OR Tambo Johannesburg Airport Passenger Reviews and Customer opinions

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Getting bussed from plane to terminal is always a sign of poor design or poor management, especially when you're on the national carrier and there are lots of empty airbridges. And it was a long bus ride. Then the luggage took more than 30 minutes to arrive since it had to make the same long trek - maybe that's why passengers take so much hand luggage on SAA flights. Inside the terminal, it gets better but it's still got poor layout and signage (ask the many help staff or you'll never find the gates).

Arriving in Johannesburg on international flights, one is greeted with a most irritating announcement, with each incoming flight. The speaker, who is really not fluent in English makes an announcement to welcome passengers for each incoming flight. He proceeds to drone on for 10 minutes, explaining that each passenger travelling onwards needs to collect their baggage before the next leg of their flight. It does not stop there - he then reads a list of every local destination for which this rule applies. And again, let me repeat, in very poor English. He no sooner finishes the announcement, when the next flight arrives, and he starts from scratch. The other point is that the speaker system is not the best, so it is very hard on the ears, as it comes across full blast. The real point is does one need this after a long-haul flight? It is so unprofessional and so unnecessary.

Flying from Cape Town to London via Johannesburg very disappointed with OR Tambo. We were flying with the national carrier (SAA) through the country's main airport on a major international route and we had to be bussed to the plane. It reminded me of cheap charter flights to Mediterranean destinations in the 1970s. Worse than that there were only about 10% of the seats required for waiting passengers who had to stand for an hour as the flight was delayed after the monitors instructed passengers to go to the date. I thought this place had been upgraded for the World Cup 2 years ago.

As a frequent traveler to South Africa I do not have more complaints or compliments to give this airport if compared to other intl airports I fly to. Lines for passport control up on arrival and departure can be long sometimes. Baggage collection is decent. Custom officers are polite and professional. Check in area is still the same as it was before the world cup even if most other parts of the airport have been modernized. Duty free is expensive. Several bars and restaurants in duty free area but usual airport prices and usual junk food. My compliments to people working in this airport all of them have always been very helpful and friendly.

Travelling to CPT from MUC twice last year, I had to change planes at OR Tambo. Immigration and luggage without much waiting, food courts with many choices for snacks at low prices and friendly service staff so a very good airport overall. Still I would prefer not having to go through customs before reaching final destination.

This is a modern airport. Good staff. Clean but facilities are not so clean. I had 8 hours to wait for my connecting flight and 9 hours the second time. Good offer of restaurants and shops. The check-in area is very good (in both terminals) and the boarding area depends. In a big hall of AXX gates the organization is not so good compared with other areas of this airport.

Very modern airport, which compares well with pretty much any major airport around the world. It is quite spacious and well lit, and easy to get around. There is a nice selection of shops, and good choice of restaurants. Restrooms are very clean. Being a South African citizen, I cannot comment on immigration but I have never had problems and the processing of citizens is done quickly and efficiently. I have never had issues with customs. The facilities are of a high standard. Staff exhibit the typical South African hospitality and are friendly and helpful.

A mixture of positives and negatives. The positives: quick processing of luggage on arrival and quick check-in on departure. Facilities clean and well maintained. As others have commented, lots of eating options with competitive prices (for an airport). Staff friendly. Departure halls airy and well lit with some nice shops. There is also an observations deck in the public area. Negatives: On arrival on a domestic flight the corridor to the baggage claim area is gloomy with few windows. Also signage is v.poor. I almost missed the escalator down to baggage claim and finding the bus terminal for the hotel shuttles is not easy. Certainly this airport needs to seriously improve the signs throughout the building, otherwise lots of potential to be a v.good airport.

Overall, a pleasant experience and the best airport I found in Africa. The facilities are certainly comparable to any major airport in Western Europe. When we arrived from JFK I found our TSA locks on our luggage had been removed, but nothing was missing. On the rest of our flights the locks and contents were untouched. Going through Customs and Immigration each time was quick and efficient, and there were very short lines. The restaurants have reasonable prices and we found a lounge for about $18 each, while we had a 3 hour connection wait. Very good food and facilities for that price. There are lots of stores.

