Accra Kotoka Airport

Not Verified | The facilities are fine. The check in staff at the checkin time is ok. When you reach the boarding gate, they will make you stand in a queue for an unnecessary check to tick the boarding pass with their pen and then make you wait again. The staff at this check point has already interviewed you at the check in counter. They have a rude behaviour and tone and not friendly at all.

Not Verified | Corruption Central. Its funny that Kotoko airport has an announcement stating that it doesn't condone the extortion of customers, however does not provide any means of complaints and its scary to complain to the members of staff as they may also try to extort you. Got stopped by the security at the exit on my arrival wanting to know what was in my bag and after finding out there was nothing of worthwhile value they then asked if I could "bless a brother". On my return, then got stopped for another "blessing" by an immigration officer. Honestly, for such a beautiful airport it downgrades the whole airport and does not send out an inviting message.

Not Verified | This airport, is structurally nice and clean! That's the best part. The staff are super rude, bossy, constantly looking for someone to move or push or tell to do something irrelevant to getting people where they need to go. The instructions received are short and rude! The systems and procedures are non existing, numerous people checking and rechecked and scribbling on your ticket. I had my passport, covid, and boarding pass checked 10 times after security and sitting at the gate, it's not even possible to get to the gate without all of those having been checked?

✅ Trip Verified | The airport with the worst business class lounges and partly very corrupt staff. No possibilities to sit in certain areas where it would be a must to have the opportunity. Finding your way within the airport is very difficult, not enough signs to find what you are looking for. Some of the staff is ignorant and arrogant, providing bad service.

Not Verified | Warning to other travellers using Kotoka airport drop off. There's a deliberate system of entrapment. We arrived at the airport to drop off my friend who was travelling. As she had to pick up a copy of her Covid test result we dropped her off and was told by one of the staff that we should rather drive around to the other side by the bus stop. We drove around the area waiting for her to call us that she was ready so we could drive her to the new side of the airport to catch her flight. When she was ready, we drove to the side of the road (near the bus stop) where the staff member told us to go to. Another member of staff then proceeded to stand by the car, said you can't pick up here and called over two other men who put a clamp on our wheel. This happened in the space of less than 30 seconds. We were shocked of course and told them she would be late for her flight to which he responded he doesn't care. They demanded we pay 150 cedis. While we were talking to the men, several cars parked in the same spot and picked up passengers. We asked why their cars weren't being clamped too. They stood by and let these cars pick up and drive off. They continued to refuse to unclamp our car. We paid the 150 cedis because we didn't want our friend to miss her flight. The attendant then tried to refuse to give us a receipt for the fine we just paid which led to more arguing. During this time one of the attendants used his hand to push our brother who then pushed him back. Us ladies had to stand between the men to stop them physically fighting. He obviously wanted to pocket the cash. We dropped our friend and enquired with other airport staff where the main office is for the enforcers. We spoke to two men  at the office who said they were supervisors. They listened to our story and I showed them the video clip. They didn't offer any assistance except to say we should come back tomorrow morning to speak to the general manager. Looks like everyone there is probably taking a portion of the money from this operation they have going on. As a Ghanaian, I feel the corruption here (from the top down) is too widespread, preventing our country from improving.

✅ Trip Verified | Beautiful state of the art equipment but some poor organisation despite lots of friendly staff. Nobody tells you the procedure, join this queue then shuffle along only to be told you should have gone to the luggage weigh-in queue first. Weigh luggage then rejoin back of check in queue. Told to go to security, shuffle along for a bit then someone asks for departure card. Leave security queue, go to desk where you collect and fill departure card then rejoin back of security queue. Suggest check in desk staff give you a departure card so you will know to fill it in before going through security. Takes a while to shuffle through that and go through immigration departure check then security check. All took about one and a half hours. At gate we were divided into groups 1-5. Not enough seats for group 5 although most passengers are in this group. Infrastructure is very impressive and no doubt they will eventually streamline procedures. Sign posting would be a good start. Shopping and dining facilities are mostly not yet open so I cannot comment on this aspect yet. So, first taste of new terminal: not half bad. Clean, spacious, excellent kit, friendly staff but poor procedures.

✅ Verified Review | Old airport, but reconstruction going on. Very efficient immigration on the way in, with separate lane for business class. Fast delivery of luggage as well, took me less than 15 minutes to be out of the airport. Departure wise a little bit slower, but acceptable, friendly immigration and security people, very basic business lounge. Departure procedure efficient, despite lack of discipline of Chinese passengers, always trying to jump queues.

During rush-hours (evening) Kotoka Airport felt very crowded, but check-in was surprising quick, as well as security check, this works well if you arrive at least 3 hours before departure. Rush hours here mean departure within half an hour for several wide-body plans, creating a severe lack of seating and extremely long rows of slowly boarding passengers, making you realize that you are in a far too small airport to handle several aircrafts with a capacity of 3-400 passengers within a short time limit. Thi is especially the case when you arrive. The rows of arriving passengers at the immigration was long enough to last for almost one hour, and was followed by usual slow deliverance of luggage. Furthermore, the staff controlling the yellow cards for vaccinations are not very well inset in the rules, including the knowledge that persons over a certain age are not required vaccination against yellow fever. However, as a whole Kotoka was not too bad an experience, just accept some more time than required in more updated and modern airports.

This time it took 2 hours instead of the usual half hour for landing and immigration. The huge delay was caused first by a 'parking problem' for the aircraft second by the malfunction of 2 of the 3 luggage conveyor belts. For the return embarkation Emirates with its 300-seater had set the check-in period to from 12.30 am (instead of the usual 3.30 pm) until 5.30 pm which did not prevent a delay again of 1 hour for the take-off at 8 pm. The main annoyances of this airport have persisted over the last 10 years: Passengers may enter soaked with sweat and cannot have a shower (I go to the Landing restaurant and try to wipe myself in the toilet room). The sweating continues in the departure hall which is only half air-conditioned. Announcements can barely be understood as there is a cacophony stemming from the sound of TV's and the voices of passengers. It also remains amusing to count the number of passenger controls and checks: there are 4 by the airline and about 6 by other airport staff.

Lack of air-conditioning facilities. Officers going through your bag after check in to "ensure" nothing illegal definitely made my luggage messy after hours of arranging and packing at my hotel. Asking passengers of certain zone to board first which all have to board the first bus and other subsequent zone will board the 2nd bus. In the end both buses arrived at the plane at the same time making it crowded. If that is the case what is the point of asking passengers of certain zone to board first? Totally disappointed with the staff/officers in the airport.