the majority. People feel free to say whatever they want if they will go unnoticed but guess what, Cairo airport saw your article and published a response to you :)
To translate their response. You entered and exited the air port in 19 minutes :)
Yes it is common in egypt to give tipps, this is not allowed in the airport, that's why many signs specifically say (in English) that this is not allowed and you can call complaints under a specific number. Because tipps is so popular, this sign is almost everywhere.
The video also spotted you unnecessarily stopped in several places with no reason to observe other people and the process in the airport Which i find interesting to call this a delay from the airport side.
Cairo airport is not the best and alot can be imporved. But try to be more fair and attract the readers with relaible information, not false ones.
Correction, they didn't publish a response, they published a denial. It's a horrible airport with incompetent employees running the place.
I mostly agree with your review and find it unfortunate that the Ministry and Airport authorities focus on denial rather than taking your review as constructive feedback.
I have used both Terminals 3 (Lufthansa) and 2 (BA) and the difference is dat and night.
Terminal 3 is outdated, unwelcoming and depressing, while terminal 2 feels airy and modern.
On arrival, walking from the older terminal 3 to passport control is long, with filthy washroom...
I mostly agree with your review and find it unfortunate that the Ministry and Airport authorities focus on denial rather than taking your review as constructive feedback.
I have used both Terminals 3 (Lufthansa) and 2 (BA) and the difference is dat and night.
Terminal 3 is outdated, unwelcoming and depressing, while terminal 2 feels airy and modern.
On arrival, walking from the older terminal 3 to passport control is long, with filthy washroom facilities and checkpoints that seem to do little or nothing. There are security and other employees there, mostly minding their own business, but I can understand some passengers feeling slightly uncomfortable.
When reaching passport control, you land in chaos (assuming it's busy like I had had each time I arrived in the afternoon). There is no proper queuing system and the whole chaos makes me as Westerner feel extremely uncomfortable. You can clearly see folks that are more used to this efficiently navigating the chaos, but to me it just didn't feel safe (even though I have no proof it wasn't, it's just how I felt).
Terminal 2 is much better, with more organized queuing even though there too there is some (more organized) chaos, with various folks being more expedient in navigating the queues than others. Overall, my T2 experience was nog great, but not bad, while T3 was pretty bad.
On the departure, each time I departed from T3 was in the very early morning, which made for no queuing, just a number of security checks that don't seem to really do much for security (e.g. carry-on through X-ray without anyone looking at the screen).
Post security and passport control I typically skip the shops, and the lounge was very unremarkable.
In T3 my departures were in the afternoon which came with more crowds. Navigating the check in process wasn't very straightforward, and a less seasoned traveler could find it overwhelming. The queues were disorganized again, but I think that's more a cultural thing and something you just have to accept when visiting Egypt. It can make you uncomfortable, but think about all the things in your home country that you are used to that might make others uncomfortable.
The lounge in T2 was quite modern and although not in the top 25%, it was not bad at all.
My conclusion then is that your experience in CAI would differ significantly between T3 and T2, you need to accept a certain level of chaos and if that makes you uncomfortable, don't plan a stop over there. There is always the option to book an expedition service that would let someone meet you at the airplane and guide you through up to your road transportation (and vice versa).
All that said, reading your review leads to recognition of what you describe, although time of day and terminal will make a big difference in the experience.
the Minister of Civil Aviation has directed a thorough investigation into the claims made, instructing a review of the airport’s surveillance footage. This allowed authorities to track the passenger's journey step by step—from his arrival at Cairo International Airport on his first flight from Italy to his departure to his hotel, and then his second flight later that same day from Cairo to Addis Ababa.
The Ministry added this statement presents a clear and accurate...
the Minister of Civil Aviation has directed a thorough investigation into the claims made, instructing a review of the airport’s surveillance footage. This allowed authorities to track the passenger's journey step by step—from his arrival at Cairo International Airport on his first flight from Italy to his departure to his hotel, and then his second flight later that same day from Cairo to Addis Ababa.
The Ministry added this statement presents a clear and accurate account of the situation, taking into consideration the passenger’s reported difficulties during his travel experience.
The passenger arrived at Terminal 2 of Cairo International Airport on November 10, 2024, on ITA Airways flight No. AZ896 from Rome, landing at 16:50. The time from his arrival until his departure from the terminal was approximately 18 minutes—a remarkably quick processing time by international standards.
The Ministry noted that finalizing the procedures in this time reflects the efficiency and smoothness of the airport’s arrival procedures, as well as the flexibility of movement within the terminal.
Afterward, the passenger proceeded to the Le Méridien Hotel, where he stayed for about five hours.
Later that same day, the passenger returned to Terminal 3 at Cairo International Airport for his onward journey. He was booked on Ethiopian Airlines flight No. ET453 to Addis Ababa, which departed at 2:50 am on November 11. His experience at the first checkpoint took approximately one minute. He then proceeded to the airline counter to complete his travel procedures, which took around 8 minutes. It’s important to note that these procedures are handled by the airline, not the airport, and are outside the airport’s direct control, the ministry continued.
The passenger then proceeded to the passport control counter, which took just one minute, further confirming the smooth and efficient flow of passengers within the airport. This contrasts with the passenger’s claims of chaos and disorder, which he suggested made him uncomfortable.
It is also worth noting that the passenger did not have any luggage, only a handbag and a small backpack. This contradicts his claims of being harassed by airport staff requesting a tip for helping carry his bags.
The passenger then visited two lounges in the departure hall. First, he went to Lounge 2, and later to Lounge E, where he had a drink, used his laptop, and stayed for about an hour. Afterward, he moved to Lounge G, where he had dinner and spent approximately 30 minutes. This indicates that the majority of his waiting time at the airport was spent enjoying the services offered by these lounges, which are known for their high quality.
This raises the question: Is it reasonable for a passenger to visit two lounges before a single flight? Additionally, before leaving Lounge G, the passenger used the lounge’s bathroom without any reported issues or harassment from staff.
Furthermore, an important detail undermining the passenger’s claims is that the photo of the bathroom he posted does not correspond to the bathroom he used at Lounge G.
Regarding the passenger’s complaint about tipping, Cairo International Airport’s policies strongly contradict these claims. There are clear “NO TIPS” signage throughout the airport, along with a dedicated complaint number to report any inappropriate behavior by staff. It’s important to note that no complaints were received from the passenger during his time at the airport.
As for the reported smell of cigarette smoke, the airport has designated smoking areas, and smoking is prohibited in all other areas. This practice is consistent with global airport standards.
Upon arriving at the departure hall (Gate G4), the passenger spent approximately 30 minutes standing at the gate entrance, seemingly with no specific reason for his prolonged stay. This behavior suggests his intention to observe and highlight any potential issues to report later.
Once inside the hall, instead of using available seating, he chose to stand for another 30 minutes by a window, taking pictures with his mobile phone of various scenes in the terminal. This suggests he was looking for negative details to publicize, potentially distorting the reality of the situation.
Regarding his earlier post about the security procedures at Cairo International Airport, the Ministry confirms that the security measures followed at the airport adhere to international standards for safety and security. There is also ongoing and effective coordination with all relevant agencies at the airport to ensure smooth operations and the highest level of service for passengers.
The passenger also criticized Cairo International Airport employees as being aggressive and unfriendly, which is unsupported by the camera footage. The passenger did not have any direct interactions with staff in the arrivals or departures halls. Furthermore, he was met by a hotel representative, as per his request, upon arrival, which contradicts his claims of mistreatment, chaos, or disorganization at the airport.
The Ministry affirmed that the accusations made against Cairo International Airport employees are unjustified and without basis. “These allegations, which lack any tangible evidence, serve only to damage the reputation of the airport staff and tarnish the reputation of Cairo International Airport itself. It is clear that these misleading claims are designed to harm both the airport's image and the standing of its workers, without any factual support,” the Ministry said.
Furthermore, the passenger’s brief visit to Egypt, lasting less than five hours, was not for tourism or any official purpose, but rather appeared to be aimed at undermining Cairo Airport, the ministry continued.
“Cairo International Airport is Egypt’s and Africa’s primary gateway, with a nearly 4-star rating and a place among the top 10 airports in Africa, according to the Skytrax evaluation in February 2024. Skytrax, a UK-based company specializing in airport and airline star rankings, conducts independent surveys to gauge customer satisfaction worldwide,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry of Aviation also wished to emphasize that it welcomes constructive criticism that helps improve the quality of services for travelers. However, it strongly rejects any unfounded, destructive accusations that seek to damage the efforts and reputation of the airport’s dedicated staff, especially when they are not based on verified facts.
Cairo International Airport staff undergo continuous professional training to ensure that all travelers receive the highest standards of service, comfort, and safety, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said, urging media outlets and social media users to verify the accuracy and objectivity of any information before publishing.
“We strongly discourage the spread of false claims or misleading rumors that could damage the reputation of Egypt's civil aviation sector,” the Ministry added.
The Ministry will take all necessary legal action against those who attempt to harm the credibility and reputation of the civil aviation sector through unfounded allegations.
The answer to your question is yes. Have you been to Dhaka airport?
Great read by the way, thanks
Denial, denial, denial. And more lies. I fly through Cairo airport about 6 times each year. Absolutely horrible. Some employees are great and most are horrible people and everyone has their hand out for a bribe (oh, sorry...yes..tip)
Deny, lie, deny, lie. I'm Egyptian and everyone knows the airport is horrendous. But it's the Egyptian way to lie, lie, lie just to save face. The minister should be fired but he probably bribed someone higher up just to get the job. My country is incredibly corrupt and it's embarrassing.
