Johannesburg Airport

Customer Reviews

3 star Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 166 reviews
4/10
3 star Skytrax Rating
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2/10

"staff not helpful"

(South Africa)

Signage everywhere but not clearly defined. Best is to follow your instincts or research the airport online before going there, so that you know where to go to prior to the time. Staff not helpful. Areas for collection when you care being collected at the airport not clearly marked, so it is a matter of you standing on the curb, so that you are seen, as opposed to level 2, fow B 13 for example, which would be helpful. Give yourself two hours, due to traffic delays to the airport and then to make your way to departures.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitApril 2016
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
6/10

"was just stared at"

(United Kingdom)

Departed Johannesburg Airport same day as Belgium bombings, security was extremely tight, no problem with that, understandable. No visitors were allowed near check-in, can understand that too, unfortunately I am disabled and was relying on a family member to lift my suitcase onto the weighing belt, asked for help at the desk but was just stared at, fortunately another passenger stepped up to help. No fast track through security for those with walking aids as is at Manchester Airport, the queuing, due to the heightened security alert was horrendously long and slow. No travellators. Be aware that if, god forbid, there is another such global attack, going to the airport 3 hours in advance of take-off may not be long enough. If I'd have known that there was going to be so much queuing and walking beforehand I would have asked for assistance at the time of booking but I didn't. I got to the gate just in time for boarding.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitMarch 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
3/10

"I was not impressed"

(United Kingdom)

I wonder if the airport is aware of 'porters' wearing orange tops and caps who offer their services without being requested to, approaching unsuspecting travellers offering to help them - yesterday one approached me as I was walking towards domestic departures after having disembarked from an international flight from London. I thought it was a service that the airport offered? However, on walking me to where I was to check in for my domestic flight I was asked for money. I could have found my own way there and was really under the impression that he was an employee of the airport. I only had British pounds on me and he told me that he would accept any currency and wasn't showing any sign of moving away until I had paid him. I was not impressed and will be aware of such a person should I ever have the misfortune to land here again.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitMarch 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
8/10

"could not hear announcements"

(South Africa)

Usually the airport timing, handling luggage and queuing in my experience is good. Today our flight to Upington was delayed due to bad weather. This is understandable and happens all the time, but the way it was handled by the boarding staff was very confusing. Our flight was delayed by 45min but all notification boards showed no delay. The boarding gate itself showed Upington boarding at the normal time despite the delay call over the intercom. When we all queued to board we were informed it is for another flight, not Upington, although the gate showed Upington. When the lady at the boarding gate saw the confusion she made an announcement over the intercom to clarify the situation but the audio was so unclear the you could not hear what she was saying. A lot of the passengers were complaining they could not hear the announcement. Despite all the confusion all the misleading flight info were left just as it were. Usually I'm satisfied with the airport but today was not a good experience.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitOctober 2015
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
9/10

"nothing adverse to report"

(Indonesia)

Reading the recent reviews I consider myself fortunate to have used the airport 4 times in a month with nothing adverse to report. I arrived early at 6.00am and was through immigration and collected my luggage in 20 minutes. Domestic departure was fine, security no issue. Arrived back into the domestic terminal and our luggage was already on the carousel. The only confusing part was after International checking in you have to walk behind the desks to get to immigration etc. Plenty of shops and dining options. I paid for the bidvest lounge which was a great way to spend a few hours before the flight.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJanuary 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
1/10

"tiring process at the airport"

(Netherlands)

We arrived late in the evening, around 10pm with two kids, 5 yrs old twins. All our paperwork was in order with birth certificates with us. But still the official wanted to have our papers checked by a senior manager because the immigration employee shared a personal opinion about who should be on the birth certificate. We had our original UK birth certificates with us, according to the employee we should have them translated. Even though English is an official language in SA. Then her senior manager came, who took our papers, passports and told us to wait. The arrival hall was empty now whilst we stood there waiting with two very tired kids. Even the employee who wanted to have a moral discussion with us left. In all it took us over an hour. The senior manager was very kind and nice, even apologetic for the wait we had to endure. In all it gave us a very mixed feeling about the welcome in SA, the employee made us feel incredibly unwelcome, her manager made us feel very welcome. The next day we had to fly onwards within SA, this was fine. Once you're in the country it's very relaxed. A single parent we met up with in Port Elizabeth from Germany, told us exactly the same, she had to wait for over 2.5 hours before let in with her two kids. She had all papers with her and the consent letter of her ex-partner, but still had to wait 2.5 hours. This new law is ridiculous. During our holiday we heard more horror stories, which made us feel as if our story wasn't that bad after all. During our wait we couldn't sit, after we were let in the country all places to get a drink or something to eat were already closed. In the customs area the floor wasn't terribly clean anymore after a day of thousands of people coming in. In all, once you go through this tiring process at the airport, you are in the most beautiful country ever. But even so, we haven't forgotten the treatment we got by the first official we met trying to enter this country.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJanuary 2016
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"Immigration lines are huge "

(Australia)

Immigration lines are huge and not enough staff working to process passengers and no one seemed to care about the huge lines or length of time it took. Several flights arrived and there were only 3 immigration officers serving the non South Africa line, the South African line looked worse. Bag drop is not well marked, nor is signage to terminal A or which one you need to go to for domestic connection. We were travelling business but had to queue for an hour.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitJanuary 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"a travelers nightmare"

(United Kingdom)

Using Johannesburg Airport (OR Tambo) in South Africa as transit to any other airport in South Africa or abroad is a travelers nightmare. This is the only airport that I know of, where you have to collect your bagage and re-check it in, when in transit. And this is where it all goes horribly wrong for the passenger. Airport staff is extremely slow in performing their duty, resulting in very long queues and passengers missing their connection flights. The incompetence and rude arrogance of staff is a common experience for many passengers. I have noticed many upset and very worried travellers that missed their connection flights, as a result of staff incompetence. Do not expect any help or simpathy from OR Tambo staff should this happen to you. Announcements over their system is of very poor quality (can not be heard or understand, it is there for of no help to the international traveller). Toilets ran out of toilet paper. Customer service and satisfaction is non existent at OR Tambo Johannesburg Airport in South Africa.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitJanuary 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
7/10

"always a pleasure"

(South Africa)

Johannesburg Airport is my most frequented airport. It's always a pleasure when using the terminal when it's not peak traffic. Then it's such a breeze. Great to see more lounges being added and also spread out in the building this helps with feet traffic. Time at immigration is always questionable but last few times have been pleasantly surprised. Disappointed that flights to destinations that have added security checks, the space at the boarding gate gets crowded and confusing. Would like to see more places to recharge mobile phones or laptops. Weird to see actual birds in the terminal. Some pigeons have made it their home.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitNovember 2015
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
1/10

"staff are rude"

(Zimbabwe)

Spent more time in an immigration queue than we did flying into country. Staff are rude and have no rush to do any clearance.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitNovember 2015
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no