Jeddah Airport

Travelling to Jeddah on a regular basis for business throughout the past 6 months I seem to have been lucky with this airport. Departure was never a problem - from taxi trop off via business check-in passport control and security I am usually in the waiting lounge within 15 minutes. I have to admit though that I have never travelled on peak times such as Hajj or Eid.

There's been renovations and improvements and overall its good. Airport proximity is great less than 20 minutes from anywhere in Jeddah and you're there. Airport is easily accessible you dont have to walk for hours to get to your gate luggage comes out quickly. Overall I think its fine.

I agreed with the negative reviews here about the first class lounge in the airport they have to see other airport lounges in different countries to get an idea of how to manage such facility. Service is bad jam sandwiches & cheese sandwiches. If you need milk for your tea you use the filthy coffee machine to get some. Floors and toilets should be checked. I hope that they re-consider providing a new management for the lounges and the duty free .. it is an international airport which receives hundreds of thousands passengers every year and it's a shame for a big country to have such memory for the visitors.

Either I used a different airport from comments on this site or I am extraordinarily lucky. My arrival was not representative as I was whisked through the VIP lounge (attending an airline conference that Saudia was hosting) but departure from the Saudia terminal was painless. Only complaints were a lack of signage to check-in desks (you enter the terminal then walk straight ahead 30 yards and go through another set of glass doors to find them) and the amount of smoking that was going on. Check-in was swift my bags being checked through Riyadh and on to London. The place seemed clean - I did not use the toilets so can not comment on them uncrowded and calm. Be aware that the security X-ray machines are very sensitive and you will have to remove even your wristwatch to get through them. Duty-free and Costa coffee shops airside. Generally an above-average even pleasant experience.

By far the worst managed airport in the world. I have travelled many times (approximately 20) via this airport. It appears to get worse each time I've visited. On many occasions I was a VIP ie. performing Umrah. Almost every other Islamic country offers a fast track or special treatment for persons on a journey to/from umrah. However the host nation ie. Saudi Arabia passport/immigration control make you queue for hours (5-6 hrs is the norm). No separate queues for elderly women or children or persons with other reasons for visits. Passport control then spend approx. 45 mins per person at the kiosk flicking through pages of your passport taking fingerprints of every finger on both hands. It gets worse if you have not completed the correct landing forms as you just get waved away without a proper explanation. And there are no clear signs or instructions on where to obtain such forms until someone from the mile long queue points or explains what you need to do. Saudi or Arabic speaking travellers jump the queues and there are just allowed to and we as foreigners aren't allowed to question. To make matters worse just as you think you are next in the queue the passport control clerk leaves/closes their station. No explanation no replacement clerk no moving of same queue to another kiosk. You just stand there hoping he will return or just join the back of another mile long queue.

The worst airport I have ever been to. Immigration took 90 minutes to get through. once outside you enter into a mafia of taxis where they all have agreed to rip you off with ridiculous prices. $70 for a 45 minute drive to Mekkah if you do not like it there's nothing you can do about it. Once we reached Mekkah the driver took me to the wrong hotel and so he had to do an extra 4 minute drive which he took $15 for. Disgusting manners and a shame for the country's reputation. Return flight was from the Hajj terminal which we did not know about until arriving to the main terminal. The Hajj temrinal is less than 500 metres from the main terminal however it is protected by barbed wires and so a taxi trip takes 15 minutes 15kms away another $20 and involves going round the whole airport; really badly laid out. The hajj terminal is chaotic and basic.

Jeddah foreign airlines Terminal has been enlarged in size but continues to have long lines for immigration intercom calling of flights continues to be very difficult to understand in English and gate changes are frequent boarding is chaotic. First Class Lounge continues to have filthy toilets that are either plugged or not working water everywhere on floor and no toilet tissue seems the standard as it has been for many years. Staff on duty in Lounge are not interested. Arabic food service only in First Class Lounge food is old and stale only 1 internet terminal working. Overall impression is extremely poor when passing through Jeddah Airport compared to Bahrain Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

The Saudia terminal continues to be renovated. Saudia staff are totally uninterested in being helpful or providing information. Signage is awful you are left to try desk after desk asking where to check in and the staff simply shrug their shoulders and gesture you away continuing to file their nails and smoke their cigarettes. Business lounge has no power outlets or wifi. Food is cold and stale. Toilets are filthy and stink of urine; no paper.

The refurbishments at Jeddah are continuing and a large new area has just opened with the retail area and check ins relocated. A significant improvement although it has a building site feel. The whole experience is let down by the lack of any form of customer service also the general fog of smoking throughout the non smoking terminal.

CAI-JED then JED-HAS. The worst airport I have been to in the last 10 years. We had to claim our luggage then re-check in for the next flight. No clear signs to guide passengers. No information desk.