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Dar es Salaam Airport Passenger Reviews and Dar es Salaam Airport Traveller Reports
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DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT customer review : 25 February 2013 by Alan Sargeant (Australia) |
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Rating : 1/10 |  |
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Cleanliness |  |
Facilities |  |
Recommended |  |
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Chaotic check in, very slow immigration. Sub standard business lounge. Allow a lot more time to get through
the process than you would take at a normal airport.
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DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT customer review : 29 November 2012 by D Kusiak (Sweden) |
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Rating : 1/10 | |
Queuing | |
Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended | |
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Very poor airport. Very long waiting time to come into terminal building. Hot temperature outside and even
inside. Not very clean airport. Staff very inexperienced.
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DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT customer review : 12 April 2012 by Dirk Visser (Netherlands) |
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Rating : 5/10 |  |
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Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended | |
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Terminal feels like it was built in the 1960s and is stuck in a time warp. Very small and a bit cramped, with
some (expensive) shops airside and some cafeterias. Dimly lit inside and air conditioning is not optimal, so
on hot days it can get quite uncomfortable. Waiting area is alright, but not comfortable. No WiFi in the
airport; not even in the lounge. Staff at check-in can be surly and waiting times at security and check-in
ridiculously long, with everything done manually. Immigration and visa staff actually nice and fairly efficient;
no complaints there.
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DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT customer review : 21 December 2011 by K Kerenge (Tanzania) |
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Rating : 1/10 | |
Queuing | |
Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended | |
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The service quality from security guards and the staff is probably the worst you can possibly get. The waiting
area is uncomfortable, not enough seating with awful toilets. All in all, a lousy airport.
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DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT customer review : 20 December 2011 by Robert Halverson (USA) |
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Rating : 1/10 | |
Queuing | |
Cleanliness | |
Facilities | |
Recommended | |
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Another horrible airport. We arrived on a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg in the afternoon. We
were funnelled into immigration and customs area, which has no air conditioning in this hot and humid city.
Foreigners gathered around the glass booths where officials came out, took your passport and visa payment,
then disappeared inside. The process took about an hour, meanwhile, our luggage had been taken off the
conveyer belt and put aside unguarded in a hallway. When you exit the terminal you are hounded by taxi
drivers asking outrageous prices. When we arrived to fly out, our Precision Air flight had broken down in
Zanzibar and was delayed. However, they gave few details on when it was expected to resume. It was a very
uncaring attitude by the check-in staff. We were delayed 3 hours, and were caught off guard by the sudden
(and muffled) announcement that it was now boarding. The departure lounge has some stores but they are
limited. The airport is small with few facilities.
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Dar es Salaam Airport customer review : 22 July 2011 by Hangyun Kim (South Korea)
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |
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| Cleanliness |
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'Simplicity' is the word to describe Dar es Salaam International Airport. The terminal itself is very basic and
rudimentary. But it does have most facilities that an international airport needs. There are 'duty free shops' that
sell souvenirs, T-shirts, electric's and cosmetics. There are restaurants that sell 'western' cuisine and soft drinks but
they are overpriced. Toilets were ok, not clean, but not too unhygienic. Ground service was rather slow, but
immigration process was swift both in and out. But the airport is a bit disorganized. No A/C before the security, but
there is after. Don't expect wi-fi service.
Dar es Salaam Airport customer review : 11 May 2011 by Kagwe Gichohi (Kenya)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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| Cleanliness |
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I travelled to Dar for the weekend in April and found the airport much smaller that I expected.
Nevertheless, it is fairly clean and design allows for natural airflows - important in Dar.
Arrival relatively painless although the baggage conveyor belt doesn't work so instead there
are airport officials asking which flight you were in and directing you to the bags. Departure
was a different thing altogether. I needed to purchase a ticket but lo and behold there wasn't
a single ticketing office (airline offices and agents included) that accepted any kind of cards
whatsoever. So the trick is to withdraw cash at ATM. There are three ATMs and everyone at the
airport was quite sure they don't work. I approached all 3 to confirm for myself but was waved
away by staff and security as well as shop attendants who were quite sure they do not work.
