Addis Ababa Airport

Not Verified | Infrastructure not able to cope even in rush hours which do get a bit manic. Some staff need improved training on dealing with stressed out passengers. There is still an element of customer service missing in some instances though this occurs all over Ethiopia's tourist industry. Large space taken over by Sheba Miles as a Silver members lounge but because Sheba miles points are now so stingy and hard to earn. There are very few Silver customers and a large space is wasted. Well chair assistance is very patchy and lacks continuity.

Not Verified | Bole these days is a pleasant experience. The massively enlarged departure area is huge Domestic departure zone also very spacious. Yes it gets crowded in the rush hour periods when there can be 15/20 departures per hour.

Not Verified | We’ve been back and forth through Addis Ababa Airport multiple times. Ethiopia is a wonderful country. The airport is pretty good as far as airports in Africa. However, TSA is the problem. For health reasons, we always request pat downs to avoid the X-ray. They argued us down and wanted us to show some type of paperwork that says we can’t go through machines. We’ve been all over the world and my wife was a flight attendant for 10 years and we’ve never had a problem getting patted down instead of going through X-ray. We spoke to several managers after getting confirmation from the employees. No one is able to use common sense or think outside the box in this situation. You’re more likely to find something actually patting down another human than making them go through X-ray. Just because we weren’t in wheel chairs they didn’t understand “underlying conditions” people may have. It was stressful explaining they should have a simple option for those who don’t desire to be x-rayed. Uncalled for and they seem very lazy and mean for no reason. That was the worst thing about the whole trip.

✅ Trip Verified | Security checks, whether you are originating from Addis or in transit are shambolic, way overcrowded with undermanned lanes, security staff that constantly stop the screening to search individual bags, allowing lines to get longer and longer and machines that don't work half the time. Once airside, there are few decent places to eat and good luck getting a seat if you do find a place. The terminal is unbelievably congested at peak times and boarding seems to be chaotic, especially when the aircraft is at a remote stand and you have to be bussed to it. I have never had a pleasant experience at Bole Airport and would prefer to avoid it.

✅ Trip Verified | It is busy in the two 6 to 9 rush hours but do not be put off by comments by the few. I flew in from London on Ethiopian Feb 7th in morning rush hour. Everything smooth and efficient. Immigration Queue 5 minutes. Bags on carousel quickly unlike the pathetic 90 minutes it takes at Heathrow T2. Out in 50 minutes, 15 mins of which was waiting to get off from row 44 on the plane. I go through this airport at least once a month on domestic flights to Bahir Dar. Flights are well organised and efficient, and at least twice a year we fly out to London or for holidays in South Africa. Over past 20 years Ethiopian Airlines and the airport have grown immensely in quality and size. My only criticism would be the fact that those greeting international arrivals have to wait outside the building.

✅ Trip Verified | The airport itself has improved with better shopping and seating experience. But the staff who represent the airport and Ethiopian airlines are rude, aggressive and always shout at passengers. I have yet to feel safe, welcome or comfortable at this airport. Staff have no people or service skills and truly treat people like we have no right to be at the airport. Rolling eyeballs at passengers, shouting at us telling us to shut up. We are either ignored, patronizing and every time I have been at this airport (I have been provoked by rude and mean staff). Terrible ambassadors for Africa and definitely nobody will ever want to tour through Ethiopia's highlights due to the extremely rude and unpleasant treatment traveller's get at the airport. Enough to send any sane person to a mental institution. The airport is lovely, but the staff should NOT be in the service industry.

Not Verified | Flew Ethiopian to Cairo, 22.30, May 17th. This is in the evening rush hour in Addis when most of the Ethiopian jet fleet are setting off to fly to all five major continents. The newly finished extension to T2 is now finished. It is huge and a massive improvement to previous years. There is loads of extra space, chairs, loungers and cafes. Shops much the same as before. There is also the new pay on the day lounge, which I used. $30 minimum charge for 3 hours, up to 80 for 8 hours. (Cash or cards) Price includes, at that time, a very nice buffet meal with drinks. Lounges are not huge, with TV on soccer suits me if not all. Showers. There is now a long walk from Immigration exit check at and security check at western end of departures zone to the C gates at the eastern end. A bit far for the elderly. No longer a second check at the gate entrance. plenty of TV screens with flight lists. Boarding smooth and well organised. I also fly Addis to Bahir Dar at least once a month and such flights always excellent. Sometimes two flights are merged in current demand situation but you get good notice by text message. These days there are 8 to 10 Addis Bahir Dar flights today as BD is in effect now the second city, and a very nice one at that.

Not Verified | Not the worst Airport in the world. I did not know what to expect when I arrived at Addis Ababa Airport. 90% of the reviews were so poor that I expected the worst. I arrived at terminal. 2 and departed at terminal 2. Compared to many other airports in Africa, like Abidjan, Luanda and Accra, this one is quite good. Everything is easy and I find the personnel friendly. WIFI was a bit soso, slow and unreliable. Ok, maybe covid/Corona is making it easier, because I do not find the airport crowded. All in all, it has been a good experience.

✅ Trip Verified | I transited in Addis Ababa from Johannesburg to Paris and was pretty disappointed. The airport is pretty small and feels old and dirty. I got scammed at one of the restaurants in one of the lounges there. Not a nice experience but luckily it was only a few hours.

Not Verified | These reviews are in good standing to make an anxious soul feel wrecked about the possibility that they have to go through Addis Ababa Airport, but honestly it is not at all bad. I went through it in December 2020 so I landed and passed through the new terminal. The staff were polite and very quick, I went through security in a matter of 1 minute and I did not have problems. The terminal is not big, so you do not get lost. Due to Covid, I suspect it was much less crowded than usual, but one should not think that they are going to come upon a kiosk instead of an airport and actually for a developing country I have to think it was great. The toilets were all clean and, in all, nothing weird happened. I also liked how they are installing an additional security system before you get out to the gates. The one thing that did not work was the WiFi. It did not at all work and my data only worked for 1 minute, so be prepared for this.