Nairobi Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 81 reviews
3/10
No Skytrax Rating
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6/10

"much improved"

(United Kingdom)

Airport is much improved - my first visit since 2014. There is a separate lane for visa holders but all passengers were being allowed to use it, thus I was behind many non visa taking up to 10 mins each yet when my wife and I arrived at the booth we were both through in under 2 minutes. Staff at booth polite and efficient. Luggage was a bit of shambles but we only waited 10 mins. For the return through terminal entrance security in 10 mins, and this delay was only caused by people not being ready. Check in completed in under 10 mins, straight through passport control as passport reader all ready had our details stored from previous trips. We then tried the new Java café, quick service and much improved over the old place. 2 security checks prior to entering the departure lounge, again reassured by 2 checks. Nairobi is slowly improving since the fire and much quicker processing than airports such as Miami which seem to be never less than 60 to 90 mins
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitMarch 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
2/10

"bad as it could get"

(United Kingdom)

Our arrival and journey through the airport was about as bad as it could get. Not enough staff meant a very long wait for everybody. Our departure, however, was even worse. Due to the fact that I needed a wheelchair they made us wait for almost 3 hours. In fact by the time that a wheelchair appeared, there wasn't even time to look at the duty free. Somebody needs to overhaul their procedures for disabled passengers and quickly.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJanuary 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"very slow, understaffed and bureaucratic"

(United Kingdom)

Just under two hours to get through the immigration checks in January 2016. Very slow, understaffed and bureaucratic. The Kenyan government website stated that all visitors need to purchase an E visa as on arrival as service stopping in September 2015. Got my visa and BA check-in made big point of ensuring I had one before letting me board. Three of the queues at Nairobi were people buying visas. Each person took on average 7 mins to process, pictures, finger prints, hand written forms and cash - hence the time to get through. Obviously no water or refreshments available in non air conditioned sweltering hall. As previously stated by others, car checked entering airport and the four further full security screenings plus all baggage opened and checked. Frustrating, but it's how it is and security is non- negotiable. Once into departure terminal, on small coffee snack bar and several identical 'duty free' shops all offering the same. We were called early to go to the gate and this required two full security checks. Once waiting at gate (90 mins before departure) wanted some water and toilet - but none. Only option was to go out into main departure area and then come back in and repeat whole security process again. I can honestly say that Nairobi International Airport is the worst airport that I have ever travelled too/from. My only +ve is that most of the staff were pleasant and polite.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJanuary 2016
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
4/10

"large, un-cluttered and almost empty"

(Ireland)

I used Terminal 2 which is the new low cost Terminal for local flights. It is large, un-cluttered and almost empty. There is a free bus service from the main terminals, but the signs are poor. One Coffee shop, with quite a wide choice, airside Both departures and arrivals were quick and easy.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitAugust 2015
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
7/10

Nairobi Airport customer review

(Switzerland)

I fly to NBO from Europe 2-3 times a year. Finally after the 2013 fire in the international terminal a few improvements can be seen. Progress is slow but steady. The new departure terminal is very pleasant and now accessible from the international gates. The Java cafe has recently reopened in the new section with its expected good quality. The duty free shops are decent but seem to have erratic opening hours. As mentioned by others the staff and officers are friendly. Queuing is generally swift if you have an evening flight and outside of certain peak periods such as summer vacation or Christmas. During those peaks and when there were alleged threats it can be quite a nightmare also already at the drive through checkpoint. I don't know how busy it is during daytime. First time travellers from NBO should keep in mind that only flight ticket holders can enter the airport building and after check in there's no way out.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
5/10

Nairobi Airport customer review

(Canada)

Left Nairobi for London on BA64; connected from Kilimanjaro. Security staff are polite and considerate but the process is major overkill. We had to clear 4 security check points with the same screening procedures. Each time they tore my carry-on bag apart looking for something different. At the second point they confiscated my cuticle trimmers which had cleared seven different airports on the same trip. Then they inspected my curling iron like they'd never seen one before. At the next point they inspected my tweezers as if they were a knife. My advice - take no carry-on and arrive early.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
6/10

Nairobi Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

After all the reports re problems at Nairobi re waits and problems considering last summers fire three of us arrived needing to purchase visas expecting big problems arrived from LHR bus picked us up from the plane taken to temporary immigration / arrival point we were through and clear in about 30 mins and this was despite several international flights arriving. This was half the time we usually queue at places like Miami. Return was the same we gave ourselves 3 hours which was more then enough for our BA flight. We gave the airport a low mark because the lack of food services and the fire has made no difference to the departure lounge services we have used the place for the last five years and it has always been bad.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
2/10

Nairobi Airport customer review

(United States)

My main complaint is the chaos while in line to put luggage on conveyor belt when first coming in to airport. Of course you want to keep close to your luggage. Was total chaos with people pushing ahead and just lucky that nothing grabbed from conveyor belt. Security stamping exit on passport friendly. Was surprised to have fingerprints taken. Seems like an idea that could be used elsewhere - would discourage known problems from trying to board planes. Staff at shops selling bottled water in shops after you go through security don't bother telling you to keep a receipt. Unless you have a receipt the bottle will be confiscated and you won't have your safe bottled water on the plane. Lots of shops. Prices seemed ok. Airport is just way too crowded and chaotic.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
7/10

Nairobi Airport customer review

(United States)

Arrived from London on Sep 4 on BA at 9.20 pm. Out of the aircraft quickly and through immigration in five minutes and on the street waiting for our pre-scheduled driver in less than 20 minutes. The next morning for an 8.15 am departure we arrived at 5.30 am fearing the worst. Again efficient and smooth processing. The result we spent more than two hours in the departure tent (which had wifi!) and were bussed to our Kenya Airways flight for an on-time departure. Quite amazing after all the stories.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
3/10

Nairobi Airport customer review

(Denmark)

The Airport burnt down earlier this month. Immigration and transfer are major constraints. No apron one has to walk from terminal to aircraft's. No lounges. The airport is full of temporary surprises and mediocre or missing installations signage toilets. Queuing up in lines as check in is semi-manual. Many pax miss flights due to poor or incomplete announcements. Lots of delays. Domestic uses cargo building. Luggage handed out one by one or are picked by pax from trolleys. One has to inquire about flights and crosscheck info on departures and arrivals all the time. The airport is a mess but somehow there is a system and with a co-operative attitude things are working - even without service being functioning. Staff are kind and often allow people to rebook tickets as many misses flights.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness N/A
Airport Shopping 12345
no