Mercifully, a taxi man offered to take me to the nearest one that may be working outside the
airport for free - an offer I accepted. Having bought the ticket, I chose to sit at the airport
- there is sitting outside the building in a kind of pavilion which is good for the heat but
the seats are hard. There was no wifi so I elected to visit the only cyber cafe at the airport
which had ok speeds but charged in blocks of half an hour. As I was sending emails and waiting
for replies, I found that method rather inconvenient. There is only one restaurant at the top
with fairly good meals which I sampled whist still waiting for the flight. After checking in,
I proceeded to the gate I was shown waiting to board. When the boarding call was made, I
proceeded towards the gate but the airport staff denied be entry via that gate suggesting it
was for a different flight. I was referred to other staff who referred me to the same gate and
told me to wait there. We did this back and forth for a while - with me showing ticket
indicating I was at the correct gate. In the end, the same staff started announcing my name for
final boarding call. I told them I was the one and they seemed surprised. Fortunately, airline
staff happened by and intervened, allowing me to gain entry via the exact same gate. I raised
the matter with the airline staff who didn't seem surprised at all by the escapade. I almost
missed the flight over something so simple. I felt the airport staff should have been a bit
more attentive and methodical in their handling of the situation.
Dar es Salaam Airport customer review : 10 June 2010 by J Hertzler (USA)
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |
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Needed to change airlines and reclaim and recheck luggage here en route to Nampula,
Mozambique. It was not at all clear which to do first. Consequently we got on the flight to
Nampula on LAM but our luggage did not. Other passengers told us that this happens "most of
the time" on this flight. The problems with baggage appear to originate in the Dar es Salaam
terminal. Had it not been for some friendly and helpful staff, we might not have gotten
through at all.
Dar es Salaam Airport customer review : 18 February 2010 by Philip Keating
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
Flew through at 22.00 with Swiss, it was very quick bag drop - (check in online if you can as
you can drop it of at first class desk). Airport still hot, but the guys at the cafe friendly
and serve drinks quick. When you have passed security at the gate they have air conditioning
which is heaven after the heat of Tanzania. I like this small airport - have never had a
problem and have used it several times.
DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT customer review : 18 June 2009 : by J Mathieson
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
This is not a good place to travel through. They stopped improving it in about 1957. There is
no way you can use a credit card here to buy an airline ticket. To go and buy a ticket you
have to go through security - but you need a ticket to go through security - you then have to
get a pass to go through security by leaving your passport behind. Very disorganized, chaotic,
slow lines, repetitive checking for no reason, hot, sweaty, limited service. The business
class lounge is not too bad. This place really needs some work. The smaller airports in
Tanzania are fine, but this one has to be the worst airport for its size I have been in. The
only saving grace is that most of the people are nice.
DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT review : 15 June 2009 : by Philip Keating
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
My flight was at 21.20 on a Friday night. It was very busy and if you are travelling at this
time, leave at least 2 hours to get to your gate. I have got through to the departure gate in
30 minutes on previous.
DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT review : 6 April 2009 : by F Pang
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
An airport with very basic facilities. Arrival was smooth: I waited for around 15 min for
immigration clearance and 10 min for customs clearance (which was ok). In front of visa
counter I saw crowds of passengers applying for visa (fortunately I did not need a visa) so if
you are flying with a wide-body aircraft and you need a visa, it pays to disembark as early as
possible so you could proceed to visa counter quickly. The taxi stand outside arrival hall
claimed to offer 'govt-regulated' fares to different parts of the city, but the list could be
ignored as it is pricey. Bargain with drivers. There was an exchange shop at the far end of
the arrival hall which offered a relatively better exchange rate - Very similar to the rate in
city, so if one needs to buy some TZS that's a better option. Departure was more chaotic, with
the main problem being a lack of any flight information display. You just do not know which
lounge is for which flight. There are a few shops in departure lounges but not impressive in
particular.
DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT review : 23 February 2009 : by Philip Keating
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
There are some bars and restaurants 5 mins from the airport that are not expensive on the main
road. I had to travel in rush hour it pays to get to the airport early in rush hour but you
can not enter the airport before your check in time. I agree the traffic is very bad in rush
hour. There is not much to keep you entertained out side the airport so there is no point
getting there to early.
