Colombo Airport

The last time I came through Columbo Airport I gave it a pretty good review sadly things seem to have deteriorated - either that or the airport is struggling to keep up with increased passenger traffic. Flying into the airport isn't too bad although the pick-up point for arrivals is now as big a shambles as the drop off zone for departing passengers. Departures is a different story. Apart from the scrum at the aforementioned drop off point the check in desks are partitioned off from the rest of the departure hall and you're not allowed to proceed to check in until instructed to do so. Fair enough but the amount of seating in the departure hall is completely inadequate for the number of passengers waiting for their check in desk to open. Also there is only one channel through the partition and when check in for a particular flight opens this is immediately mobbed by the waiting passengers with no attempt by the authorities at managing the process or – heaven forbid – organizing a queue. Once airside things do improve but since passengers have already gone through full security screening at a) entry to the departure hall and b) entry to the check in area why is there a need for a third security check at the gate itself? Still not a bad airport but the management ought to think about making the departures process less painful for passengers.

The management of this airport obviously believes that "queuing is good for you". Try to depart from here in the early hours and you are met with an obstructed main entrance to the departure area where you first have to pass your luggage through x-ray machines. Then you get to the departure hall which is separated from the check-in area by - you guessed it - more x-ray machines. Perversely only one x-ray machine was working when I flew out so the queue was horrendous and completely disorganized. Surely this could be easy to handle particularly now that visitors to Sri Lanka who previously obtained an entry stamp in their passports now have to pay for a visa on arrival. Where is that money going? Another annoying feature of this airport are immigration officials who are clearly chatting away to friends or family on their mobiles while on duty behind the immigration desks.

Colombo to Heathrow check-in was appalling. We had checked in online and only needed to drop our baggage. Arrived in plenty of time however we were in the online check-in queue for 1 3/4 hours! Poor management queue jumping passengers not having checked in online group members appearing from all over the place. When through sheer frustration I complained there was a total look of surprise from an attendant overseeing everything - but doing nothing. It would have been quicker not to have checked in online. Needless to say I only had 15 mins to shop. Also whilst there may be many 'checks' several passengers were able to get water onboard without it being removed.

Excellent airport however the government officials such as immigration and customs are very rude. Long queue at the initial baggage screening. No ATM inside terminal.

Found the new addition to the airport very clean and spacious. The airport is not very large and easy to navigate. The staff are friendly and willing to help. Great shopping in the Duty Free.

We travelled from Colombo to Abu Dhabi yesterday. On arriving at the airport we were asked for our details and why we had visited Sri Lanka etc and we were pleased with the security in force on entrance to the Airport. However once through to check in this turned into a nightmare. It was nothing but unorganised chaos. We could not check in on arrival maybe we were too early no reason given and we could not understand what was called out and information given on the airport tannoy system could not be understood or even heard. Volume was far too low. People checking in after us were not forming queues but were cluttering up the area and making it impossible for people to check in easily when their flight was called. We have travelled all over the world first time to Colombo and the lack of organisation or any queuing system made it the worst checking in experience ever. It was not until a lady joined the officials on duty that any progress for checking in was made. We were at this airport for 4.5 hours and found it to be the worst system in the world. Once through this area to check in baggage it was acceptable.

My worst airport experience in more than 2 decades of frequent travelling! First of all all vehicles approaching the airport are stopped by a guard who exercises a "face-control" - looks at the passenger and asks him his nationality. Any credible answer seems to be accepted since no documents are verified - I repeated 3times mine but the guard had never heard of such an exotic country called Greece - but let me through! At the entrance of the terminal queue for luggage screening -once inside 60 minutes queue for check-in then the gate changes 3 times! What is the point of having recently revamped the shopping area ?

It has got its act together pretty well I think. Everything clean in the terminal. Business lounge okay staff great. Don't change much money here as not a good rate. Check in a bit chaotic but not bad. Good onward travel to Colombo Kandy (by taxi not tuk-tuk!)

A pleasant surprise the airport now has air bridges connected to a modern pier. This in turn leads to the first floor of an expanded main terminal in which arriving / departing passengers mix freely. There were several immigration desks open even though it was 3.30am and I was processed quickly and efficiently. Baggage reclaim took a long time - bags were added to the carousel painfully slowly and it took about 45 minutes to recover my two suitcases. Once through customs there were several currency exchanges - don't bother comparing rates they're all the same! Departure on the 14th – nothing much has changed since I was last here. The drop off zone is small and chaotic with passengers having to (try to) queue up outside to get through the limited number of security / baggage screening lanes immediately inside. Once through security and into the terminal things are a lot more efficient although CMB remains one of those peculiar airports where the check in area is partitioned off from the rest of the departures hall and passengers are not allowed to proceed until the check in desks for their flights open. Fortunately there was sufficient seating while I waited. Once checked in and through emigration the airside section was spacious and comfortable if somewhat eccentrically laid out. For the most part the airport is by the standards of developing countries clean efficient and pleasant - I've been through worse airports in wealthier countries.

Fairly smooth arrival and departure both in the middle of the night. Found a functioning ATM which worked and the arrivals info desk arranged a prepaid taxi for us. We took a local bus late at night for our departure; it left everyone off several hundred meters away as is standard. Grimy wait for departures to open. Can anyone tell me why they sell appliances in duty free?