Cairns Airport Passenger Reviews and Cairns Airport Traveller Reports   No Star Ranking Awarded         Add your Cairns Airport Review   Cairns Airport Ranking     Customer Review scoring : Cairns Airport   5 out of 10 24 reviews

	CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  24 April 2013 by K Pardoe    (Australia)
	Rating : 5/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Arrived at domestic airport and straight out to taxis, much improved on 2009 when last here. Flew out and quick security and check-in. However, on the way back we were transferring from one domestic flight to another. You arrive and have to leave the terminal and walk around the outside to go back through security. Considering all the work that has taken place recently I was surprised the transfer situation is so inelegant.

	CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  15 April 2013 by Susan Morgan    (UK)
	Rating : 0/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	We were flying CNS to HKG with Cathay Pacific and again very disappointed with Cairns Business Class Lounge. The food comprised of poor presentation along with an uninspiring menu. The only hot food displayed was soup and apart from various 'nibbles', the only other option was a dry baguette that had been sliced in inches and some salmon - completely unappetizing. As for drinks, the chilled cabinet consisted of only four bottles of wine, none of which were champagne, as you would expect when you're paying Business Class prices. I had to find someone from the kitchen to ask if champagne was available, and the young lady in charge told that no it wasn't available and that only a sparkling wine was an option. The bottle in the cabinet turned out to be flat and a fresh bottle was opened by said staff. Staff attitude was very poor. This wasn't our first time at Cairns Int. but the worst so far. And while we were in the Lounge, a lady ground staff member in full high viz jacket came in and helped herself to some soup - unusual to say the least.

	CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  23 July 2012 by Soeren Krumrey    (Australia)
	Rating : 3/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Have just arrived here for the first time in three years. The so called "renovation" has finally been finished but is a total let down. Walkways to the gates are at least covered now and airconed but still concrete walkways with metal shed like walls around it, worse than in 3rd world countries. Departure area has the same shops and fast food outlets as before. Major rip off is charging for luggage trolleys, even in London Heathrow and LA they are free! Felt ashamed when I explained to dozens of tourists from the US and Japan that they need to pay (cash coins - not even credit cards accepted!) for these. Great welcome into the country and absolutely not excusable!

	CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  18 July 2012 by Rod Harmer    (Australia)
	Rating : 1/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	I have travelled extensively around the world and would have to say that Cairns Domestic Airport is nothing short of disgraceful. Check in is OK but from there on it's an absolute shambles. Several flights have passengers in the one queue and you don't have any idea if you are in the correct one. The Airlines P/A is inaudible and there is very little seating in the common boarding area. Once you have worked out that you are in the correct very long queue it's a long wait to get through to the boarding check in and then it's almost a marathon walk to the aircraft. It must be at least 800+ metres and after walking up and down concrete ramps you then end up on an airbridge. There is no doubt that this appalling airport will put me off visiting Cairns again.

	CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  16 February 2012 by Brian Lamprell    (Australia)
	Rating : 1/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	What a “dog’s breakfast” of a place is Cairns Domestic Airport. Arriving passengers parade through the departure terminal, and eventually find their way into the baggage collection area. Dropping off passengers is also a trial. A very confusing series of direction signs can easily have motorists heading down dead ends or wrong roadways. It's the same for car rental returns. In the airport, to get from the car rental desk to the check-in area requires a 100 metre walk in the scorching sun or pouring rain.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  5 September 2011 by J Ansar   (New Zealand)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Arrived at International terminal, no facilities open at all - advised to go to domestic terminal put bags in locker and go through security to get some food "International". Airport is nice, big and empty but that is about it.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  26 September 2010 by Peter McDowall   (New Zealand)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Under staffed and lacking facilities such as airline lounges. Excessive queueing, untidy restaurants and cramped waiting areas. A complete contradiction to the rest our Cairns experience.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  24 May 2010 by Ralph Lewis   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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I've transited Cairns airport domestically a number of times in the last 12 months. The building work does not appear to be progressing satisfactorily - the baggage collection area remains a disgrace and for those unlucky enough to be arriving at gate 18 or gate 1, there is a long, very-poorly signposted walk landside, having to clear security again. Colleagues tell me that the security queues aren't always that bad, but I'm yet to experience short lines there.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  15 April 2010 by W Smithers   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Cairns Domestic is a shambles whilst the reconstruction of the terminal drags on forever. Make sure you have comfortable walking shoes on arrival, as the trek from the domestic arrivals Gates 20-22 are via a poorly signposted circuitous route taking you to the other side of the terminal, then you are directed outside in the elements dodging contractors and their equipment, to a soulless baggage collection hall miles from anywhere. Totally inadequate seating for departures, with passengers queuing up like sheep (despite everyone having an allocated seat) and blocking incoming passengers at the gate. PA announcements are inaudible and airport staff schlep around in a tropical topor.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review :  8 January 2010 by K Pardoe   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Domestic terminal undergoing major renovations/additions. Long walk from gate through building site and then quite a way outside to taxi upon arrival. All ok if you are up to it but could be difficult for less mobile or with lots of baggage/children. Also ok if not pouring with rain. On departure taxi drops off and you have to cross a road without cover to get into terminal, all ok if weather ok but you could get soaked if raining hard as is normal at this time of year. Was selected for hand baggage and clothing swab for explosives. Security staff nice and friendly.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review : 8 October 2009 : by Paul Harvey

