Cairo Airport

Probably one of the worst airports I have been to. It hasn't improved in 10 years. The arrivals terminal is poorly signed and gives no information on how and where to buy an entry visa. Taxi drivers are permitted to harass you before you even have passed customs. On departure it is not much better, long queues to check in, to pass through immigration and to board the flight. was lucky enough to be told two completely different things about 10 seconds apart when boarding, just held everyone up even longer.

Mass confusion. The airport itself is huge and seems to offer limitless potential, but there is no real management and the employees, as well as those who are not but pretend to be, simply do as they please. There are endless, and pointless, security checks (the machine no was even operating in one case) as well as countless inspections of documents, but no one even so much as glanced at my photo. The worst part are the touts and hustlers who roam around pretending to be airport employees and offer to direct you in and out of various lines, naturally for a tip. If I was spotted at LAX posing as an airport employee and directing people when in fact I am not an employee, I'd be in jail in under thirty seconds. It was absurd. The condition of the toilets is totally dependent on who is assigned to clean them, some were sparkling while others were filthy. Food selection in the food court was mediocre and priced at levels equal to any Western airport, which meant ridiculously expensive by Egyptian standards. There really aren't enough seats in the main departure areas so you need to move well away from the gates just to find a place to sit down. This place was just bad news.

As a multi-million mile traveler that has been to over sixty countries and hundreds of airports I can safely say that Cairo is near the bottom of all the airports I have visited. The security is a joke, mostly security theatre, with uniformed officials asking for your passport and then leafing through it without looking. Then there's a massive and disorganized security queue where "helpers" sequester your passport and move you to the front of the queue just to ask you for money (and they won't return your passport unless you pay up). All in front of an uniformed official, which "feels" every single person going through the disconnected metal detector, without stopping to check when he feels something in your pocket. Completely useless. The lounges are poor and the air is toxic, given the number of people smoking (yes, inside the airport terminal and lounges, and it is sanctioned given that there are ashtrays everywhere). Cleanliness is OK, and signage is acceptable, but there's nothing to do at the airport. Also, I've been at CAI 4 times, with different airlines, and the 4 times my flight left with a significant delay, so there may be a pattern here. Announcements are loud and mostly in Arabic, preceded by a very loud "Ding Dong" that hurts your ears. I guess it has to given the level of noise in the airport in general. Not much to do once inside, there's no public wifi and shops are sparse and with little selection. In all, chaotic, smelly and uncomfortable. Not a good experience for a country that is supposed to live off tourism.

What a total disaster of an Airport. Huge bottleneck of people squashed into the security area. Then a bottleneck to check in, then a bottleneck mass questions to pass Visa and passport inspection. Then a another slow passport inspection by a solo staff member. Then another before going to your gate - awful design. Very bad management. Never again.

I have travelled many times via Cairo Airport, especially the Star Alliance Terminal 3. I have to say that so much quality is missing, considering the fact that this is an international airport. For example, at the passport check / control, there are no lines or single files, people are just pushing each other. In terms of the airport environment, the staff are friendly and the airport itself is clean and free from any noticable garbage on the floor. Terminal signs are very clear and easy for one to easily navigate around.

Cairo is possibly the worst airport I have travelled through. The entry was like entering a market with no lines, people pushing and no one to maintain order. The police at the entrance are callous, disorganised and don't care - taking an age to do anything. In departures, the only seating available is in each gate which only open 50 minutes prior to departure. If you check in early you either stand around or go to the food court. The announcements are mostly in Arabic even though Cairo is frequented by tourists. No aerobridge which is pathetic and hellish for anyone with mobility issues.

It's chaotic and not clean. They got free wifi some poor shops and a few duty free shops. Smoking areas are available but are not used as they remind me of a bad sauna and most of the people smoke outside. Myself I am a non smoker so I find this pretty disturbing. The few lounges they got are very spare and crowded. Food is poor. Internet inside the lounge is poor. Toilets are old and filthy. No shower possibility at the lounges of the main hub of a star alliance member airport. This is poor. Security is poor and rude. Ground staff are ok but slow in operation.

On our return from Cairo to Riyadh with Egyptair, we were in International Terminal No.3. The Cairo international airport lounge is located on the 3rd Floor in the Departure Hall. After Passport Control, turn left to Zone E and proceed to the end of the corridor. It functions 24 hours daily. The lounge is just an open hall with many tables and chairs. Refreshments are served continuously that include different kind of bread rolls, sandwiches, pastries, Arabic sweets, coffee, tea, soft drinks and water bottles. There is also a TV broadcasting sports or news at one end. Besides, there is also a news-stand with quite a lot of local newspapers. Free WiFi was an added bonus. The chairs were very comfortable. There are separate restrooms which are maintained immaculately. It did not have shower, though everything was so spotlessly clean.

Cairo Airport Terminal 1 is one of the worst travel experiences I have encountered. Everything about the terminal is unpleasant; from arriving at the terminal to boarding your flight or indeed arriving at the terminal and leaving the terminal is beyond comprehension. What makes it more astounding is carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways operate into the terminal. Bring on the new terminal, but when will it be completed?

The airport is very badly sign posted and I found myself getting lost more than once something that has never happened to me in an airport before and I am a frequent traveler. You are often pestered by staff for a tip for even the most basic service. The selection of souvenirs was poor surprising given this is Egypt. The security arrangements seem illogical as you are screened by security twice just yards apart before check in. There is also a serious shortage of seating which is an issue if you are traveling with old or infirm people. Make sure you pre-arrange a pick up when arriving as fake cab drivers swarm around you on arrival if you appear to be looking lost.