Stop lying Hesham. I’m an Egyptian and we all know how horrible the airport is. Face the music, it’s a corrupt, incompetent airport filled with rude and unhelpful employees.
Totally agree with you,
Worst airport ever, no facility, ppl asking for tips all the time, ppl do smoking in the middle of the terminal !!! X-ray is chaos with inhumanity treating.
Actually the part I hate most is the government's reply...typical Egyptian culture... Rather than admitting that you have some things to work on, they refute every claim even though everything Ben says is correct... It's embedded in the culture to never be wrong... Refute, and deny and point the finger back at the accuser.
Everyone shamelessly hunts for tips, bathroom attendants are consistently awkward, the place is overly beaurocratic in every sense... Confiscations are...
Actually the part I hate most is the government's reply...typical Egyptian culture... Rather than admitting that you have some things to work on, they refute every claim even though everything Ben says is correct... It's embedded in the culture to never be wrong... Refute, and deny and point the finger back at the accuser.
Everyone shamelessly hunts for tips, bathroom attendants are consistently awkward, the place is overly beaurocratic in every sense... Confiscations are insane and yes I know it's a poor country, but, keep it professional people... It's not a bazaar. Lounge has improved tremendously from what it was... Aside from that, the rest is true.
If you're from one of the government agencies reading this: find some self awareness and look at yourself... You're not what you think you are. You have a very long list of areas to improve. Your duty free is a massive corruption scam. Foreigners are not ATMs...
Full time Liar, The ministry of aviation in egypt has released full footage from you entering the airport till you boarded the flight, You did not encounter a single human being on your way. SHAME ON YOU.
Abdallah...he didn't encounter a "single human being"? Soooo...he just walked in an went directly to the gate? No checking in, no security, no immigration, nothing? You know these things are true...but that's the Aviation Ministry way...deny, lie, deny, lie, deny. Shame on you for being so dishonest.
I travel almost once per two weeks for the past 30 years. I been to all European, ME, Africa and the US major airports. I am Egyptian. Eventhough Cairo airport is not my favorite but I strongly disagree with almost all of your comments. The queuing in most of European airports is much longer. The hostility of the security guys plus racism is much more annoying on most of the other airport. I only smell...
I travel almost once per two weeks for the past 30 years. I been to all European, ME, Africa and the US major airports. I am Egyptian. Eventhough Cairo airport is not my favorite but I strongly disagree with almost all of your comments. The queuing in most of European airports is much longer. The hostility of the security guys plus racism is much more annoying on most of the other airport. I only smell smoke at the smocking rooms. The tipping culture exist but you can avoid it by simply smiling. I have to say most of your comments are subjective and biased.
I am Egyptian Canadian. Everything you said is true. Thanks a lot for your report. You just have to declare if you have any conflict of interest or paid by a third party to write this report as the Egyptians who do not believe this report says you are paid to promote selling the airport for an international management company. I also want to warn you to never come back to Egypt as you may get arrested for any stupid reason as there is no freedom of speech there.
You ain’t no egyptian by saying this words, we don’t claim you. Everybody is welcome to egypt but you should be respectful and people will Respect you.
And about freedom of speech This does not have anything to do with tourism if i’m a tourist why would it matter to me freedom of speech i would be just here to enjoy the country.
I did not see any professional critics in the report, everything is personal suggestions. If you spoke professionally may be many points deserves discussion but you speaking biasedly. Why I don't know but it is clearly obvious why?
I couldn't agree more with your account. It unprecedented how the people there lack the simplest form of courtesy and civility. I would never ever travel to that part of land. You will spend a nice time visiting the historical area, but in a minute all that will vanish once you step into that airport. Yuck!
I fly 4 to 5 timed every year from and to Cairo Airport and I can assure you that it is far better than many of other international airports specifically in Africa. At Egypt Airport it is impossible that an officer ask you for money or tip while in a country like Nigeria if you don't pay them you won't get in!! For the tips, I agree with you that the bathroom cleaners and the...
I fly 4 to 5 timed every year from and to Cairo Airport and I can assure you that it is far better than many of other international airports specifically in Africa. At Egypt Airport it is impossible that an officer ask you for money or tip while in a country like Nigeria if you don't pay them you won't get in!! For the tips, I agree with you that the bathroom cleaners and the bags carriers will request a tip but it is your decision to give or not so no obligation, in other European airports like in Dusseldorf, you have to pay around 2 Euros to get a bag carrier and you have to carry your bags on it and push it yourself, while in Cairo Airport you can get 2 persons to carry your bags and pull the carrier for you with less than 2 Euros and if you push it yourself you don't have to pay anything. There are several high standard lounges there which I use and I have never experienced any tip request in any lounge except if you are using the public bathrooms. I agree with you on the berouqraty of the system but still the processing time is short compared to JFK Airport for example or other European airports and if you compare it to African airports like Lagos then you will admire Cairo Airport.
Lol. You are saying we are better than Lagos and that is your defense. Please look up and try to understand the word: defensiveness.
I think you over react with this , I’m Egyptian with 126 countries in my list and all over the 40 countries in Africa I traveled only South Africa airport is better than can airport , I guess you have to consider many value for putting this for example you mentioned your self the price for premium upgrade , also the you went many times so doesn’t make it fair comparison because you bored of...
I think you over react with this , I’m Egyptian with 126 countries in my list and all over the 40 countries in Africa I traveled only South Africa airport is better than can airport , I guess you have to consider many value for putting this for example you mentioned your self the price for premium upgrade , also the you went many times so doesn’t make it fair comparison because you bored of the airport, one last thing at the Addis Ababa airport they have one resturants they say it’s buffet but every time you ask for refill they look at you from bottom to up so I hope you think your friend was correct
An airport is often considered a reflection of a country’s culture, values, and identity. It serves as the first and last impression for travelers, showcasing the nation’s architectural style, hospitality, and organizational efficiency. Through its design, services, and atmosphere, an airport can provide insights into the local traditions, priorities, and way of life. For instance, an airport adorned with traditional art, local cuisine, and culturally inspired décor conveys a sense of pride in heritage, while...
An airport is often considered a reflection of a country’s culture, values, and identity. It serves as the first and last impression for travelers, showcasing the nation’s architectural style, hospitality, and organizational efficiency. Through its design, services, and atmosphere, an airport can provide insights into the local traditions, priorities, and way of life. For instance, an airport adorned with traditional art, local cuisine, and culturally inspired décor conveys a sense of pride in heritage, while efficient operations and cleanliness may highlight a country’s emphasis on modernity and order. In essence, an airport acts as a microcosm of a nation, offering visitors a glimpse of its character before they even step outside.
An airport is often considered a reflection of a country’s culture, values, and identity. It serves as the first and last impression for travelers, showcasing the nation’s architectural style, hospitality, and organizational efficiency. Through its design, services, and atmosphere, an airport can provide insights into the local traditions, priorities, and way of life. For instance, an airport adorned with traditional art, local cuisine, and culturally inspired décor conveys a sense of pride in heritage, while...
An airport is often considered a reflection of a country’s culture, values, and identity. It serves as the first and last impression for travelers, showcasing the nation’s architectural style, hospitality, and organizational efficiency. Through its design, services, and atmosphere, an airport can provide insights into the local traditions, priorities, and way of life. For instance, an airport adorned with traditional art, local cuisine, and culturally inspired décor conveys a sense of pride in heritage, while efficient operations and cleanliness may highlight a country’s emphasis on modernity and order. In essence, an airport acts as a microcosm of a nation, offering visitors a glimpse of its character before they even step outside.
Unfortunately Egypt not one of those nation
I am an Egyptian citizen and I agree with you 100% about the awful cairo airport. But please consider that this airport is over dose now. It is not designed to take huge amount of passenger. Cairo airport till 2016 is nice clean and neat specially for terminal 2. But now as u said is teared. I want also to tell you that kuwait airport I can consider it worst than cairo airport especially of u r not using kuwait air ways.
Have you ever been to Bangalor airport ?
Have you ever been to Lagos Airport ?
lots of airports around the world have issues, some more than others, including London Heathrow and PCD, Perfect airports do not exist. Your article is a bit hash.
There are issues but they are not catastrophic ?
Thanks
True about Heathrow. I remember once having to walk 45 minutes straight from the gate (on an Egypt Air flight, obviously the British don't give them the best gate placement) to just get out of the airport. And that did not include customs time. I also remember one stopover at Heathrow in December and the airport was freezing cold.
i disagree, it might have some issues but it is not the worse airport in the world.
I was once stuck in a German Airport and it was nasty and no one helped us. I was stuck for 12 hours and no one from the airliner helped, me and my family were treated like Dogs.
I was in another airport in India and it was nasty , nasty,
Have you ever been...
i disagree, it might have some issues but it is not the worse airport in the world.
I was once stuck in a German Airport and it was nasty and no one helped us. I was stuck for 12 hours and no one from the airliner helped, me and my family were treated like Dogs.
I was in another airport in India and it was nasty , nasty,
Have you ever been in Aldergrove Airport in Northern Ireland ? i bet you not.
Yes, cairo airport is not the best in the world, but surely not the worse. It is an average airport with issues but not as you have described it.
Thanks
I'm an Egyptian and yes we know it's the worst airport because it's running by the government and we gave a military government doesn't know how to deal reasntly the government thinking about sill the hole airport to a private company,,
Serasluy either you get paid to write that. Or you have hat against any Egyptian products and services..