Customer Rating : 4/5

Flew into Cairns as an international passenger from Darwin - very easy airport and the nicest welcome we have had on our trips to Oz. At 8 am there were adequate staff on passport and security control, our baggage arrived quickly and checking was done nicely and efficiently, with apologies for using us as a training example to a new member of staff. We got a taxi downtown, the only hicup was that the sign telling you to phone from the taxi pickup point (if there are none there) was missing so we waited 15 mins before someone came over to tell us to phone.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review : 8 April 2009 : by A Gebhart

Customer Rating : 1/5

Recently flew in and out of this airport on an international charter flight. I've been to Australia before, and it is one of my favorite destinations in the world. However, customs personnel upon arrival were unbelievably rude. You are not allowed to bring in food, and I never carry food with me. However, the sniffer dog indicated that I had food in my backpack. The customs official treated me like a criminal. After a thorough search of my backpack, all he could find were cough drops. He turned on his heel and walked away with his dog and not another word. No apology of any kind. This is probably the rudest arrival I have ever experienced anywhere in the world, and I travel quite a bit.

CAIRNS AIRPORT customer review : 2 February 2009 : by S Srinivasan

Customer Rating : 4/5

Used the Cairns domestic terminal recently. The arrivals area and baggage claim is a dump, but the ticketing/check-in area and the departures area isn't bad. There's not much in the way of shopping or restaurants if you have time to kill, and the seating areas are rather limited. The Qantas lounge is pretty decent, and best of all, it's a very short walk (just a couple of hundred feet) from the baggage claim to the taxi stand, and about the same from the passenger drop-off area to the terminal entrance on arrival - though this makes the A$4 baggage cart rental fee a big rip-off. Taxis are also reasonably priced to the city, despite the long distance.

Cairns Airport review by D walker

22 May 2007   Customer Rating :

Flew in and out of Cairns International recently and found the airport a breeze. Only a handful of carriers use the international terminal. Airside has all the usual stores, duty free and a centre cafe. They even have a chocolate store. Great lounges and plenty of space with none of the crowds of other gateways airports to Australia. Would recommend to anyone arriving or leaving Australia.

Cairns Airport review by A Smith

22 May 2007   Customer Rating :

Cairns airport is a little run down but still functional. Only problem is the lack of a decent coffee and meal at the domestic airport! Hungry Jacks is always a crowd pleaser but when you need a good coffee at 5:00am, its just not possible!

Cairns Airport review by Ron Villagracia

29 January 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

I've only used the domestic portion (I fly via SYD) and while it is small and a bit run-down, it's not a bad airport. In addition to the too-tiny baggage carousel, the Virgin Blue check-in area needs to be rearranged a bit. The queue for computerized check-in became entangled in the queue for the baggage drop. The computerized check-in area needs to be moved further away. I also appreciated the centralized booking desk for the shuttles to town. On my last trip there I liked the convenience of on-site car rental and return, but as with any Australian airport you pay an extra tax on the car that you wouldn't if you rented the car in town.

