MUMBAI AIRPORT  Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  22 February 2010 by N McDermott   (Hong Kong)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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The most annoying airport I have yet to find to transit through and catch a connecting flight. Normally two hours would easily be enough time to disembark one plane and be at the gate ready to board the next. Not at Mumbai. First you are made to wait with other passengers who have just disembarked your plane in a loud, crowded immigration hall. You are then led upstairs and along corridors to transit security. Yes, you have to go through security again. So, they need to check your ticket. Then men and women are divided into separate queues from where couples can't even see each other. In these queues people are stressed and often looking to push ahead of you. As well as this, if you are in the male queue you cannot see the end of the queue as it goes around a corner so you have no idea how long it will all take. The security queue took well over an hour to pass through on both times I had the misfortune to enter it, and both times I only just made my connecting flight. Furthermore, the security officials make it their job to frisk everyone, whether you set the scanner off or not and go through a tedious process of stamping a label you have to attach to your bag and your boarding pass to show you have been through security. After showing your boarding pass and passport to the airline officials at the gate you can then be stopped by further security personnel on the way to the plane who wish to check your documents again, just to see if you have been through security or not. So tedious. I will never transit through Mumbai ever again.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  19 January 2010 by N McDermott   (UK)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Has to be the worst airport I have visited, regards organization of passengers through security, cleanliness and general lack of expertise. Organization of passengers through security or the lack of any order is quite scary, intimidating and dangerous as crowds push and people are shouting to make progress.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  22 December 2009 by Ajay Puri   (Singapore)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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I flew out of Mumbai to Singapore on Dec 18th. Pleasantly surprised to find a huge improvement. Entrance to the airport and check-in were a breeze at 9 pm (for my 2330 departure). Immigration took 5 minutes, and security about 10. The lounges are all new, and the Oberoi Clipper lounge was pretty comfortable with a nice recliner chair, w-fi and decent service. There were drinks and a light meal on offer, though the food could be improved a bit. Swanky new duty free shops, half a dozen new restaurants and bars, two massage spas and a general spruce up have changed the place beyond recognition. I suspect that things get busier later on when most flights depart, but then I make a conscious effort to fly out of Indian airports during non peak hours. There are an increasing number of flight options that avoid the midnight - 4 am peak slot, and I strongly recommend them.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  4 December 2009 by S Taynton   (Kazakhstan)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Arrival into Mumbai was fine, went through to baggage claim fairly easy. However, leaving is another matter. Very long lines at immigration, took over 90 minutes from the beginning of the queue to the chap on the desk. Security after that is a nightmare, taking forever to go through. After that there is not much in the way of duty free shops, and the ones that are there are very expensive. There are a few bars which are not overly expensive but they give good service and are a happy retreat from the crowds. Overall not the worst airport in the world but very crowded to immigration so this needs to be factored into your flight departure.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  30 November 2009 by Des Jarrett   (UK)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Arrived to a packed airport entrance with several thousand Haj pilgrims added to the usual rush. Airport staff handled situation well and it felt biased, but non Haj travellers were ushered through check in and security by attentive airline staff. Big complaint is the rip- off prices at kiosks. Got charged over £4 for a bar of chocolate and when asked for money back was refused refund.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  11 November 2009 by D Gill   (UK)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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It took me at least half an hour to get from the start of the terminal building to my entrance. This was due to the unorganised volume of people and traffic allowed to congregate outside. Armed guards only allow passengers inside the terminal building. Once you have made it through all the people to get inside, you have to get your luggage scanned and security taped before check-in will take it. They tell most people this after queuing at the check-in desk (not useful). The international departure concourse, for the most part, looked like it is falling apart despite renovation (though the internal departure concourse in another terminal was newly designed and looked good). Immigration is painfully slow and immigration staff seem to think everyone is a suspect. Security is a joke as their methods are inconsistent. One guy will pat one passenger while the guy next to him doesn't bother with his passenger. Queues are the longest I've ever seen at security and this was at 11.00 at night. They changed the gate of my flight without any announcement, only finding it by chance. Unfortunately, it is the main port of entry to southern India, so be aware of the differences compared to western airports and go with the flow as it is easy to get frustrated here with everything.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  10 November 2009 by E White   (India)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Flew Turkish Airlines to Istanbul. Departure was a nightmare: check-in took two hours with just 4 staff processing the entire plane. One of these was processing the business class passengers but did not call economy class passengers forward when she had nobody to serve. Security took a further 45 minutes and the queue was not well supervised, plenty of cutting in and pushing. The flight was late which was very lucky for all passengers as, just to get to the gate took almost 3 hours in total. Airside, there is a good range of shops but they are expensive and most only accept dollars and credit cards, which is very inconvenient. The bar charges about 6 dollars a beer. On our return from Istanbul the arrivals section was much better than departures. Immigration was relatively quiet and quick. Our bags arrived reasonably quickly. However, the taxi situation is very poor. The modern cabs have been banned here by unions, so the entire fleet is very old and dirty. Once you buy your pre-paid slip, you are mobbed by a large group of taxi drivers. It takes quite some time to find the right cab, according to the slip in your hand. Overall, quite an unpleasant experience. It is a shame that with such large scale investment in a shining new airport, it is so badly managed. The quality of service has not changed with the new building. Staff are generally rude and officious. There have been many report in the local newspapers in Mumbai about near misses and safety infringements at the airport over the last six months. In addition, the main runway is being re-built so flights are currently being disrupted, especially on tuesdays, when major work takes place.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  5 November 2009 by David Brackley   (Thailand)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Arrived on BA (no baggage) with 3 hour transit to Cathay for Bangkok. As I stepped off BA flight I overheard a ground rep asking a lady to wait by the door for transit assistance. I mentioned that I was in transit and was promptly asked to wait at the aircraft side as well. Not too happy with this as only in transit to business on CX with no baggage. ventually 4 of us were escorted to the transit area in terminal 2B. About 6 transfer desks with no body manning them. The ground staff advised us that we needed to hand over our tickets and passports and she would go landside to get our boarding cards and check luggage. I was not happy to hand over my passport and found this very unprofessional service. However we were assured this was normal practice. It was now 2.45 am and my flight was due out at 5.15 am. The assistant advised that she would be back before 4.30 am. At this I told her it was totally unacceptable as I had no baggage and wished to use the business lounge. The other pax were also adverse to this decision. The assstant advised as I had no luggage she would come back very quickly with my boarding card. This she did after 20 mins although I was again escorted by another member of ground staff through security to the lounge. However the other pax were left again as the assistant told them she needed to identify their bags and would be back asap. The whole process was amateurish and unprofessional. The assistants were courteous but for an international airport it was an unwelcome inconvenience. I would avoid travelling through Mumbai on future occasions.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  29 October 2009 by Luke Addis   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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We arrived and departed from Mumbai International - can't comment on transit. Arrival was a little shambolic. Swine Flu tests done, immigration friendly enough. Taxis into centre. We took more exciting option (read cheaper) which was a Autorick (40rp) to Andheri Station and Suburban train in (6rp) so only about 30p each. However, the return was a nightmare! Don't attempt this during Mumbai rush hour - 0800 till 1100. Rickshaw a nightmare to get, taxis a rip-of and traffic slow to Mumbai. Have all your e-tickets ready as we faced a horribly stubborn and grumpy security guard. Once in an oasis of calm, air conditioning, quiet and very civil. Toilets clean. Security and immigration friendly. The shops are lovely and overpriced, some fast food places for budgeteers.