I have not been to JNB for 4 years and was very pleasantly surprised. All staff I encountered were very polite and friendly. Shopping great. Distances are not too long for walking and signage tells you what you need to know.

Despite being a modern airport that has been upgraded recently due to last year’s Soccer World Cup there are many things that need serious improvement. The attitude of the staff leaves a lot to be desired, especially at passport control. Who likes having their passport limply thrown back at them after being mumbled at? As a regular traveller to South Africa I’m used to it but for many people this is their first impression. There is a facility for international arrivals passengers with onward domestic connections whereby you can check in your luggage and receive your boarding card for your next flight prior to leaving international arrivals. It’s a good idea and reduces the chances of you being hassled by the porters when you enter the public area. However, it’s not too clearly signed or easy to spot and only appears to be available for passengers travelling onwards with SAA or Express and Airlink. On our recent trip, there was only one check in clerk with a small queue of around 7 people, yet it took about 10 minutes to check the luggage and issue a boarding card. In our case, the check in clerk didn’t even look at or speak to us. I managed to get her to speak by saying at the end “Is that it?” to which I received a whispered “yes”. However, the same staff at South Africa’s provincial airports are completely different and are a pleasure to deal with. The two terminals are listed as A and B. With A being international and B domestic, yet there is no indication of this. Domestic check-in is fine but international is dire. Too cramped, dark, a low roof and the attendants at the start of check in insist you check in at a self-service kiosk which doesn’t issue a boarding card, but a slip acknowledging you are there. Then you still have to go through the normal check in routine. Each time I’ve travelled through this airport my bags have been tampered with. This is a problem that is widely known yet nothing seems to have been done about it. On one trip back to the UK starting at PLZ via JNB the check in clerk at PLZ suggested that I just checked my bags to JNB, picked them up and rechecked them so that they had the least time unattended. I do this every time now. On the positive side, facilities are fine with plenty of varied shops and places to eat, both land and airside. A good thing to note is that domestic departures landside have much better shops and eating places than airside, so if you have a long wait for your flight, I recommend checking in and then get something to eat etc. before going through security. I would avoid this airport if I could but it’s not always possible.

I have traveled through OR Tambo numerous times. It is a very big airport now, you don't feel cramped and crowded and the connection between Domestic and international is a bonus to before. Very clean inside. International there are a lot of shops & restaurants but they don't seem to cater for the normal person or taste, all expensive lines and not much available for children. There is no play area inside the airport anywhere. Very long airport and my flights usually end up being right at the end, so walking, walking and more walking. I have never seen staff riding with golf-cars offering rides to elderly, people with babies or even very small children. The biggest annoyance ever for me is the lack of luggage trolleys, departing and arriving, and then I don't even talk about that long walk from landing to get to customs - up ramps, down escalators or elevator out of the way with 2 small children and 4 peoples hand-luggage including baby bag, which we all have to carry because they thought it a good idea to bring our pram out together with the luggage collection and no trolleys! Check in is reasonably - I would suggest that they start international check-ins earlier than 2 hours before flight. I have also had my bags tampered with - checked in early waiting for flight down to DUR, all 3 our bags locks were broken off and zips damaged.

As a shopping opportunity, OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg is superior to that of most airports I've been in. Aside from the usual touristy places, there are quite nice clothing shops and other stores. However, as an airport where I want to actually check my bags and expect to see them safe and unopened again, O R Tambo is one of the worst airports in the world! On two out of three occasions when my bag went through this airport it was opened and items stolen. The last time, after I had taken out just about everything of any value except clothes and toiletries (my carry-on bag now weighed a ton!), they broke off the lock sides completely, now making the bag just garbage. This was despite my having paid for the "security shrink wrap" they offer at check-in. These activities are well known at O R Tambo but the airlines and authorities don't seem to care. I am never going near this airport again!

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Customer Rating :  2/5

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Customer Rating :  5/5

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Customer Rating :  5/5

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Customer Rating :  5/5

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Customer Rating :  1/5

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Customer Rating :  1/5

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Customer Rating :  4/5

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Customer Rating :  3/5

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Customer Rating :  4/5

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Customer Rating :  2/5

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Customer Rating :  3/5

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Customer Rating :  4/5

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