Egyptian are the most welcoming nation on earth special with any tourist....
I have been through airport in Europe and USA they are the most ridiculous people on earth and trading tourist like sheet.
Cairo airport have miner mistakes but not as bad as you wrote
I can write you how bad is...
Serasluy either you get paid to write that. Or you have hat against any Egyptian products and services..
Egyptian are the most welcoming nation on earth special with any tourist....
I have been through airport in Europe and USA they are the most ridiculous people on earth and trading tourist like sheet.
Cairo airport have miner mistakes but not as bad as you wrote
I can write you how bad is Hithrow airport.. JFK... IAD.. and more.. Go and find out by yourself how bad is Frankfort airport and Sharl Digol..
Please be fair and stop hateful and bad things about Egypt
I'm Egyptian like you but I disagree with you he is honest by what he wrote you know and I know and everybody knows theat not minition how Egyptian officers trade there own citizen, so stop taking this personal because the truth is more worse
He's a blogger so this is what he writes about...I highly doubt he's getting paid....in fact, who in the world would be "paying" him? Another airport? The Cairo airport isn't gross...it's the people working there who are rude and inconsiderate. And almost EVERYONE is asking to be paid off. Egypt is a great country with a great people who are really friendly. Unfortunately, the airport is a disgrace.
This is absolutely true...I was lost for words when I arrived at Cairo airport...
OMG...disgusting is the correct word here they are RUDE,UNFRIENDLY, CARELESS, MUST TIP and shocking officers don't do there work.....
Ain’t no way they were unfriendly, careless and rude that is not your review that is just pure hate from you.
I would never ever think to visit Egypt, especially Cairo, not unless I would be forced to do that, there are lots of nice destination to go to in this world, what for to go to a country like this, I don’t get it..
Please don't come we do not want to see hateful people like you are in my country.. stay where you are.. Egypt will never want people like you
Who gave you the right to speak on behalf of the Egyptians?
Every word this man said is true and realistic. I am Egyptian, but I will not bury my head in the dirty sand. It is full of inexperienced employees and they chase you for tips in front of the bathrooms. The police officers are rude and bureaucratic. The government does not know how to manage the airport. Thank God they admit their...
Who gave you the right to speak on behalf of the Egyptians?
Every word this man said is true and realistic. I am Egyptian, but I will not bury my head in the dirty sand. It is full of inexperienced employees and they chase you for tips in front of the bathrooms. The police officers are rude and bureaucratic. The government does not know how to manage the airport. Thank God they admit their mistake and want to sell it now, and then you come. To take it as personally as the government does, shame on you
Completely disagree. Regarding, unfriendly staff u can call to turkish airports and turkish culture.They ll not move a finger without being paid. Egyptians are the most friendly people that I ve ever seen.I ve never being asked to teep the supporting staff in Cairo airport. Also, talking on phone with each other- how can u know abt it if there is language barrier)My opinion, it s not the worst airport.It s ordinary, but not the worst.
Is there a vip concierge type service that gets you thru this crap?
Yes
Definately it is not the worst, definately among the best 5 in africa (I'm not saying it is an excellant airport). I travel within the middle east and north africa 3 weeks out of 4 per month.
You brought up that you travel through CAI for good ticket price,
I advice you to shell out few extra bucks and reserve the Ahlan meet and assiset service where you will have someone to escort you...
Definately it is not the worst, definately among the best 5 in africa (I'm not saying it is an excellant airport). I travel within the middle east and north africa 3 weeks out of 4 per month.
You brought up that you travel through CAI for good ticket price,
I advice you to shell out few extra bucks and reserve the Ahlan meet and assiset service where you will have someone to escort you through all the travel formalities skipping the ques and the tips
Or even book the vip level of service and you will be totally isolated from the rest of the airport and get a private shuttle to the plane
Also add that stupid paper we need to fill so they manually check it... complete unnecessary and repeatable process... cairo is the only airport i ever been to request filling that paper
Every time you land in the US, even if you are a citizen, you have to fill out a customs form.
As an Egyptian, I wholeheartedly agree with all the points you've raised. Whenever I consider visiting my home country, I find it genuinely difficult to make that decision due to the stress and challenges I anticipate—whether at the airport or on the highways. Every time, I can't help but hope for a safe journey, as the likelihood of accidents in Egypt is alarmingly high due to inadequate regulations, poor road safety measures, and a general...
As an Egyptian, I wholeheartedly agree with all the points you've raised. Whenever I consider visiting my home country, I find it genuinely difficult to make that decision due to the stress and challenges I anticipate—whether at the airport or on the highways. Every time, I can't help but hope for a safe journey, as the likelihood of accidents in Egypt is alarmingly high due to inadequate regulations, poor road safety measures, and a general lack of driving skills among many motorists.
It is not worse airport it is a bad airport and need lot of maintenance
But I’ve seen all what you are talking about just last week in Heathrow Airport we wanted to get our luggage someone came to us and said can I help then we had to pay him 20 pound
The queue in immigration we had to queue more than one hour and half and we were suffocating
There...
It is not worse airport it is a bad airport and need lot of maintenance
But I’ve seen all what you are talking about just last week in Heathrow Airport we wanted to get our luggage someone came to us and said can I help then we had to pay him 20 pound
The queue in immigration we had to queue more than one hour and half and we were suffocating
There is no fast track if you are elderly or have a back pain you cannot you are stucked
Also for wheel chairs they take you in a place where they know there is no camera and ask for tips
Frankfurt airport I was there one mont ago and it was very messy the system was down and the luggage belt was not working and the agent at the terminal as if it was me and my sister without cheking the name and he wanted to check my sister under the name of my husband security and passport control were extremely chaotic and the queue was dreadful
For Charle de Gaulle it is worst same like Heathrow but all the beggars you find inside the airport thanks god that in cairo airport they won’t let in people except the pax having a ticket
I am not arguing yes we defaults but we are not the worst one we need improvement but we are not the worst airport and if you don’t like it don’t come go through other airports
Just one more question who payed you to write this and to compile all the problems in one review
When you pass through an airport you don’t face all these problems you can face one of them but in one time
Your report was well drafted and organised so you are not a normal passenger you are well aware that such a neat report need either to be highly educated or someone has written it to you
I find Cairo Airport more tidy , clean , modern, and well organized than many European airports like, Athens, France's Orly Airport, and Brussels Airport.
I agree with un decent behavior of some blue collar workers at the airport.
I disagree with you.
As a frequent traveller through Cairo Airport I have to agree, and it’s just getting worse each time we go through. Although T2 is certainly less crowded/chaotic than T3
Cairo international airport is by far the worst I've came across! It's a nightmare! It's biggest problem is the staff...I really hope they sell it to the arabs soon!
I agree. The whole airport has a smoky smell and people will walk from halfway across the terminal if you are looking lost just to “help” you for a tip.
I agree with you whole heartedly about Cairo's chaotic airport. I have used that airport now three or four times and it only gets worse. Everything you said is spot on. Especially the security and transit agents and all authorities throughout the airport (almost ALL men) that seem to not know any english and are always screaming and yelling. You are treated as if you are a commodity , not a human being. I try...
I agree with you whole heartedly about Cairo's chaotic airport. I have used that airport now three or four times and it only gets worse. Everything you said is spot on. Especially the security and transit agents and all authorities throughout the airport (almost ALL men) that seem to not know any english and are always screaming and yelling. You are treated as if you are a commodity , not a human being. I try to avoid Cairo at all costs. But as you said, lower-priced and lower points business class seats on luxury high-end MiddleEast airlines often begin or end in Cairo. Unfortunately, the Worst airport ever.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on most points, except that it should be ranked as the worst, cause I've seen worse!
Yes, from the entrance you are considered as a tiper not a passenger and that gives a very bad image! The reason, all those staff are Unfortunately underpaid, I am not justifying, just stating a fact. If you've traveled through Egypt, tipping in toilets is a reality, because usually public toilets...
Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on most points, except that it should be ranked as the worst, cause I've seen worse!
Yes, from the entrance you are considered as a tiper not a passenger and that gives a very bad image! The reason, all those staff are Unfortunately underpaid, I am not justifying, just stating a fact. If you've traveled through Egypt, tipping in toilets is a reality, because usually public toilets are not clean nor maintained nor would you find toilet paper etc, so the underpaid toilet keepers would clean and provide toilet paper for a tip and upper standard toilets in malls and airports etc were infected with that trend.
We do grand openings but zero maintenance after that, that is a fact about any building, mall, airport etc in Egypt
You would find that most blue colar staff in most third world countries and state police run countries etc are somewhat rude
Similar if not worse is Delhi airport
The bathrooms may be under the control of an external company and the tips are probably how they make their money.
The bathrooms at the Valley of the Kings are a portable building operated and maintained by an external company. They are paid nothing by the government for the contract they have with them. They provide all the services at their own expense, and make their money exclusively off of tips of bathroom users.
I really dislike Manila airport. If you want to change terminals, sometimes you need to take a private taxi since the shuttle doesn't run frequently. And changing terminals can take a LOT of time if there are traffic jams.
You don‘t have to travel as far as Cairo to get a miserable airport experience - I recently waited for 3+ hours in the immigration queue at JFK Terminal 1 …
The thing about corruption is that if you know how to play the system, it can severely benefit you. People who talk down on Egypt (not just airports) clearly cannot control a room or, let alone a situation. Confrontation comes from control; control the room, and everyone will listen. For example, just say no, I'll get your supervisor and walk out. This isn't just Egypt, nor is it also just Africa. This works the majority...
