Djibouti Ambouli Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 9 reviews
3/10
No Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"being singled out for harassment"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I was trying to board my flight Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 365 Djibouti to Addis Ababa on June 12 at 19:20 I arrived early at the Djibouti airport. I got my boarding pass printed by an Ethiopian Airlines employee.  Next a Djibouti airport security man said my Covid-19 certificate had been printed on the wrong shade of blue paper. I looked and compared my certificate to the other passengers certificates who were with me in line. Their covid-19 pcr certificates were exactly the same and they were on the same color and type of paper as my certificate. At this point I suspected that I was in trouble.  I was being singled out for harassment for some reason. They told me to take a taxi all the way back to the Boufard Medical Center hospital in Djibouti city to get a new covid certificate.  Then I asked an Ethiopian Airlines employee to help me at a kiosk. I asked how much the taxi was going to cost. They would not tell me. But they told me I had to hurry very quickly and rush and that my flight to Nairobi was leaving soon.  They said don't worry its only 5 minutes away.  I told them I had been to the Bouffard  hospital 3 times  before and I knew it was further away than 5 minutes.  They got me a taxi driver. I kept asking how much it was going to cost? I even asked in French "how much?"  "combien?"  he said don't worry "it's ok".  I said, i am very worried. I know you are going to want a lot of money from me.  The Airport security said I had to go with this taxi driver I did not have a choice. I tried to get the airline people to help again and they said dont worry it would be ok.  I said the driver and security were going to cheat me. When I got to the Bouffard Hospital in Djibouti they laughed  because they said nothing was wrong with the original Covid-19 certificate that they had issued me. They just printed the same covid certification form for me again. (I have photos)  I said that the airport security had told me that the certificate had to be printed on a darker shade of blue paper. The hospital called the airport and I was just told to return back to the airport now. Sure enough, the taxi cab driver now wanted $50 US dollars to take me back to the airport. He had only driven me 10 minutes to the hospital and then back to the airport.  I said "no" i wasn't giving him $50 USD and I jumped out of the taxi in the middle of the street with my bags. I was then in a very dangerous situation in the streets of Djibouti with my bags fighting with the taxi driver  Then he told me it was ok and I had to get back into the taxi.  Then the taxi driver said he only wanted $10 each way. I tried to jump out of the taxi again with my bags and leave him in the street and call a different taxi but there weren't any pulling over for me. I was in a bad neighborhood.   We finally made it back to the airport. At the airport i tried to give the driver $5 worth of Djibouti money for driving  He threw it back in my face. I walked back  to trying get back into the airport to try to get help. I argued for a very long time with different people at the airport. The Airport Security man said it was my fault for being stupid and not getting the price from the taxi driver before I left the airport.  I told him I did ask the price multiple times to the driver before I got into the taxi and he refused to tell me the real price. They made me open my bags. They ended up getting $70USD off of me.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2021
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"unclean, small and ineffective"

(Oman)

Trip Verified | Djibouti Airport is old, unclean, small and ineffective. Although there is hardly ever more than one plane arriving at the same time Immigration takes ages, since the agents copy the e-visa details manually into their computer system. Baggage delivery is slow and chaotic. Porters rudely try to take your bag away without asking, presumably to extort a tip afterwards. Overall, a very unpleasant experience. The situation outside is better. Enough taxis parked in proper slots waiting for passengers. No hassle here. (Fares to be negotiated prior to boarding.)
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitNovember 2019
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"the absolute worst travel experience"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I travel extensively on developing countries and Djibouti continues to provide the absolute worst travel experience. Though you have a valid visa from one of their embassy’s, on arrival (as you stand in line for a very extended period of time) they will ask you to provide a company ID and "mission papers". For those who are not prepared, be ready for the immigration officers to turn the screws and extract their bribes. Additionally, though transiting from Yemen to Addis with no plans to leave the airport they run you thru a bizarre process and extract $60 from you. Immigration officers live screaming at arriving passengers, bark orders, mumble and are super crazy. I think the terminal was built in 1930 with no apparent upgrades! Avoid the place if at all possible.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitDecember 2018
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
4/10

"we had to wait a little bit"

(France)

Unverified | Arrival at 0.15 am with Qatar Airways: we were 15 passengers, so no queue on arrival. Departure: only 2 desks to check in without any air-conditioning, so we had to wait a little bit. We had to pay 3000 FDJ in cash for airport tax, and the boarding gate was only big enough for an A320 50% full. Cleanliness: Djibouti style. No food nor shopping near boading gate.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitApril 2017
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"basic airport with few facilities"

(United Kingdom)

Very basic airport with few facilities. The Gendarmerie were incredibly strict about not allowing people into the airport if the flight is about to close. We cut it fine and were refused the first time - thus missing our flight. There was absolutely no discussion on the matter. Once inside the airport you have a very basic set of facilities: Check in desks in poor repair, the bag-tag and boarding pass printers at the single desk that was open when we travelled broke down after every passenger. Immigration was fine and after that you climb stairs to the departure lounge - a set of metal seats. There was no bar open and no shops open at the time we departed (0300). This is a very basic airport. It does it's job, but expect nothing more.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitJune 2016
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
6/10

Djibouti Ambouli Airport customer review

(United States)

When driving to the airport, there is an fee collected at the entrance to the airport parking grounds. The fee I believe was 200 DJF (they will accept 2 USD as well, a slightly worse rate). Once inside, my passport was checked and stamped with ease, and I was upstairs awaiting to go through security. The small bar prior to security has very little to offer, but did have some good Ethiopian beer. WiFi was hit and miss, and the mosquitoes were annoying, but there was plenty of seating. Small duty free shop available. Toilets were in working order, and did not smell. Once past security, there is nothing but chairs and a toilet. Overall, it really is not a bad airport. The worst part is dealing with the people that want to carry luggage for a tip, but that is common in Africa.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitFebruary 2015
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
3/10

Djibouti Ambouli Airport customer review

(United States)

Small airport that you would not want to spend too much time in but that manages to get you on your way reasonably quickly. Inbound immigration and visa on arrival facilities are slightly chaotic though not too bad. Outbound once you clear passport control facilities are limited to not-so-clean toilets a sad looking duty free shop a bar that did not have any change when we visited and a seating area that seemed to be full of mosquitos. If you've stayed in the Kempinski you can use their lounge which is probably the best part of this airport.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
na

Djibouti Ambouli Airport customer review

Chaos from the time we checked in to the time we got aboard the plane. On arrival we were herded into a small arrivals area with people wandering around trying to find out whether we get our visas first or our passports stamped first. No organisation whatsoever. Departure was delayed by 4+hrs and this airport is not the one you would choose to be delayed in. Toilets were available but were in a disgusting state. The Duty free shop was nearly empty and the range offered very small that is unless you wanted perfume
no
na

Djibouti Ambouli Airport customer review

Departure Tax - reported to be $30 or EUR25. We didn't have to pay it. There was a passport check prior to getting our visas stamped where 'tax' was mentioned. We just looked blank at this and the guy who actually stamped the passport didn't ask us again. Facilities: well not really up to an international airports. There are toilets and a bar and two or three little shops but that's about it.
no