Addis Ababa Airport

Long and slow security checks to get into the airport however once through this process it was smooth. A reasonable selection of cafes/restaurants and some good souvenir shops. The toilets were ok and generally clean. There is free wifi (which worked on my initial visit but not on the return). A lot of flights left around 12-1am which meant the boarding/screening process was crowded and slow but staff managed this quite well.

I have traveled trough Bole Airport 6 times. Getting a visa on arrival can take 20-40 mins. Then there is the passport control (immigration) and usually its a nice queue there that takes another 20-40 mins. The security staff will match you bag receipt with your bag before you are allowed to proceed to customs. At customs they will screen all your bags but it normally doesn't take more than 5-10 mins. When departing from the international terminal the security queue usually go all the way out through the door and out. After that you get access to the duty free area with high prices and before you get access to the gates you must pass through another security check. After the final check there is no washrooms. The airport is usually clean with fair washrooms. Not always soap and paper and that is bad. Staff at the airport is friendly. All in all its ok airport.

I have travelled through Addis 3 times now. 100s of passengers had to wait on the runway for 10 mins until the bus arrived. In the terminal there were no screens or signs directing people to their respective connecting flights. Airport staff shouted out names of African cities and asked as many passengers as they could. Thumbs up for commitment and being helpful to lost or confused travellers. I was surprised to see my luggage arrive at my final destination but the transfer worked fine. When getting out of the airport be prepared to spend another 30 mins waiting in line to have your luggage checked and screened again. What I really dislike is the security check procedure with screening at the entrance and screening at the gate again.

At Bole International as at other Ethiopian airports one must go through security twice -- removing shoes jackets watches and other items -- and going through the X-ray machines two times as well. Bole is a modern facility; but during my five hour layover neither the escalators nor the elevators were working. Not that meant I missed much. The dining and shopping facilities were all but non-existent until I passed through security the second time and got to the departures area. There were then mostly cheap souvenir shops. Curiously smoking is banned everywhere in the airport except at food and/or drinks bars.

Had 1am departure so arrived at 10pm. Typical crush on airport entry with scanner at front door but no big deal overall. Check in smooth as we were business class and customs process smooth with priority line. Upstairs area has a lot of shops and restaurants. Entry to boarding area processed volume well.

I was also the victim of an Ethiopian Airways 757 jet fire so spent rather longer in this airport than expected. For a major transit airport it is astonishing that there is no newspaper or magazine outlet. Some of the duty free shops are rip-off joints charging a seven percent surcharge on credit cards. They are also selective in what goods can be paid for in local currency (crisps) and which cannot (chocolate - go figure). My high point was a very tasty tilapia and french fries for only US$ and the airport was kept clean by a veritable army of support staff.

Overall the airport is usually OK and it does not take long to get a visa on arrival. Duty free on the way out is expensive (local cigarettes nearly twice the price duty free than tax paid in town) and the bank will often claim to have no Western currency when you want to change Birr back. No consistent policy about what you can take on the plane sometimes you can take bottled water other times you can not. last time the confiscated my lighter (cheap throw away).

Bole is modern and looks good. But it feels and works like an Eastern European or Cuban airport in the old days of the Cold War. Shops are 300% more expensive. Do not buy Ethiopian crosses and other metallic souvenirs as they will be confiscated or put in the hold. Do not take more that 250 birr out of the country if you plan to return. A friend of mine was leaving with 350 birrs but 100 was confiscated. He was told that on his return customs would return the cash. This is a lie. As our flight was cancelled due to a major technical matter (Ethiopian 757 engine caught fire on take off) we were allowed to go back into the country yet when he tried to get the 100 birrs back he was told it was not possible because it now belonged to Ethiopia. This is corruption en masse pure and simple robbery. 100 birr is just under 10 US$ but imagine if it was much more.

I've only used the Addis Ababa Airport twice but both times have been great. The airport is one of the finest I've seen in Africa and it's also relatively speedy. The staff are very polite and professional and very helpful.

Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa is clean compact and effective. Arrivals was quick. (I recommend getting your visa prior to arriving in ADD as the visa application process does take a while) Clearing immigration and getting your passport stamp took no longer than 3 minutes. Bags took about 20 minutes to arrive and came out sporadically but all came safely and thats all that matters. Ethiopian customs x-rays all luggage prior to exiting so that took some time as well but you are dealt with in a professional and polite manner. As for departures your tickets and passports are checked prior to entering the terminal building and there is an x-ray and metal detector immediately upon entering. Check-in was efficient USA departures have their own area where you are asked the typical security questions. Your passports/visas are heavily scrutinized (presumably because of the large amount of fraudulent documents that make their way through ADD and airlines getting charged large fines for transporting these people.) Passing through immigration is a simple exit stamp and you proceed upstairs where there is a fair amount of duty free shops and eateries. There is another security check to enter the specific gate area (and might I add the metal detector in the gate is extremely sensitive). Overall ADD is a clean and efficient airport with no major problems or difficulties encountered. 4 stars only because they could use a better selection of eateries.