The thing about corruption is that if you know how to play the system, it can severely benefit you. People who talk down on Egypt (not just airports) clearly cannot control a room or, let alone a situation. Confrontation comes from control; control the room, and everyone will listen. For example, just say no, I'll get your supervisor and walk out. This isn't just Egypt, nor is it also just Africa. This works the majority of the time around the world minus Level 4 Do Not Travels, Afghanistan, do not recommend this.
For me it would be Philadelphia. The international terminal is nice but the rest of the terminal is very old and outdated. Rude staff and there is not even TSA Precheck in every terminal in 2024! The lounge situation is also dire, as there is a British Airways lounge and centurion lounge that are both nice but are small and really crowded. Then there are admirals clubs which are just former US airways clubs that absolutely suck.
WOW Ben, what a response to your article - 129 !
Sorry can't agree, Cairo is certainly not the worst airport in the world.
It has challenges like many others.
Egypt in current form was a fantastic nation than it is now. See the movies from the 1950's, it was the Hollywood of the Middle East. The streets were incredibly clean.
The downtown theatre was full to hear classic opera of Um...
WOW Ben, what a response to your article - 129 !
Sorry can't agree, Cairo is certainly not the worst airport in the world.
It has challenges like many others.
Egypt in current form was a fantastic nation than it is now. See the movies from the 1950's, it was the Hollywood of the Middle East. The streets were incredibly clean.
The downtown theatre was full to hear classic opera of Um Kalthoum sing with a beautiful perfected playing orchestra behind her.
Regardless of these current times, Egypt is timeless miracle on Earth. With Pyramids and other ancient culture wonders that no one truly knows how long they've been on Earth. Science can't make it.
However, with international politics and a few US/UK appointed dictators who filled up their Swiss accounts, the nations funds have been drained. That is why is soooo poor. And its a shame.
Cairo, when you drive thru from the airport to a downtown hotel, is Incredibly poor, it is so sad to see open air apartment with one lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.
Despite so much money being drained from the economy, Cairo airport has about the same difficulties as others to us.
And yes, the Le Meridien is pretty good right across the way, one can walk directly to from the airport.
Perhaps Ben you are experiencing and breaking a few karmas from your past lives there !
hi mate, you're sooo wrong about almost everything you said , though there's always a little bit of truth in your words.
Nobody's forcing you to pay tips, at all. Although they always ask you for it indirectly, coz they know you may complain about it, They would say for example: welcome home , arrive safely , etc... that's it, right.
You mentioned friendliness , i would like to declare that this...
hi mate, you're sooo wrong about almost everything you said , though there's always a little bit of truth in your words.
Nobody's forcing you to pay tips, at all. Although they always ask you for it indirectly, coz they know you may complain about it, They would say for example: welcome home , arrive safely , etc... that's it, right.
You mentioned friendliness , i would like to declare that this is one of the loveliest and friendliest people on earth... ❤️ and i travel the world.
We may agree or disagree, it may not be a fun airport with an interesting experience, but it is a nice cosy clean one, made all of red granite , giving one a feeling of warmth, rather than the cold grey colour of most Airports.
There are negative issues which should be addressed of course , like long lines... But if you re prepared knowing, this the way it is then it's fine .
I'm Egyptian and I can agree with you on some points. One of the bad characteristics of our culture is bribing, and most Egyptians have the wrong perspective about "what is tipping?". But what was your reaction to this!! You have the right to refuse and complain about it at the airport, but if you pay a tip to anyone who asks you, you didn't do anything different and say that the CAI is the...
I'm Egyptian and I can agree with you on some points. One of the bad characteristics of our culture is bribing, and most Egyptians have the wrong perspective about "what is tipping?". But what was your reaction to this!! You have the right to refuse and complain about it at the airport, but if you pay a tip to anyone who asks you, you didn't do anything different and say that the CAI is the worst airport ever. It doesn't make any sense. You don't take any steps to stop bad things and you just are reacting negatively.
Also, you said that "Egyptians are friendly." that's true, and as Egyptians we like too meet different people and help them in our country and we are very generous to them, but in the same time, we wait for other people to be gentle and friendly too.
I know that the CAI employees must be professional, but also like any person from any country, they need to be treated respectfully too, and if u met bad person once, it doesn't mean that all Egyptians are bad, that's like any other place in the world.
I agree with u that CAI needs to solve many problems and be more professional, but also like any airport there're negative and positive things, so it's not "the most awful airport in the world" as you said.
I hope that in your next visit you won't face all these problems, and have a good expiernce in CAI soon. Be blessed always dear.
You as American passport holder couldn’t endure the yelling and bad treatment and rated the airport as one of the worst..Imagine being middle eastern passport holder and treated worse than this in all airports (best rated according to you)..about tipping point have you read about economic states and poverty of people there!!!
Ben's going viral in Egypt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whlzz8ZcIWY
wow the comments area…… are so overwhelmingly agreeing with Lucky. Appreciating the honesty of locals.
My family and I have had a very bad experience with airport staff and officials recently. They detained my 8th month pregenant spouse for 36 hrs, no food served, no water, no medical care only rude and inhumane treatment, keeping her seperated from me and our two little kids waiting outside sleeping on metal chairs. The reason of detainment was thier failure to communicate with Immigeration office to verfify my spouse's permit of residence validity....
My family and I have had a very bad experience with airport staff and officials recently. They detained my 8th month pregenant spouse for 36 hrs, no food served, no water, no medical care only rude and inhumane treatment, keeping her seperated from me and our two little kids waiting outside sleeping on metal chairs. The reason of detainment was thier failure to communicate with Immigeration office to verfify my spouse's permit of residence validity. After relasing, they were expecting us to thank them for that. They threatened us with deportation and impossiblity of renewing permit of residence.
Good morning. I usually don't write any comments, even if I disagree, but since I am relaxed in Thailand, I decided to take time to defend the Cairo airport. I've been flying through out Egypt and out of Cairo for last 5 years, more than 30 times probably. So instead of complaining I will give very practical advice. As you can't control stress, it is stress adaptation one needs to practice.
Get your 6...
Good morning. I usually don't write any comments, even if I disagree, but since I am relaxed in Thailand, I decided to take time to defend the Cairo airport. I've been flying through out Egypt and out of Cairo for last 5 years, more than 30 times probably. So instead of complaining I will give very practical advice. As you can't control stress, it is stress adaptation one needs to practice.
Get your 6 MO multiple electronic visa in advance, book your taxi or tours via Booking.com or similar in advance, get enough of 100 Egyptian Pounds bills in your pocket, and travel won't be so stressful.
Give 100-200 EP to the handlers etc, they will help you with laggage, long lines especially if you fly business. There is a separate line for the first pass of security before registration.
Egyptians are nice and friendly for the most, but only if you yourself treat them in that manner and tip of course. The lounge is dry, but food is tasty, presentation lags behind, but plenty of food, fruits and beverages. Much better than Swiss lounge was in Chicago or United lounges. Security is very thorough, but what do you want. Better safe than sorry. I saw worse checks in London Heathrow when arrived by bisness class from Miami and transferred to my connecting flight.
Hotels around are inexpensive and nice, again tipping is mandatory (even in LA Meridian, which is twice the price). Front desk guys where very eager to get my transportation, any extras etc. Even arranged my gym on 1 day visit.
Just understand those people are underpaid, mostly very poor, stressed by life as well, so tip them, you will get more back.
For me it would be IST (the new Istanbul Airport). It's such a beautiful airport but I omg the customer service experience needs to be overhauled. I was in transit from ATH and between the immigration officers (who were talking when when they called me over and had me standing there while having a full on conversation and threw my passport), to the visa desk officials (that wanted me to understand their requests telepathically), to...
For me it would be IST (the new Istanbul Airport). It's such a beautiful airport but I omg the customer service experience needs to be overhauled. I was in transit from ATH and between the immigration officers (who were talking when when they called me over and had me standing there while having a full on conversation and threw my passport), to the visa desk officials (that wanted me to understand their requests telepathically), to the agents at the TK service desks (who repeatedly gave me wrong information and had me bounce all over the big a** terminal), to the check-in Agents (who looked miserable and were just rude to all the paxs that were checking in), and to the gate agents (that communicated poorly and let just anybody board), I was soooo over it. To make it worse, no one barely speaks English or other major languages. I spoke in English and crickets then I had to dig out my French, Spanish, and Italian, and nothing! TK is a global airline but they really need to invest more in the customer service experience or have more agents/reps speak in English or other languages because it was soooo bad and I usually overall have great experiences at Airports internationally and domestically. The only bright spot was the friendliness/hospitality of the bag agents, when my bag was lost and the security officer.
Agree. IST is the very definition of a polished turd. A grand looking space built and operated with zero thought given to human scale or pleasant experience.
I just returned from Tunis and it's no better. I flew in and out of CAI a couple of years ago. They're both grueling. I don't expect every airport to be Changi but I absolutely dread everything about these airports. When the taxi drivers at these airports are the least of your problems, there's a problem. Nothing works, works properly or is being used within its design capacity. Not only can you abandon all hope...