MUMBAI AIRPORT customer review :  15 October 2009 by Peter Edmunds   (UK)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Transferred through with Jet airways on route to BKK and its a disgrace. On arrival you are pulled to one side and told to wait given a baggage label and asked to follow a representative from the airline where on both occasions a heated discussion broke out between the airline rep and the uniformed security. In from LHR was just about acceptable only 45 minutes to get through security the return leg was 2 hours - and then run to the plane. Until you read otherwise I would avoid this transit hub. About the airport, work is going ton to make it a pleasant transit, western eateries and coffee shop are fine. There is a bar called Bombay club or something like it, drink in there at your peril, 2 bottled beers GBP12, Gin and Tonic GBP9.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 24 September 2009 : by Paritosh Vasava

Customer Rating : 3/5

From and to Helsinki/Frankfurt. There were long queues at passport control and security checks on arrival and departure. The staff at security is very rude. Everyone wearing some sort of uniform wants to see your passport. There is lot of improvement in shopping areas but some shops only expect you to pay in rupees or US dollars. The airport is improving but with a very poor pace.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 2 September 2009 : by Kurt Müller

Customer Rating : 3/5

Arrived from FRA on 01/09/09 and was surprised to encounter a young man wearing the official airport staff suit and ID badge located at the bottom of the arrival escalators offering to "immediately stamp" the swine flu declaration in return for a "compliment". I knew the baggage screeners try this, but to see frontline employees touting is a disgrace.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 31 August 2009 : by Nick Francis

