"efficient and sufficient"
Keith Joseph (Australia)
✅ Trip Verified | Presidente Nicolau Lobato Airport is the only international airport in the nation of Timor Leste (East Timor). It is located about 10 km from the CBD of the capital of Dili. Typically there are about five or six international flights per day, connecting Dili with Singapore, Bali and Darwin. It is a very small airport! I arrived from and departed to Darwin, which meant that there was only one plane with a relatively low passenger capacity (76 seats) at the airport. The airport was able to easily cope with this: I suspect when two A320s are in at the same time it is a lot more congested. On arrival there is a short walk across the terminal to a covered walkway leading to the terminal building. The first queue is to purchase an "on arrival" visa: for visitors this costs USD 30 which must be paid for in cash. No credit card! So bring your exact amount in US Dollars with you. Having purchased your visa, you then queue to go through passport control. Once your passport is stamped, only a few steps to a small baggage carousel, which is set on very fast - your luggage will just about fly off the carousel due to the centrifugal forces. Then another short queue to go through customs and quarantines. This is all sort of air-conditioned, and the officials are polite but not exhibiting the charm and welcome that the East Timorese are rightly renowned for. Another twenty or so metres takes you to the taxi rank (no more than USD 10 to go into town). When I was there the queues were very short and we were out of the airport within about twenty minutes. Would be longer if bigger planes were arriving and departing. On departure,, through an unmarked door which looks like the entrance to a shop. First your bags are x-rayed and then you go into a relatively small room which contains the check-in counters: then fill in departure card and go through outwards passport control and security. There are a couple of small duty free and handicraft shops and a small cafe but no lounges. The departure lounge is air-conditioned and more than large enough for our flight. Then out along the covered walkway and a short walk across the tarmac to the plane. Summary, a small airport, and quite efficient and sufficient for the flights to and from Darwin.
Experience At Airport | Arrival and Departure |
Date Visit | March 2018 |
Type Of Traveller | Business |
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Terminal Seating | 12345 |
Terminal Signs | 12345 |
Food Beverages | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Airport Staff | 12345 |
Recommended | yes |