Cairns Airport review by P Major

22 August 2006

The facilities at Cairns airport aren't all that bad; however, arriving in Cairns on Jetstar or Virgin is a chore as both carriers use the same tiny belt in their dated arrivals area. Taxis are fairly quick to come through, though. Departing is okay, although a huge lineup at security meant it wasn't as efficient as it could have been. The real problem with the terminal is the Jetstar gates. People begin lining up well before they are even called and the small size of the terminal does not allow enough space for this. Luckily, Jetstar are introducing allocated seating (finally), which will solve this problem at the start of November.

Cairns Airport review by Andrew Wright

6 May 2006

I was fairly impressed by the range of retail stores available for international transit passengers at Cairns airport - mainly tropical touristy items, but that reflects the city. Not a great range of eating places, a hamburger bar, sushi and Japanese snacks and a cafe with cakes and slices for sale. All shops and restaurants were open when we arrived at 6:30am. The airport, incuding the bathrooms, appeared pretty clean. Decent views of the runway from the transit area. All in all a fairly pleasant place to stop for a short time.

Cairns Airport review by Mark Thomson

19 January 2006

Arrived at CNS airport on a Qantas flight from Brisbane and departed on an Australian Airlines flight to Singapore 4 hours later. The domestic and international terminals are linked by a covered and paved walkway and was a short and comfortable walk despite the heat (middle of the day on 26 December). Our luggage was tagged to SIN when we departed BNE so we didn't have to worry about lugging bags between terminals. CNS is not a big airport and doesn't have loads of retail outlets or much choice for food, but the staff are friendly, the terminal is modern and fresh, the beer at the bar is cold and we spent the four hours comfortably. We went on to deal with the masses in SIN, LHR, AMS, BKK and SYD airports and concluded that the smaller and more relaxed airport at CNS was the better of our experiences.

Cairns Airport review by Mark Johnson

13 November 2005

While International Airport is very small and easy to walk from one end to the other, the gate number signage as you go into the departures lounge is poor. Also, there are not enough screens, screens showing boarding and departure times and the relevant gate numbers.

Cairns Airport review by Belinda Grohl

6 September 2005

A nice and comfortable little airport, but were relatively frustrated by the staff. Myself and partner flew in to spend a 10 days in Port Douglas/Cairns area, and could not remember the exact address of hotel - Air NZ hostess recommended we just write hotel name. Big mistake. Were questioned by police as well as customs officials, bags scanned extra 3 times, searched and looted through. Apparently they thought we were going to overstay in the country, but the customs staff were extremely rude and definately ruined the start of the holiday. Both Air NZ and Qantas ground staff were very helpful though, which improved the experience slightly!

Cairns Airport review by Sally Heslop

28 January 2004

Departed from Cairns to London Heathrow via Tokyo for a family holiday. We were very impressed by the facilities offered at the airport especially in the departures lounge. Our only criticism would be that the departures lounge for international flights is locked until about 90mins before departure which meant that we had to hang around for 3 hours with little to do after arriving at the international terminal after a domestic flight. Otherwise a very welcoming airport which is bright and well designed.

Cairns Airport review by Xuess Wee

11 July 2003

An airport that serves only 6 International Air carriers (I think) - it is breezily functional. Cool and modern, the Australian airports tend to resemble each other - with little character to differentiate from each other. The Cairns Airport does look a little too big for its purpose. Check- in was fast and efficient though, as there was minimal queue, if any at all. Everything was done with little fuss and was much appreciated. Airport is only about 15-20 minutes away from the City Centre/Esplanade via Airport Shuttle Bus.

Cairns Airport review by W Haskett

9 December 2002

I recently used the Cairns International Airport as my gateway into/out of Australia. It is a small airport with big value. There are only two terminals at the Cairns airport, both of which can be comfortably walked end-to-end in 2 minutes. But there are no large crowds, long line-ups. Customs clearance was fast and efficient (4 inspections, questionings). There is a covered walkway between terminals which could be oppressively hot on a summer day but was quite enjoyable at 1 AM after flying for 20 hours. The domestic terminal is very quite at that time of night. They provide cushioned benches which could be cleaner but were welcome for a 5 hr layover.