Customer Rating : 1/5

Transferred through the international terminal on-route to Bangkok with Jet Airways. While there are plenty of decent looking restaurants, I wasn't able to sample any of them as there isn't an ATM facility in the entire terminal which is an absolute disgrace. While the cashier at Travelex would gladly sell us Baht, he wouldn't buy it. I fail to see the point in an airport creating the amount of retail opportunities that Mumbai has, yet make it as difficult as possible for passengers to spend any money. On top of this, the transfer arrangements were slow and badly organised. On a good note, the Jet Airways staff we met throughout the airport were friendly, welcoming and helpful. The security services really need a trip to charm school.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 13 May 2009 : by A Jain

Customer Rating : 4/5

My first impression of domestic arrivals terminal was that of a spacious terminal with 5 conveyor belts. It was clean, spacious and well illuminated. Luggage trolleys plentiful and large enough. Baggage retrieval smooth and fairly satisfactory. Outside the terminal, areas were zoned for taxis, private pick ups and autos and the ambience in the open air was very fresh.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 17 March 2009 : by Torsten Kaminski

Customer Rating : 3/5

I was very annoyed that pre check-in luggage screeners offered to bypass the long Economy Class line of my flight, against a tip or fee - and the check-in staff did not bother. Wonder if they share the money. Understand that these people may not be paid a lot, however it is just not fair for those who wait at 3am in the morning. Otherwise I would say it is not a beautiful airport but it works and once the renovation will be finished it should be an acceptable facility.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 7 November 2008 : by P Vasvaa

Customer Rating : 4/5

Arrived from Helsinki and departed to helsinki. Both times, immigration stamping took time. Though there are lot of immigration counters now but most of them were closed and resulting in to long queue. On my return trip, I had to wait in long queue. The same story about immigration counters. This time police staff at security check were very rude. I just couldnt watch while a policeman was humiliating some spanish tourists instead of explaining about the procedure to them. On positive side the shopping area near the gates has improved a lot. There are now a lot of options for eating and shopping. Renovation of airport has improved a lot of things. I had connecting flight to Baroda. The airport seemed cleaner and well air conditioned than before.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 18 October 2008 : by C Leitner

Customer Rating : 2/5

Arriving from FRA (Lufthansa) with connecting flight to BDQ (Jet Airways). All in all, the ongoing renovation seems to work out, it gets a little better organized and cleaner. International Terminal is still undergoing heavy renovation work, therefor a little dusty and noisy. Immigration / Customs well staffed and quick, luggage took 1h as usual. The transfer area to the domestic terminal is really dirty and completely disorganized. There seems to be a ticketing system but no one knows how it works. I just jumped onto the first bus (without anyone complaining) and was at the Domestic Terminal within 15 min. Domestic Terminal is pretty nice and very clean in the meantime. Still, there are some downsides: 1) I arrived around midnight, as most international flights do, there was no shop open in the terminal to get anything to eat or to drink. 2) It is not allowed to leave the terminal once you are inside. In case you have a long stop over or want to smoke a cigarette once in a while, think twice before you enter. I tried to convince the military guards to let me out but was not successful. Departure area is getting nice in the meantime. They just opened a nice coffee shop and a small book/newspaper store (both are not open before 5 am or so). All in all, much better then last time, still a lot to do with regards to renovation and organization

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 11 October 2008 : by Charles Augarde

Customer Rating : 3/5

Travelled through Mumbai from Dubai and onward to Goa and return. Arriving at International terminal, very dingy and quiet, long walk past areas being developed to immigration and security all OK. Waiting area for transfer bus is very dingy. A girl at a desk gives you a ticket for the bus but then there are no check to see if your ticket is in the batch for the next bus. Bus itself is weird, smoked glass windows and knackered. Takes you to Domestic where you have to pull your case into Domestic (Jet Airways) which was nice. Clean and airy, free papers, clear info, even a coffee bar. Way back, again Domestic nice feel, again collect a ticket for the shuttle bus, again when the bus comes the guy comes round and says just get on regardless of the ticket no. Trip to International this time goes out of the airport by slums. Into the International departures still being done up but OK, light but not as nice as the domestic. Had a long wait here, seats available and some place to get a drink and nibble. Went through immigration and got waylaid by young chap at bottom of stairs who suggested paying to use the "lounge" by gate 3- DO NOT DO THIS! DO NOT TURN RIGHT. It is s rip off as if you turn left go past duty-free you will find recently developed areas, food places and light seating areas. The lounge is seedy, noisy and costs 2000 IRS if you are not a business passenger.