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Kinshasa Airport Passenger Reviews and Kinshasa Airport Traveller Reports
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Kinshasa Airport customer review : 3 December 2012 by R Thomasson (UK) |
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Rating : 4/10 |  |
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Having got past the x-ray machine you arrive in a large circular domed room with a balcony. Its very noisy
and the only shops are the other side of a partition which you can no longer access. There appear to be no
facilities but at the far end of the room from the entrance between the gift stall and the DGM control is a
staircase. Go up the stairs and you will find toilets and just past these a decent restaurant overlooking the
ramp. Prices are not cheap, $5 for a coke but there's no 'helpers' to hassle you and its calm compared with
the waiting are in the domed building. Beware engaging with the locals even if they look official in a hi vis
vest as suddenly they will ask for $ for assistance. Also remember to pay your departure Tax ($50) at the
DGM office near the entrance well before departure time as this can be very busy, make sure you retain the
pink receipt which you will need to hand over before getting on the aircraft. Having got out onto the ramp the
airline will carryout a bag search of all hand baggage.
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Kinshasa Airport customer review : 1 August 2011 by Jeff Peires (South Africa)
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |
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Getting into Kinshasa is quite OK, getting out is something else. The airlines don't/can't have their own staff at
the terminal, all the flights (Kenya, South African, Ethiopian) are handled by the same slow and unfriendly
personnel. There is now an official exit tax of $50 plus a couple of minor unofficial ones. Airport is gloomy,
very little seating, nothing to do except worry about what is going to happen next. VIP exit lounge, while hardly
Heathrow, is clean and bright and you get a free drink, well worth the extra $30. Even if you speak French, don't
even contemplate going to Kinshasa unless your host/hotel sends a "protocol" to meet you at the airport, and escort
you out. Be sure to stock up with US $5 bills for unofficial taxes - they won't take less, and they don't expect
more. On a more positive note, it is irritating rather than frightening, and once you're through the airport
everybody is pleasant and everything is fine.
Kinshasa Airport customer review : 15 May 2011 by Dave Stanley (UK)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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Not much has changed. They are now using buses to take you to/from the aircraft - a backwards
step in my view. The 100m walk from the aircraft was a relief after the flight. No real
problems arriving. It may help to have someone meet you (called airport protocol) if it is
your first visit. Check in can now be done at the airline offices in town, if you can finish
work early enough. This can save a lot of hassle at the airport. The business lounge is in
poor condition now. The air conditioning is near non existent.
Kinshasa Airport by Roy Blewett
25 July 2007 Customer Rating : 
Ndjili is certainly an experience. Arrival was reasonably smooth (and
would have been smoother if South African had actually had some landing
cards). Departure is a bit of a performance, with any number of checks
and people with different rubber stamps involved. Check-in is entirely
a manual process, with hand-written baggage labels and seating worked
out usually a hand-drawn grid representing the cabin. But it all seems
to work. You need to identify your baggage walking out to the aircraft
and final security check is at the foot of the aeroplane steps. At no
point did anyone approach me looking for bribes, although that might
have been because I had a local escort, provided by my employer.
Kinshasa Airport by Michael Powell
30 September 2006 Customer Rating : n/a
I travelled in and out of N'Djili with SN Brussels in August. Its
reputation seems ill-deserved. Yes, it was a bit chaotic but not very
intimidating. I didn't have to hand over any "tips" going in or going
out. Check-in for the departing flight was downtown which made life
easier. The departure lounge was adequate with a small snack bar. They
are building a new duty-free shop. Be aware that the final passport
check and hand baggage check is at the plane steps. There are all sorts
of odd people wandering around at this stage so keep a close eye on your
hand luggage when you leave it for checking.
Kinshasa Airport by Dave Stanley
1 July 2006
The airport is not as bad as some of the earlier reports suggest.
Having a local guide meet you and handle the formalities will help a
lot. Most people hand over their passports, tickets and baggage to
these people and allow them to sort out the problems.
Kinshasa Airport by Paul Flynn
28 April 2006
David De Beer needs to visit other airports in Africa if he thinks
Kinshasa is the worst. With most African airports, you will get hassled,
either by baggage handlers, customs or the "Document man" who guide you
through the complicated checking in process. At Kinshasa, ensure you
have 2 x $20.00 notes in your pocket and nothing else. Each person in
the customs line will insist on opening your bags unless you "dib" them,
so don't bother packing nicely when you leave the hotel (Memling is the
best). Let the first two officials rumble through your smalls without
payment and the others don't bother when they see you haven't handed
over the dosh. The $20.00 is for the document man who takes over as you
arrive at the terminal. Let him take over, otherwise you will be there
for ages, he sorts all the tickets out, baggage etc and will ask for
$100.00 for his trouble and $100.00 for his sidekick who carries the
bags. he always asks for this whilst he has your boarding cards ans
passports in his hand, so take out the $40.00 and show him your empty
pockets. Also, don't count on asking for leg-room or aisle seats, be
grateful for anything as they can seem to be overbooked, this is another
scam to get money from you, don't offer money if they say overbooked,
stand your ground. Try Lubumbashi, Kitwe or Lusaka airports for a real
fun time!
Kinshasa Airport by William Church
28 April 2006
I think the best way to describe N'Djili is the approach to the airport
in car or van. It sets the stage better than anything else. As you drive
up, what seems like hundreds of men come out of no where and descend on
your car. They start jumping on the hood, holding on to your doors or
fenders or anything they can get hold of. Some of them want to be paid
to carry your bags. Others want the opportunity to find anything no
locked, glued, sealed with duck tape, bolted down, or secured by an
armed guard. The entrance is just as much chaos. You walk to the
terminal and there are people standing outside the terminal who want to
help you through immigration or carry your bags. Do not give your
passport to someone who promises to help. Have him take you. Go with
him. But do not hand over your passport.
Kinshasa Airport by Kim Hansen
11 December 2005
This is what West Africa is all about. If folks do not gain that sort of
knowledge before start working in West Africa they should stay home. I
have been all up and down the coast since early 1980 and have seen
things I do not even want to write about. But that is what it is. Live
with it. Brace yourself, Do not stand out, Do not be smart and blend in
- you will cruise through.
Kinshasa Airport by Ned Hopkins
24 October 2005
I endorse what David de Beer wrote. I'd add that just before our flight
departed, a troop of armed soldiers strode menacingly down the aisle of
the plane, entering at front and exiting out the back of the plane. We'd
been forewarned not to look at the in the eye.
Kinshasa Airport by David de Beer
12 October 2005
This is by far the worst airport in the world. Be very sure that you will be hassled by everybody
from immigration to airport security. Everybody will demand a bribe or be sure to have enough
troubles coming your way. Checkin is a total joke with absolutely NO queues or rules, it is
orginized choas. Do not go there unless you have a contact to help you clear all the corrupt
officials.
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