I just returned from Tunis and it's no better. I flew in and out of CAI a couple of years ago. They're both grueling. I don't expect every airport to be Changi but I absolutely dread everything about these airports. When the taxi drivers at these airports are the least of your problems, there's a problem. Nothing works, works properly or is being used within its design capacity. Not only can you abandon all hope of anybody being helpful, you can expect combativeness. Queues: forget it and you'd better not mind using your elbows or you will be walked right over. To the natives, you are not a human, you are an opportunity. I could go on and on. It really sucks because there are nice people and the sights are hard to beat.
I am a frequent traveler and an Egyptian as well. Let me tell you this article of yours is very flattering and diplomatic to CAI. I am sure you have different worse thoughts (just like all of us using this miserable airport) yet you tried to be courteous and polite. This airport represents precisely what is wrong with Egypt in general.
Regards from Cairo
There are countless posts here and online about Cairo and Egypt where foreigners are broken down, accosted, and treated like walking ATM during their entire visit. You mentioned backsheesh (bribery) and the overabundance of redundant staff, which is a form of political patronage. Their security officers onboard flights are similarly misbehaving and pointless. But you left out something that the YouTuber Best Ever Food Review Show reluctantly made his video about, which is the propensity...
There are countless posts here and online about Cairo and Egypt where foreigners are broken down, accosted, and treated like walking ATM during their entire visit. You mentioned backsheesh (bribery) and the overabundance of redundant staff, which is a form of political patronage. Their security officers onboard flights are similarly misbehaving and pointless. But you left out something that the YouTuber Best Ever Food Review Show reluctantly made his video about, which is the propensity to confiscate luxury goods and electronics and to put travelers through needless waiting and bureaucracy even when they've gone through the process of obtaining visas and media permits in advance. From all of the tales on Reddit, it seems like an awful, backwards culture that couldn't have possibly had the intelligence and work ethic to build the pyramids that it's become famous for. I've not been tempted to book flights transiting this country because of the hassle and risk of losing my belongings or missing a connection because of a corrupt official or kleptomaniac baggage handler.
I've said this on one of the other posts here, but I have known of and met the fixer that Best Ever Food Review used to arrange his Cairo visit (long before he came to Egypt). I can tell you this was his very very fatal mistake. He picked the WORST possible fraudster to arrange things for him and that is exactly why things went awry. When I saw the name of the fixer, I...
I've said this on one of the other posts here, but I have known of and met the fixer that Best Ever Food Review used to arrange his Cairo visit (long before he came to Egypt). I can tell you this was his very very fatal mistake. He picked the WORST possible fraudster to arrange things for him and that is exactly why things went awry. When I saw the name of the fixer, I was just absolutely horrified and understood why things went so badly for him. If he had contacted a legitimate tour operator in Egypt or for that matter probably any other random Egyptian he found on the internet, he would have had a much much different experience.
I went through CAI twice in the mid 2000's. It was worse than the old Islamabad airport. Everybody wanted a tip. I went full on crazy American when my mother and I arrived at the airport and someone grabbed our bags out of the taxi as soon as the door opened, hoping for a tip for carrying our carryon.
We had booked private guided cars and tours through Egypt so we had a much better experience. Of course it was all after security but inside we really didn't have problems. The lounges were a really nice place to escape the rest of the mess. But having someone do everything for us including ticketing and checking bags, walking us through customs and getting us between terminals in a car was really the way to go....
We had booked private guided cars and tours through Egypt so we had a much better experience. Of course it was all after security but inside we really didn't have problems. The lounges were a really nice place to escape the rest of the mess. But having someone do everything for us including ticketing and checking bags, walking us through customs and getting us between terminals in a car was really the way to go. And it didn't cost all that much.
I'm glad we saw Egypt, 2 years ago. The Great Pyramids were stunning. Further south was amazing except for the handsy vendors outside each site. Now that we've been to Egypt once we don't need to ever go back. Which is a shame because there are some fantastic things and people to see there
Agree on the whole. That said, it's difficult for some members of staff to frequent passengers, who have more money than them, on a daily basis without wanting a share of the spoils. Keep in mind that the airport staff, including the police officers, are paid only a couple of hundred dollars a month and rely on the kindness of strangers to boost their income in this country with soaring inflation and a rapidly falling...
Agree on the whole. That said, it's difficult for some members of staff to frequent passengers, who have more money than them, on a daily basis without wanting a share of the spoils. Keep in mind that the airport staff, including the police officers, are paid only a couple of hundred dollars a month and rely on the kindness of strangers to boost their income in this country with soaring inflation and a rapidly falling currency. Point taken though: the private luggage carriers are the worst: 'Give me tip' or else they drop your bags. The body searches are clumsy to say the least, and how so many Egyptian speaking monolinguals get a job in an international setting, I cannot comprehend.
Agree with you on all counts, but you left out that immigration staff are actually quite kind (the only ones in the airport) and how it’s impossible to change terminals when connecting without having to get a visa to enter the country. You are also one of the lucky ones: Westerners get treated with much more respect than Arabs, who are fair game for anything. It really is without question the vilest airport in the...
Agree with you on all counts, but you left out that immigration staff are actually quite kind (the only ones in the airport) and how it’s impossible to change terminals when connecting without having to get a visa to enter the country. You are also one of the lucky ones: Westerners get treated with much more respect than Arabs, who are fair game for anything. It really is without question the vilest airport in the world, and by a long way. You need steel yourself every time you are about to enter it. It guarantees a terrible impression of Egypt from the minute you enter the country until the minute you leave. The last time I was there, the driver of the bus that took me to the remote stand to get on the plane was unbelievably rude because I didn’t tip him (I had thought by then I had escaped their clutches - wrong. Only once you have left their airspace). And I counted 7 passport checks from entering the terminal to boarding. It is one very good reason to avoid Egypt altogether. Oh, and don’t carry cash with you, because they now force you to convert it to their worthless currency, plus the security guard expects a bribe.
Terminal 1 of CAI is the absolute worst of all. If you have ever been there. I did it once pre-pandemic and it was my worst airport experience - and I have been to many strange airports...
NAIA is the worst airport. To give credit, their newer terminal located opposite ResortsWorld isn't that bad, but to be located in one of the worst cities in the world, except perhaps for Lagos, with food that tastes like when you open up a can of rotten spam... MNL/PHL I'm so sorry because your people are just the friendliest bunch of subordinates, but yes... MNL NAIA takes the wooden spoon.
I used to live in Cairo and Alexandria in the 90s and the bureaucracy was the worst part of it. If you go there you have to accept that “mafeesh nizam” (there’s no system).
However if you are travelling through the airport a lot, learning a few pleasantries and putting on a smile goes a mile - it’s something I also try to use when flying in the States with all that “federal regulations state….” grimacing.
Rihla sayeeda! (Bon voyage!)
I think Kathmandu airport would have to be up there as one of the worst aiports in the world. Chaotic, corrupt, no information, no facilities. I have been there some 8 times now and it never fails to plumb new depths. Fortunately it is set in a very beatiful country.
Why dont you use the VIP terminal service for about $100. I had a private lounge, they handled all my paperwork , private security screening and even drove me in golf cart to my gate. I did this because I never wanted to step inside main terminal. Best money spent- ever!
I suppose that $100 could be the sum total of tips you might pay in the other terminal?
No way. More like $20 tops - and that’s if he chose to tip everyone he came across. Egypt is a poor country with a majority of severely underpaid people, given how inflation has been tipping into the cost of living. Just consider that the low-price ex-Cairo premium class ticket the guy is travelling on probably cost the equivalent of six months’ or a year’s salary for any of the guys he’s bitching about trying...
No way. More like $20 tops - and that’s if he chose to tip everyone he came across. Egypt is a poor country with a majority of severely underpaid people, given how inflation has been tipping into the cost of living. Just consider that the low-price ex-Cairo premium class ticket the guy is travelling on probably cost the equivalent of six months’ or a year’s salary for any of the guys he’s bitching about trying to touch him for a tip. Egypt has a tipping, baksheesh culture - get used to it (just like the States has a tipping culture for waiters in restaurants, for example).
I nominate COK - Kochin/Cochi. Not a major airport, but still. Terrible experience, especially security.
I remember the old Cairo. That place was an absolute disaster. I still don't think I've been anywhere that bad, and I've been to some bad airports. I'd say the worst major airports I've been to are
1. The Old Cairo
2. Almaty
3. The old Phuket
I'm trying to remember some other ones, but those stick out as really bad.
Totally agree. Having lived in the region for a few years, the people are rude, obnoxious, smell bad, and are always scheming. When I checked in for a flight, even the ticket agent wanted a tip, the immigration guy checking passports wanted a tip, and the everyone else was putting out their hands rubbing their fingers together asking for money.
But, the worst is the queue management. I have to blame the staff because...
Totally agree. Having lived in the region for a few years, the people are rude, obnoxious, smell bad, and are always scheming. When I checked in for a flight, even the ticket agent wanted a tip, the immigration guy checking passports wanted a tip, and the everyone else was putting out their hands rubbing their fingers together asking for money.
But, the worst is the queue management. I have to blame the staff because they allow this to happen. I have literally pushed a guy and shoulder checked him as I patiently waited in line and he walks up in from of hundreds of people and attempts to board first. I would have shoved him to the floor but didn't want to get put in an Egyptian jail for assault.
Bottom line is the people are uneducated, rude, not smart (I won't say stupid, because that would be not woke - but this is changing!!!) and just overall awful people. I will never ever go back to Egypt even if they are handing out free Business or First Class tickets.
Why is it in Egypt, it seems as if "Every time is the first time" for everything they do? Clueless people.
Manila is worse.
Agreed.
Came to wrote this.
