Abu Dhabi Airport

1st tine through and we have to queue to travel across the airport as the walkway has broken meaning no one can reach security. On the way home and there are no toilets all have closed for the last 45 minutes as they are out of water! It seemed quite poor generally but this is a joke.

One of the worst International terminals I have traveled through in the last 5 years. This airport is simply not able to cater to the growing traffic and Etihad's massive expansion. Took almost 2 hours to clear immigration. The staff behavior near the immigration counter is very rude and partial. Just 4 or 5 counters for foreign passport holders (GCC Passport holders have separate counters) and the queues were long. There is no space at all for sitting just one central area - crowded all of the time. Long queues on all tunnels leading to boarding gates as the same tunnel is used by the arriving passengers. This airport is full of chaos.

I used AUH on my recent trip to the Philippines as a connection. On both legs I spent only 3 hours in the place. Arrived at Terminal 3 but was departing from Terminal 1 on my outbound leg. The airport website tells you it takes 20 minutes walk but it was more like 10 but I travel light and move fairly quick. Terminal 1 was chaos! It simply is not big enough to house the traffic in and out. Long queues and very little seating. It is also very expensive even for just a drink. Inbound leg both flights arrived and departed from Terminal 3 which is much better. Still the queues into the gates are too long. Had my passport and boarding pass checked twice in the space of 10 meters. All in this place still only gets an average rating. I would use this airport again providing Etihad's ticket prices are decent and hope I only have to use Terminal 3.

I travelled with two little children MAN-AUH-ISB return. On both occasions we had to go to terminal 3 from terminal 1 and I found it very smooth. Security facilities and every thing was perfect. All luggage was received quickly and in perfect condition.

Last visited this airport in the 1980s. In a way I'll be sorry to see it go as its tiled doughnut satellites have stood the test of time architecturally speaking. Compare this with the monstrosity at Charles de Gaulle which seems to have aged in less than 10 years. The biggest problem in landing at the international airport is it take about 15 mins to taxi to/from the runway as the new airport terminal construction means that there are a series of contraflow taxi ways. I read a lot of complaints but I took a family of three young children through the terminal at 2:00am and nothing but praise for the staff and services. The Merc Taxis are spacious and not overpriced.

Picture an airport where the following happens. You arrive and exit from the plane into buses without aircon in the sweltering heat next to an Air Berlin A330. After a while the driver emerges switches the A/C on and drives forever past building sites and runways driving driving at one stage right next to the taxiway so it looks like we'll be clipped by a taxiing B747 driving driving until finally he stops at a rubbish tip. This is next to Gate 19 at an airport building. You enter into Gate 19 and learn that your connecting flight departs from Gate 53. Gate 19 is at a smallish circular building packed with people trying to find their way to other gates. Many need to go one floor up but the single narrow escalator has a 40 m waiting queue. So you take the stairs and follow signs for Gate 53. Walking walking round the corner past renovation sites walking walking oh look there's a narrow walkway but it is clogged with people walking. Gate 53 turns out to be in the "new" part of the airport. After a lot of more walking you find gate 53 in time for the boarding call. All passengers of a B777 form a single queue which is attended by a single person checking passport & boarding passes. Many airport staff members walk by merrily but have other tasks than helping out with the check-in procedures. Standing standing shuffling forward ah yes you have cleared the checking person and are guided to a bus. The bus fills up with people doors are closed but we don't move until four more buses are filled up as well only then does our convoy take off. We drive past building sites past the "new" part of the airport past a circular building driving come very close to the taxiway. The bus convoy stops four planes down and all passengers from the 5 buses form a single queue to board the plane. I travel extensively for my business and have never been at an airport where infrastructure was so bad plus the staff is very unapologetic. At least the staff at Heathrow apologise for the chaos. An absolute joke of an airport.

Seriously this must be the worst airport in the world. Too many people too few seats too few restaurants and too many useless duty free shops. Yes there's free wifi but it is agonizingly slow. Do not be duped by Etihad's low prices when it involves transiting in Abu Dhabi. Avoid this airport at all cost. If you insist on transiting at this airport do it at your own risk.

Far too small an airport for the number of passengers. Staff not very helpful. Security was sloppy and as a result concerning. Its a shame Etihad is a very good airline but the airport is rubbish.

In transit from Australia with Etihad. Complete chaos around the boarding gate new passport control before going to the gate made this much worse. This is an airport to avoid its overcrowded and organisation is very poor.

Recent flight in Business class from AUH to DUB all is fine for Biz check in but once you get to airside pure chaos. Place totally overcrowded shops poor Etihad lounge packed no space don't even mention trying to board an aircraft with huge queues no Biz class priority and further security checks at the gate which has no waiting area. This is airport is severely effecting Etihads growth. I'll stick to DXB.