MUMBAI AIRPORT   Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports

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

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

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

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

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

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

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

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

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

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

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.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 25 September 2008 : by S Narayan

Customer Rating : 1/5

Arrived in Domestic airport. Told that transfer shuttle to International airport arrives only once in one hour. Be aware of this fact. Also, there are no queues for the shuttle. If you are flying KLM, there is a courtesy shuttle to the international airport. I chose to take a three-wheeler (autorickshaws or "auto" in short). The auto and taxi queue in the airport is highly regulated and I felt completely safe. They note down your name, driver's name, destination. Bombay autos are pretty renowned for using the meter. So, its a nice thing. They dont print receipts. Costs less than 50 rupees (just more than 1USD) to get to international terminals. International terminal check-in area is a mess. THe airline will make you wait to check-in until your luggage shows up in this terminal. Then, it has to be X-rayed again. Then you have to check-in again (even if you have so-called "through check-in"). The toilets are in a rather shady area. I didnt feel safe. Facilities to make phone calls are available, but you need lots of new 1 rupee coins to make long distance / international calls. Only one manned phone booth for whole airport and everyone was fighting for that phone. Used clipper lounge as Continental Elite. Nothing special in the lounge. Basic soft drinks, water, coffee. Samosas (indian fried potato-filled fritters) were very spicy. Food was bad especially considering this is run by the Oberoi group of hotels.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 6 September 2008 : by S Sankar

Customer Rating : 3/5

LHR to BOM on BA and transferred to the domestic airport to catch a Deccan flight to BLR. BA flight landed on time and immigration took just 5 mins. The baggage area is a dusty construction site with a number of construction workers and labourers. However, as my flight landed at a very quiet time for the airport (11.15am) my suitcase arrived within 10 mins. The toilets have been modernised and are much cleaner than on previous visits. The decor in the airport is still from another era and gives a bad first impression of India. However, I expect that this will change as the refurbishment continues. Customs, unlike in years gone by, is a mere formality these days and I am heartened that someone actually checks the baggage tags before you are allowed to leave the airport. Despite the appearance of the airport, from arriving at the gate to passing through customs took only 25mins. This is a key factor for me as such a quick exit is seldom possible in my home airports of Heathrow and Gatwick. The domestic transfer bus is clearly signposted, however, the waiting area is shabby and badly managed. A cafe would be a welcome addition. Only passengers with domestic transfer departing within one hour were permitted to take the first bus. The airport employees were not able to communicate effectively in English so most non-Hindi speaking passengers like myself took advice from the Jet Airways staff who misinformed us that the transfer buses only depart every 30-45 mins. After contemplating whether to take a taxi for 10 mins, the next bus arrived and the transfer took about 15mins. Being India, there were plenty of people to assist with suitcases and although I tipped, no one asked me to. The domestic airport is a whole different experience. Unlike most other airports in India (BLR and HYD excepted), the private airline terminal is modern, efficient, clean with a few shops of interest, a cafe and restaurant. The only thing to note is that the best of these facilities are before security. Signposting, departure boards and announcements were all clear and efficient. Overall, Mumbai is finally (after decades of being a complete disgrace) getting there and I look forward to the day that the refurb of the international terminal is complete!

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 16 August 2008 : by B Smith

Customer Rating : 1/5

Flying from Singapore to LHR via connecting flight at Mumbai. Air India plane was 1.5 hrs late at Singapore and therefore left Singapore late and missed connecting flight at Mumbai. I had to give up passport to immigration (no visa) so I could go to hotel arranged and paid for by Air India and catch morning flight next day. (14 hr delay therefore.) Next morning getting back into airport and queuing with 30 others to retrieve passport (and pray they haven't lost it ) was a total nightmare! I was concerned that they took so long that I would miss this flight as well. Staff are slow and no one really seems to know what is going on. Appear to be no bars, cafes. Air conditioning not working properly. I never want to use Mumbai ever again.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 22 July 2008 : by Kurt Mueller

Customer Rating : 3/5

International arrival at 2am smooth, with less than 5 minutes to get through immigration. Bags on the carousel almost instantly. Baggage delivery area still undergoing lots of renovation work. The terminal transfer bus looked like an extra from a Mad Max movie. Sahar departure area now actually resembles an airport, with higher ceilings, proper lighting and air conditioning. However, one does wonder when the Bombay Airport management will realise that passengers expect some bar, restaurant or coffee shop prior to check-in where one can socialise with people seeing you off and wrap up business. Check-in (for LH) quite swift, immigration took about ten minutes, and security (now prior to going downstairs to gate area) another ten. Gate area now much greatly improved with more (and better) seats. Renovation work still ongoing, so the current lack of watering holes might be temporary. Screens with up-to-date departure information now all over the place, yet incessant gate calls make waiting in this part of the airport hard on your ears.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 6 July 2008 : by R Patell

Customer Rating : 3/5

Used Mumbai for Thai Airways flight to Bangkok return. The bags have to be x-rayed first and that took 30 minutes. The check in area was crowded with long queues - once through with this immigration was another 15 minutes. Duty free shops with quite a good selection at departure now and the seating was adequate and every gate area had its own seating section. Food selection still minimum - would be nice to have a good coffee place. Arrival back from Bangkok was a different ordeal. Very long queues with a 3 flights in at the same time the immigration took 45 mins. People broke the lines and no one blinked and security was appalling. Baggage took 30 mins to get there. Customs was a joke as I was waived through. Outside the building you step straight into muddy water as the airport is being redone and their is no place to shelter from the rain and to get to the taxi stand is a 3 min walk in the rain.

MUMBAI AIRPORT review : 29 April 2008 : by S Srinivasan

Customer Rating : 3/5

Used domestic Terminal 1B (Kingfisher Airlines) and international Terminal 2C (South African Airways) this time. They are not as good as 1A and 2A, but not nearly as bad as they used to be. Terminal 1B is under construction, and as such, the arrivals area is incredibly dark and drab. On the bright side, not many airlines use this terminal, so bags were on the belt within 5 minutes of arrival. The international terminal coach transfer desk was hard to find, but it was much easier to use than the useless "boarding card" system used at 1A - you just sit in the waiting area and wait for them to call, then get on. Terminal 2C - there's not enough seating if you get there too early to check-in, and the immigration lines are rather long (about 25 minutes to clear). Plus, it's still the "old style" Mumbai terminal with no reclining chairs, no shops, and no restaurants to speak of. Arriving back from JNB, we were through immigration in 5 minutes, despite being at the back of a full Economy section, and bags were already on the belt when we got through. Customs is now a joke - unless you're coming from Dubai or Singapore, they just wave everyone through the green channel to get your bags x-rayed, though the officer doesn't seem to question anybody or anything.