Waaaaaaay worse
I totally agree. I had to sprint with luggage from one terminal to another after waiting in a long line (I was told by the staff who were wrong). I joined the locals then if cutting in all the lines becuase they were massive and I’d miss my flight.
Also let’s talk about security. I think there were 3 separate checks when I flew out.
Wow! We could almost be talking about different airports. I've been thru Cairo airport a number of times, at all times of the day and night, quiet and peak times. I'm not Egyptian and don't speak Arabic except for basic phrases - "please, thank you", etc etc. It's not the best airport in the world for amenities, but I've never encountered any rudeness from airline, airport, or security/immigration staff. I've never once been asked for...
Wow! We could almost be talking about different airports. I've been thru Cairo airport a number of times, at all times of the day and night, quiet and peak times. I'm not Egyptian and don't speak Arabic except for basic phrases - "please, thank you", etc etc. It's not the best airport in the world for amenities, but I've never encountered any rudeness from airline, airport, or security/immigration staff. I've never once been asked for a tip, nor have I been solicited for a bribe. In short: I've never been hassled by anyone there. I don't think it's all down to luck. It can't be. Maybe a different attitude and/or outlook would help the wary traveller??
Rudeness is subjective, and people have different sensitivities to hostility. Indiscriminate yelling is perceived by some to be hostile or rude, and by others to be natural chaos or the byproduct thereof. Barking a command is rude in refined cultures, but may be table stakes in the developing world. After all, if you and your tribe subsist on US$0.01 per year, you are not going to be asking each other in a genteel voice to...
Rudeness is subjective, and people have different sensitivities to hostility. Indiscriminate yelling is perceived by some to be hostile or rude, and by others to be natural chaos or the byproduct thereof. Barking a command is rude in refined cultures, but may be table stakes in the developing world. After all, if you and your tribe subsist on US$0.01 per year, you are not going to be asking each other in a genteel voice to excuse me sir or madam, kindly, might I trouble you to pass the salt. You would grunt and say "salt." And you might fart at the table while you are at it. And when the other person does not hear you, you raise your voice.
And your point is??
I used to travel in and out of Cairo airpoŕt once a month for around 4 years both domsetic and international. I still use it a couple of times a year. I tend to agree. No one aspect is really outrageously bad, just that all of it is low grade a bit shit, collectively making it a generally unpleasant experience. Agree the meridian is great! Also agree about some of the airport staff being mainly...
I used to travel in and out of Cairo airpoŕt once a month for around 4 years both domsetic and international. I still use it a couple of times a year. I tend to agree. No one aspect is really outrageously bad, just that all of it is low grade a bit shit, collectively making it a generally unpleasant experience. Agree the meridian is great! Also agree about some of the airport staff being mainly surly which is totally contrary to egyptians who are generally super friendly. However if you ask them how they are in Arabic, smile have a bit of a laugh you get a totally different response and have a different experience. Same in the Visa office incidentally.
Any airport in Germany. Practically no A/C and endless walking. A young janitor mopping the floor once randomly demanded to see my passport. Everthing is gray. Ridiculous security checks - wouldn't let me take my dslr camera because they couldn't figure out how to see the pictures on the little display. Once called the police on me (well I did call the security lady a N@zi). Also TLV because its full of demon murderers.
At least one of these details make it seem like *you're* the asshole here.
@John Macgyver
No wonder why they had to call police on you.
Although very good take about TLV.
Security lady wouldn't let me take my Ipad because the battery was dead and it wouldn't turn on and kept yelling me in german, they kept skipping local germans ahead of me in the security line, while I was about to miss my conecting flight, incredibly rude people.
Yeah you're still not looking good here. Calling someone a Nazi in Germany isn't the clever flex you think it is.
The airport is something to be endured, not any pleasure. We lived in Cairo fr a year. The airport is dreadful!
Nobody here has obviously experienced ADEN International Airport
"I don’t know what it is, but I find that a vast majority of the security and police staff (who are all over the place) are actively hostile and rude. They yell like crazy, and if you don’t understand what they’re saying due to a language barrier, they just yell louder"
This sounded exactly like every single one of my trips through US airports.
"They yell like crazy, and if you don’t understand what they’re saying due to a language barrier, they just yell louder."
That sounds like staff at an American airport dealing with travellers who don't speak English well.
That sounds like American staff at DCA dealing with anyone
In no particular order London Stansted, Miami, Karachi, Columbo, Zanzibar and Johannesburg
I would nominate Colombo, Sri Lanka for this title as well
Why?
I have only ever experienced genuine Sri Lankan warmth and hospitality whenever passing through Bandaranaike International.
Agreed, Colombo is not a bad airport at all. Just the dining options are outrageously expensive compared to the local standard.
Disagree.
Why?
What is wrong with Colombo? I use Qatar Airways and food in the lounge that they use is as good as anything that is served at Jetwing / Galle Face / Cinnamon Grand. I haven't eaten at any of the other outlets so can't comment on that but security, processing, amenities, ambience and overall experience has always been very pleasant.
Homophobia is a big part of the problem here and security officials in Egypt are particularly likely to display hostility towards foreigners who obviously identify as being gay. Travelling through Cairo Airport with an attractive female chaperone is often the best way to ensure better treatment from these macho-minded sexist officials.
I thought we were all listing negatives of Egypt/Cairo?
I don't think any negative criticism is justified without proper foundation for the attack. Ben is unhappy with his experiences at Cairo Airport and constructive examination of the problem might perhaps identify the cause of the problem. Nobody here seems to be going full hilt in foul-mouthing Egypt, it's citizens or the capital city.
As we debate rudeness at airports, let’s not forget that some countries practice politeness to foreigners while being rude to natives. HKG is a great example of this. No white person is going to have a problem going through security, but Han Chinese are condescended to in Canto-accented Mandarin.
Yes, but let's remember that HKG is a unique situation.
I agree. My wife is asian but not Chinese. The lady organizing the lines barked at her in Chinese. My wife told her WTF I am not Chinese. That lady looked away so fast. Haha
Cairo might be ugly, but Delhi is miserable (airport is pretty though). Been through there twice and both times I was harangued by airline staff, immigration, and other power-wielding personnel for one reason: I'm of South Indian descent and don't know Hindi (yay for not knowing a language that only the northern half speaks). Also missed my flight in Delhi and had such a headache because the airline staff (Air India) at the ticketing counter...
Cairo might be ugly, but Delhi is miserable (airport is pretty though). Been through there twice and both times I was harangued by airline staff, immigration, and other power-wielding personnel for one reason: I'm of South Indian descent and don't know Hindi (yay for not knowing a language that only the northern half speaks). Also missed my flight in Delhi and had such a headache because the airline staff (Air India) at the ticketing counter refused to re-ticket me. Also no wi-fi facility without an Indian number, and no way to get a sim card inside the airport. Literal hell.
You can get a ticket with an access code from the kiosks. Certainly not the easiest way to go about it, but you do have free Wi-Fi
@AGM
No worries, according to a local thinker, you can "visualise yourself flying from HND or SIN or HKG or something of that kind! ;)".
There’s a reason a terrorist was able to place a bomb on a Russian plane out of Sharm only a week after I visited : The security people are too busy stealing things. They demanded my cartridge razor blades as dangerous. They must have been looking for things to steal from Russian tourists and overlooked actual cargo security. Remember those warnings airports used to have about Murtala Mohammed airport? I’d see them at small us...
There’s a reason a terrorist was able to place a bomb on a Russian plane out of Sharm only a week after I visited : The security people are too busy stealing things. They demanded my cartridge razor blades as dangerous. They must have been looking for things to steal from Russian tourists and overlooked actual cargo security. Remember those warnings airports used to have about Murtala Mohammed airport? I’d see them at small us airport security in Midwest US. Well , they should post that about CAI. Contrast that to Ben Gurion in TLV where your vehicle does t get within a mile of the terminal until it’s been checked and the occupants verified
MIA the worst for me (and have been through CAI a few times). There can be insane queues for immigration and 3 hours is not unheard of. The staff in general are rude and the immigration officers are rude. Not a nice way to start any holiday. Having to pass through immigration and collect baggage on an international to international itinerary is also just a joke (I know this applies to all of USA but...
MIA the worst for me (and have been through CAI a few times). There can be insane queues for immigration and 3 hours is not unheard of. The staff in general are rude and the immigration officers are rude. Not a nice way to start any holiday. Having to pass through immigration and collect baggage on an international to international itinerary is also just a joke (I know this applies to all of USA but it’s 10x worse at MIA).
I’m saying this as a British citizen. I’m sure things are much easier for Americans.
Actually, I would pretty much agree with this one, we fared much worse our three times through Miami than we have our two times through Cairo. Now, to be fair, we had hired a guide for Egypt and they made things extremely smooth going through the airport. I assume that is because they took care of the "tips".
MIA and CAI are the same... horrible third world, rude, hostile places.
Miami for baggage systems
Luxor airport is the same. Egyptair advises to checkin 3 hours before a flight, so I arrived at 7am for a 10am departure and the guy wouldn’t let anyone in before 8am. Then he checked the ‘tickets’ which took forever because he was expecting the old paper booklets instead of a code. You have 3 lots of security before you’re allowed to board via a bus.
I've transited through Cairo some ten times and arrived/originated there three times each in the last three years and was never asked for a tip nor did I observe anything unusual around security.
Egyptian security can be a bit annoying, though not more than some of what I experienced in the US or at FRA, for example (and not so much in CAI versus SSH). They also require taking off shoes, which is otherwise only...
