Cairo Airport

Flying Dar-es-salaam to London last week I had to transit for 5 hours in Cairo. They gave all transit passengers to London a free city tour of Cairo for 3 hours! Lunch was also included which was a take away lunch box from a local restaurant. They even sorted out all the visa formalities for all of us.

My return flight from Cairo has left a bit of a sour taste. I think that "tea money" or bakshish was requested virtually on each step from check in till boarding which is something I haven't experienced yet in CAI airport before. It started when I flew from Munich to Cairo T3 where I had a 2 days stop over. Passport control was fast which is great after that and 2 meters from passport control a police officer re-checks your passport to see the entry stamp. You go to puck up your bags and there it starts. When you see your bag and go to get it then you find a couple of guys trying to help you forcefully and then expect tea money as they specifically said it. I go through the "green zone" which practically isn't that green as everyone is being controlled. Check passport again and open bags. close bags and "welcome to Cairo any chance for tea money sir?". The arrival hall is empty as all waiting people were kicked out for some reason or another. My departure for Bangkok was definitely an experience. I will count passport checks and tea money from my check in to boarding! TO enter the hall and the check in area then you have to be only a passenger - so I got my passport checked and the gentleman wished me a pleasant flight and some tea money. I go to Xrays to enter the check in area so I get my passport checked and the officer smiled and asked if I had any tea money. I go to check in that took longer than its supposed to. Each check in counter has a gentleman to help the bags on the scales. Since I had only a small bag I helped myself and my passport checked and tea money was asked by the helper. I proceed to Passport control and go through with ease. I proceed to the gate where the passport is checked and went again through x rays while boarding at the door the passports were checked again and I was once again asked for tea money. I was annoyed by that stage - going through he airbridge to the plane and what do we have there - a gentleman controlling my passport I mean security is a good thing but this is a bit weird. I would like to rest assured tourists will be spared much of the tea money (not a guarantee) since I am part Egyptian and look so. So the terminal can be as clean and modern as can be but his has topped any experience that I had.

What a difference a Terminal makes. Terminal 2 still is a joke and an embarrassment. Terminal 3 is the first time I felt like flying to Cairo and actually landing in an airport that is closer to standards. The new terminal is however used only by Egyptair and Star alliance. The terminal building is airy and clean sufficient amount of shops and cafes walking distances are not that far. The access taxiways to the terminal takes ages so the planes taxing was around 25min! The negative points are more because of local habits. For the first time I met a female passport control officer who was rude for that I am taking 2 stars off. Only passengers can enter the terminal building even the waiting areas. If you are not a passenger then you have to "buy" a ticket which is a bit annoying as they sent us 600m away to a stall to get the ticket. I realize that this is to control the crowds and the "taxi drivers" who hunt for arrivals but this is not the way to do it. Only passengers are allowed al the way to check in counters! Check in agents helpful and a young crowd. So I guess its a far better place than I have experienced in an Egyptian airport.

Chaos seems to be the order of the day at this airport for arrivals and departures. Give yourself lots of time for check-in. Road access is very circuitous could not find indicators/screens to advise of arrivals and departures in Terminal 1 arrivals hall transfers from one terminal to another was convoluted. Be aware of Islamic holidays and other special times when the crowds are checking in.

Went through terminal 2 on flight to/from Doha on Qatar Airways. On arrival I was hustled by various people who wanted to "help" me find a taxi etc. even before immigration. This terminal is a mess! The building is old and run down. On the way home food was poor and overpriced and staff are either not interested or looking for some kind of tip. Really it's not a pleasant place to spend two hours and does not give a good first impression on arrival. On the other hand I flew domestic on EgyptAir through new terminal 3 building during my visit to Egypt which was a much better experience although signage and announcements were lacking. Keep an eye on the boards as they can change without warning!

Arrived from JFK to CAI new terminal. Facilities were neat immigration fast customs a bit confusing . Long wait for luggage but finally arrived. Terminal building was nice modern signage sufficient staff a bit disorganized but finally everything fell in it's place.

I have flown a number of flights through the new T3. Better traffic control outside newer/modern look alcohol available in bar/restaurant many gates with walkways fairly efficient check in and passport control departing. The bad - business class lounge (they just opened a second Egyptair this last week) are poor - the attendant told me they would be opening up a nicer one in a matter of months frequently claim a gate is open when it isn't so you walk all the way and are stuck in a hall with a bunch of other people in front of the closed gate (and you have to go through security again) and on arrival the scene at passport control is pure chaos! I spent 30+ minutes in the business/first class line because they allowed individuals with group passports (5-10 passports in a stack) to cut ahead of the business and first class passengers in line! The other lines were extremely long and extremely slow. And also bad is you still get stuck using a bus despite them having open gates and the drive from plane to terminal is a good fifteen minutes. So overall I'm pretty disappointed and actually preferred terminal one with its McDonalds Starbucks and Cinnebon (none of which have a franchise in T3).

I am using Cairo airport on a regular basis (T1 and T2) and it is not really an enjoyable place to get through. CAI is just disorganised people jump queues crowd control at departure is inexistant signage is inconsistent and the chaos at passport control (Terminal 1) is something worth being filmed although immigration officers do an obvious effort to be polite on arrival. Options for transport to the city vary between shabby taxis and being ripped off by so called limousine agencies. No trains or decent buses are available. Terminal 3 has recently opened and let's hope that is gives a better image of the country.

Complete nightmare avoid this airport at all costs. Badly laid out and staff are rude and unhelpful. Overpriced food dirty bathrooms generally unpleasant. Smokers everywhere. Unfortunately had to spend a total of 11 hours there - never again. Pyramids are not worth this.

Absolutely horrible! Upon arrival before passport control aggressive touts approach you form all sides trying to get money for helping you trough immigration or for organising taxis. Completely unnecessary "help"! Departure hall chaotic and people smoking every where. Filthy toilets stinking from far away! Hard to understand how a country with tourism being so important and with special tourist police doesn't do anything about the airport!