Dar es Salaam Airport by J Beard
18 February 2009 Customer Rating : 
The airport is one challenge but the traffic volume to reach the airport is incredible. Allow
lots of extra time to reach the airport from the city especially during the morning and
evening rush times.
Dar es Salaam Airport by Philip Keating
16 February 2009 Customer Rating : 
If you can book your seat at the front of the plane when you arrive it helps if you have to
purchase your visa in Dar Es Salaam as it a bit of a scramble. Passport control and collecting
luggage was no problem. Do not put too many clothes on when you leave, as the air conditioning
seems not to work - they were installing new system when I was coming through the airport.
Dar es Salaam Airport by S Marsden
21 May 2008 Customer Rating :
Dar airport was probably very nice when it first opened, however, after decades of neglect by the
airports authority it is not surprise that it is looking shabby, unkempt. The airport is slow, but
get used to it, nobody rushes in Dar. The business class lounge (soon to be rebuilt, but not in a
hurry!) is appalling in comparison to other airports, it's got free drinks and snacks and if you are
lucky you may get a seat. On the flip side of this you have the fact that if you are arriving, its
the gateway to one of the most beautiful and friendliest countries in the world. Look past Dar
airport!
Dar es Salaam Airport by Terry Jacobs
28 April 2008 Customer Rating : 
Dar must have the slowest system of processing people on arrival in the world. The queues snake up
the stairs as the single kiosk attempts to deal with it all. So when you reach the bottom of the
stairs you have about an hour to go. Once you get to the kiosk they take a computerised mug shot of
you then you just hang around for another half an hour while that gets in the system. The whole
airport needs levelling and rebuilding.
Dar es Salaam Airport by Alun Pugh
12 September 2007 Customer Rating :
Domestic terminal is great fun. You hang about with the pilots and other passengers etc watching the
flights come and go. When it's your turn you walk to the single prop, climb aboard and follow the
progress of the flight with your map and the GPS on the flight deck! The international terminal (built
to replace the old domestic terminal) is a mess. Sweaty (aircon doesn't work), poor value shops and
inefficient - a real third world job.
Dar es Salaam Airport by Ingvar Backéus
22 January 2007 Customer Rating : n/a
I have used this airport many times since 1974. In the 70s the terminal
building looked like a shabby rural bus station but the building that
was then erected is nice and also architecturally beautiful from inside.
Decent shops. Two lounges which are small but nice and -particularly
important - cool. The rest of the building is hot and humid, and the a/c
in the departure hall is hardly working. The toilets can also be
cumbersome since water is frequently lacking.
Dar es Salaam Airport by Philip Keating
30 September 2006
I was suprised when going through this airport. I had purchased my visa
in London before leaving. There was a small queue for non Tanzanian
passport holders but a Tanzanian immigration officer said I could go
through the Tanzanian passport desk. I was through in a couple of
minutes. My bag was ready for collection.It was the fastest I have ever
been through an airport. The only down side was the price of cigarettes
in the duty free shop on leaving. They where double the price if you had
bought from a supermarket in Dar Es Sallam.
Dar es Salaam Airport by Frans Erkens
25 May 2005
For a very small airport in a poor African country, its really not bad.
The departure hall is relatively spacious, with plenty of seats, a
decent cafeteria and restaurant, and a good selection of souvenir shops,
and there's even a bc lounge (not sure if its for a certain airline).
The arrival area is less nice. It is below the departure area and looks
like just a concrete basement area. Neither level is fully enclosed, and
especially on the arrivals level, which opens directly outside (no
doors) there will probably be mosquitos, etc. inside. There is a foreign
curency exchange, offering the same rates as those in the city. There
isn't really any public transport (unless you count the dalla-dallas
(minibuses) on the highway outside, which will undoubtedly be impossible
to board with any luggage), but as soon as you exit, if no one meets
you, you're likely to have taxi drivers approaching you from all
directions (don't pay more than 10000tsh (about $9).
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