I've transited through Cairo some ten times and arrived/originated there three times each in the last three years and was never asked for a tip nor did I observe anything unusual around security.
Egyptian security can be a bit annoying, though not more than some of what I experienced in the US or at FRA, for example (and not so much in CAI versus SSH). They also require taking off shoes, which is otherwise only seen in the US.
Not my favorite airport for sure, and connecting between terminals can be tricky. Alas not an airport that specifically bothers me. There's sufficient seating everywhere and Terminal 2 in particular is quite bright and spacious.
shoes off is not a US only thing by any means, though it is less common.
I also hate the Cairo airport. You forgot to mention the ridiculous line you have to wait in after you get your luggage to put it through the X-ray machine rather than just walking through if you have nothing to declare. Also, when you arrive at Cairo Airport, you are pounced upon by all the taxi and limo services who can be incredibly aggressive and annoying. I should add that I live in Cairo and...
I also hate the Cairo airport. You forgot to mention the ridiculous line you have to wait in after you get your luggage to put it through the X-ray machine rather than just walking through if you have nothing to declare. Also, when you arrive at Cairo Airport, you are pounced upon by all the taxi and limo services who can be incredibly aggressive and annoying. I should add that I live in Cairo and there are many things I love about Cairo and Egypt, but I absolutely hate the airport.
I have worked in the Middle East for 40+ years. CAI is a cesspool of rude staff and chaos. Ben's observation on toilet attendants is true except my experience has been the guy asking for a tip after handing you a paper towel has no ID or uniform. Just a twit who paid security to let him wander the airport looking for tips. My overall assessment is egyptians have no shame.
Cancun airport is horrible for an international transfer. I’ll never go back again. It’s awful.
it's also the worst city in the world.
I couldn't agree more. Thanks for saying the quiet part out loud.
It is not for everyone, doesn't make the worst in the world.
I have to disagree with your comments completely as I ama frequent Cairo traveler the last 30 years, many European airports are worse then Cairo, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Paris,
It’s as unfriendly as no one cares, egypt has all in all very modern airports, terminal 1 is the old one terminal 2 and 3 are top modern and clean, plenty security staff I.e. police are very helpful, unfortunately is the tipping...
I have to disagree with your comments completely as I ama frequent Cairo traveler the last 30 years, many European airports are worse then Cairo, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Paris,
It’s as unfriendly as no one cares, egypt has all in all very modern airports, terminal 1 is the old one terminal 2 and 3 are top modern and clean, plenty security staff I.e. police are very helpful, unfortunately is the tipping issue just like in any other 3rd world country, and given that 40 % of Egyptians are poor of course they see a chance for a few quit extra,
Mr Schlappig, you often say that First and business cash fares are considerably cheaper originating from Cairo than many other cities. At least now we know why.
I landed in Cairo in May 1985 on a TWA 747. As we descended the steps off the plane guards circled the plane with guns faced outward. I go to immigration with a valid passport and visas that were secured from the Egyptian embassy in DC. The immigration officer would not let me through. Luckily, the TWA tour escort saw this, exchanged words with the officer in harsh terms and thru I went.
I would nominate Antalya and Lagos to be the worst that I’ve experienced. Antalya is torture from start to end. Any relaxation that your holiday might have given you evaporates when you fly back through that airport.
And Lagos is like CAI only worse. I’ve been to half of African countries and I feel everything is like kindergarten compared to Lagos.
Yikes - tell me more. Flying to Lagos in February.
Lagos airport is not worse than Cairo. For starters, Cairo has more departures and sees way more passengers. Lagos passengers are mostly Nigeriaans or people with a reason to visit that aint tourism, outside holiday season.
Yes, people ask for tips in lagos but Nigerians will mostly smile while doing it, vs aggressive and rude beggars in cairo. Ughhh its stressful allover cairo as a local..,lol!
White people cant handle being singled out in lagos...
Lagos airport is not worse than Cairo. For starters, Cairo has more departures and sees way more passengers. Lagos passengers are mostly Nigeriaans or people with a reason to visit that aint tourism, outside holiday season.
Yes, people ask for tips in lagos but Nigerians will mostly smile while doing it, vs aggressive and rude beggars in cairo. Ughhh its stressful allover cairo as a local..,lol!
White people cant handle being singled out in lagos cos its a majority sub-saharan african country.
God give you strength.
Had similar experiences throughout my Egypt trip. Some Egyptians are very nice and would go out of their way to help but majority at tourist hotspots are not.
At the airport, I was charged 10 dollars to go through security lanes for first class passengers even though I was flying first class (Qatar markets their forward cabin as first class on this route). I was in a hurry, had cash, and didn't want any...
Had similar experiences throughout my Egypt trip. Some Egyptians are very nice and would go out of their way to help but majority at tourist hotspots are not.
At the airport, I was charged 10 dollars to go through security lanes for first class passengers even though I was flying first class (Qatar markets their forward cabin as first class on this route). I was in a hurry, had cash, and didn't want any inconvenience, so didn't argue and gave $10 to the security person. This was far from the worst though.
As a person of color, majority of my really bad experiences have been at the European airports. LIS has been the worst so far where the staff forcefully sent me to the economy checkin line, and after spending 20 mins in that line, checkin person started questioning me on why I was at the wrong checkin area and tried to send me to the back of the business class line. Similar situation with using the automated immigration gates where I was sent to the long lines for "all passports" where they manually check the details rather than using automated gates for US Passport - this took over 40 mins and I was the last person to board. I avoid conflicts at all cost and try my best to be nice to people but every airport personnel I interacted with at LIS was rude. Had similar experiences at some smaller airports in Italy and France but not to an extent where everyone made me feel like an inconvenience. DEL is also pretty bad for its "Security" checks.
European airports (uk especially) are hell for black and brown people. Most bloggers are white with western passports so they wont experience any of the above
I have certainly seen brown very obviously singled out for extra security at ZCH.
But I have to say that I would rather have been in that person's shoes than go through CAI or DEL again.
Even being treated prejudicially, the standard in Switzerland is not as bad.
Is there any issue with Muslim v non-Muslim South Asians treating the other badly in the UK?
For my people, its not people asking for tips or queue management or even employees yelling (to get their point across) that makes the experience worse, it is people making us feel we don't belong there or are an inconvenience.
Haven't had any such issues at a UK airport yet - e-gates work well for passport controls and security staff is generally nice. Not sure about muslim v non-muslim south Asians - not part...
For my people, its not people asking for tips or queue management or even employees yelling (to get their point across) that makes the experience worse, it is people making us feel we don't belong there or are an inconvenience.
Haven't had any such issues at a UK airport yet - e-gates work well for passport controls and security staff is generally nice. Not sure about muslim v non-muslim south Asians - not part of this demographic but the concept of a minority treating another minority bad doesn't make much sense to me
I just checked out Ben's post about connecting in Manila, and it just seems as bad as Cairo.
https://onemileatatime.com/connecting-manila-philippine-airlines/
It's the typical "it depends" situation.
The post describes the airside transfer by Philippine Airlines, which I never tried.
What I tried many times is the transfer between T1 and T3 landside using their free shuttle bus. That works pretty well, although waiting times for the bus can be pretty annoying (calculate up to one hour wait, plus another 40-60 minutes on the bus if there's traffic). Still staff is friendly and helpful.
Super...
It's the typical "it depends" situation.
The post describes the airside transfer by Philippine Airlines, which I never tried.
What I tried many times is the transfer between T1 and T3 landside using their free shuttle bus. That works pretty well, although waiting times for the bus can be pretty annoying (calculate up to one hour wait, plus another 40-60 minutes on the bus if there's traffic). Still staff is friendly and helpful.
Super seamless on the other hand is transferring on Cebu Pacific from international to domestic within T3. Immediately after baggage claim you hand over your bags at the transfer counter, then go through security right away and that's it. Very convenient and quick, at least given the requirement to claim your bag.
But you can see the massive inconsistency at the airport, and especially T2 and T4 seem to be bad.
Good news is that recently new management took over, and one of their first activities was upgrading wifi and starting renovation of T4.
3 out of 4 of your points apply to Miami International (staff aren't asking for tips...yet)
TOTALLY agree, the whole time I was reading this I was thinking, that the employees in Miami are WAY ruder than the ones in Cairo.
I’ve been thru 3 different airports in Egypt (Cairo, Sharm and Hurghada) and they are all horrible. Rude staff, filthy facilities disorganised everything and “Tips! Tips! Tips!!”
I grew up flying to Pakistan at least once a year from the U.S. since I was 4 years old (I'm in my 20s now), so I'm used to chaotic disorganized airports. I've flown through CAI a few times, and I don't think it's that bad (probably because I am familiar with the culture and know how to navigate around it).
@ Ben - did you visit the Priority Pass lounge in Terminal 2?...
I grew up flying to Pakistan at least once a year from the U.S. since I was 4 years old (I'm in my 20s now), so I'm used to chaotic disorganized airports. I've flown through CAI a few times, and I don't think it's that bad (probably because I am familiar with the culture and know how to navigate around it).
@ Ben - did you visit the Priority Pass lounge in Terminal 2? I can't remember the name, but I believe it recently went through a renovation (in the past 2 years at least). To get to this lounge, you had to turn right after security, and navigate around a smaller lounge with a lot of twists and turns until you enter the PP lounge. I thought that lounge was quite nice, mostly because they had Lemon Mint Schweppes and free full body massage chairs (which I spent an hour in last time I was at CAI).
Mexico City is pretty bad too.
MEX isn't perfect but it's nowhere as bad as this though.
Security works, people do queue, nobody is asking for tips, some of the best priority pass lounges in the world. Terminal 1 is very run down though
I wasn't explicitly asked for a tip in MEX toilet, but the guy there was clearly expecting it. Not that I would tip for such unsanitary practice.
That was just before the immigration and the guy was in the same uniform as other customs workers.
Are you kidding me? What lounge at Mexico City is one of the best lounges in the world?
I agree MEX is bad, but have you tried the newest Mexico City airport (Felipe Angeles, NLU). That is another level of shithole. It makes you feel like in a sad street market. Awful!
Speaking of MEX. Out of 50+ countries it figures that it would be a lazy Mexican immigration officer to be the only one to ever just flip to the last page in the passport and stamp it. Too much work otherwise.
Had the same lazy immigration officer when connecting through Helsinki a couple months ago. Stamped the last page on my passport, which messed up a visa in the works which requires 4 unused pages. Had to laugh when transiting Zurich this week, the immigration officer complained how lazy the immigration officers were that I had previously encountered, given how haphazard the stamps in my passport are from previous travels.
Egyptian salaries and wages are so low that everyone in the Egyptian economy operates on bribes ("tips"). I've seen passengers "tip" and be taken AROUND security at Cairo's airport.
There are plenty of countries around the world with low wages, yet are very friendly, and do not have a tipping culture.
US isn’t one. Poor working conditions and a tipping culture. On my very first trip to the US age 17 I didn’t tip a skycap and he wrote “ f.. you” on the bag tag.
It's not a tipping culture in Egypt. It's a bribing culture. Especially with tourists. From airport security to guides to restaurants -- you name it. It's been a problem for years. It's why I haven't gone back to Egypt since 2013. I don't feel safe at an airport where you get get around security with a bribe in front of everyone else. I also don't feel safe in a country where guides take you into...
It's not a tipping culture in Egypt. It's a bribing culture. Especially with tourists. From airport security to guides to restaurants -- you name it. It's been a problem for years. It's why I haven't gone back to Egypt since 2013. I don't feel safe at an airport where you get get around security with a bribe in front of everyone else. I also don't feel safe in a country where guides take you into the desert and then demand a "tip" to take you back at the end of the tour.
I agree, tips requests are too much but you can simply say no.
Staff are not as rude but they are not professional enough.
Not to mention you take your life in your hands going from the international to the domestic terminals.
You knew what you're getting into and you made a choice. Cheaper fare over known conditions.
A low price excuses some of these deficiencies, namely older facilities. A low price does not excuse ill manners. There is never an excuse for rudeness. Everybody deserves basic manners and respect, even if they are flying for free.
Ben, agree with everything you said!! And now my wife is ranting about endless security checks at CAI.
Also agree the Le Meridien next door is excellent. Great location, helpful staff and excellent food on the club floor.
I'll agree that the Le Meridien is great, we really enjoyed our stay there, short as it was. But I didn't have that much of a problem with CAI. Yeah, it looked a bit run down, but I expect that in some parts of the world. We had no issue finding food, and got through security just fine. I've certainly seen airports that were way worse.
Delhi is crazy with the security checks too, and lack of quality lounges. A lot of pushing and shoving also, but maybe not quite in such a rude way.
Never been to Cairo, but OTP is not great either. some of the facilities are really bad. Also ben gurion airport in TLV shows it's age and inefficient.
OTP is a Paradise compared to CAI.
Ben, that's just a ussual thing in every Airport/country I've been on that continent. But agree, CAI is one of the worst, not only the Airport. Last time I was on that continent (about two years ago) I promissed myself I never ever will return or Transit there, whatever amount of money they pay me for. Those guys just love it and refuse to evoluate, so let them be like that, as soon as they don't cross my path's it's ok for me.
The best airport is the one I spend the least amount of time in.
I've had only one experience with CAI, it was tolerable; nothing really distinguishes it in my mind from anywhere else.
There are plenty of airports like Cairo - Nairobi is terrible, Karachi even worse
Cuzco Perú one single runway delays arrivals
And departures. Bad and unclean Bathrooms. Very poor stores
And restaurants. Rude staff
Yes agree with everything you said!! When to vacation in Egypt 2 years ago for 3 weeks, the airport is bad but the country generally was even worse! The tipping was out of hand, and no one was nice to you unless they wanted a tip. It was the first and last time we visit Egypt. On a positive note the ruins themselves are nice.
I have to agree. I visited Egypt in 2010 and found it to be a shambles; especially when compared to several countries in the same region (e.g. Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, & Israel). The hassling for undeserved tips was unending. However, as you pointed out, the ruins are amazing. They exceeded my expectations; something that rarely occurs.
Wow. We spent a month in Egypt this past February and found it to be wonderful. Amazing history, friendly, happy people. Yes, tipping is definitely ~a lot~ but once you adjust your mindset, it was fine. I can't wait to go back.
Oh but the tipping in the US is not out of control :0)
Agree with it being the worst airport in the world, which doesn’t make sense considering the amount of money they’ve put into upgrading it.
What’s even more unfortunate is the fact that Egypt can and should be one of the premier tourist destinations in the world, their airports play a big role in their failure to attract more tourists.
Just a few months ago an English teenager was forced to undergo a strip...
Agree with it being the worst airport in the world, which doesn’t make sense considering the amount of money they’ve put into upgrading it.
What’s even more unfortunate is the fact that Egypt can and should be one of the premier tourist destinations in the world, their airports play a big role in their failure to attract more tourists.
Just a few months ago an English teenager was forced to undergo a strip search to “verify her gender” at Hurghada, so atrocious it could only compare to those gynecological exams at Hamad but at least Hamad is a decent airport otherwise.
Small tip, there are some companies that offer a sort of meet and great service that helps minimize your interaction with the godawful staff and gets you to skip at least some of the chaos, maybe look into it next tim you’re in Cairo.
JFK, for all the same reasons plus the fact that they don't allow smoking and...well, Noo Yawkers.
For once I agree with you... besides not allowing to smoke.
That has to be the best airport policy I've ever seen.
Yeah, but I smoke and don't care that you don't. Being a sociopath is fun.
JFK has some massive issues but it's also got good lounges and doesn't compare to the absolute worst of the worst
JFK is located in the cesspool of the universe, Noo Yawk, populated by H. G. Wells' inspiration for the Morlocks. JFK is the eighth circle of Hell.
How does it compare to Manila (MNL)?
MNL is hectic too, but I found Cairo to be way more chaotic. It's truly incredible how hectic it is and Ben outlined all of the reasons well. As my Egyptian friend put it, the metal detectors are simply for decoration.
"the metal detectors are simply for decoration."
Well, the nude-o-scopes in US airports are also just for decoration, except they cost several of orders of magnitude more than metal detectors.
MNL the airport terminal bus driver demanded all the passengers tip him to get off the bus (in whichever currency) despite the service actually being free.
Now, I have read about an airport that is worse the MNL. MNL is very crowded, nowhere to sit while you wait to board the plane. People don't like up according to their priority, but at least the staff there are friendly. Having said that, the gem in MNL is the Singapore Airlines lounge where staff are very friendly and helpful, and where food tastes yummmy.
As Dave said, staff in MNL are usually all pretty friendly. Also T3 is not much different than many other airport terminals over the world, maybe except for the extra security check on entering the terminal.
Queues are usually not too long (unless you check bags for a Cebu Pacific flight), signage is okay. I don't like their toilets and the lounges are rather mediocre, but that's about it.
It's different if you have...
As Dave said, staff in MNL are usually all pretty friendly. Also T3 is not much different than many other airport terminals over the world, maybe except for the extra security check on entering the terminal.
Queues are usually not too long (unless you check bags for a Cebu Pacific flight), signage is okay. I don't like their toilets and the lounges are rather mediocre, but that's about it.
It's different if you have terminal transfers, which is very annoying and costs lots of time. But still it works reliably and nobody is asking for tips.
Overall, while there's massive improvement needed, it's still an "okay" airport and not even close to the description of CAI in this article.
Maybe it’s improved in recent years but I transit through Manila regularly and find it to be pretty good. Friendly staff, short lines, ok selection of food and drink outlets and bright and clean terminals ( with AC). Checked bags have always come out pretty fast too. Transferring between terminals is annoying but actually pretty painless and no worse than JFK/Heathrow.
Does Cairo have an infestation problem with rats? Problems with air-conditioning? Transferring from one terminal to another? Manila has all of the above. And having only one main runway adds to the misery especially for a major metropolis. And there's the occasional security personnel planting bullets in your bags if that's your thing.
MIA the worst for me (and have been through CAI a few times). There can be insane queues for immigration and 3 hours is not unheard of. The staff in general are rude and the immigration officers are rude. Not a nice way to start any holiday. Having to pass through immigration and collect baggage on an international to international itinerary is also just a joke (I know this applies to all of USA but...
MIA the worst for me (and have been through CAI a few times). There can be insane queues for immigration and 3 hours is not unheard of. The staff in general are rude and the immigration officers are rude. Not a nice way to start any holiday. Having to pass through immigration and collect baggage on an international to international itinerary is also just a joke (I know this applies to all of USA but it’s 10x worse at MIA).
I’m saying this as a British citizen. I’m sure things are much easier for Americans.
Ben when are you coming to the Phillipines?
Look at all the people commenting about the Manila airport.
Fly into Manila. Take Swiftair to El Nido.