Kathmandu Airport

✅ Trip Verified | The more the Nepalese government spends on this airport the worse it gets. The traveller-experience gets much worse every time that I use this airport. The process of getting a visa on arrival is frustratingly bureaucratic. The latest press releases from the Nepali government, states that this can be undertaken online and paid online. This is nonsense. You may be able to extend your visa online, but the initial visa on arrival must be paid for at the airport. Even if passengers print off their visa-on-arrival approval, they are sometimes sent to a computer terminal (as I was) to re-apply. This then means queueing up again to pay for the visa. Staff at this counter encourage travellers to pay for their visa in currencies other than US dollars – I was encouraged to pay in British Pounds but others were asked to pay in Euros, Australian Dollars and so on. After paying for the visa, there is then the queue with immigration officers and the queues for non-Indian/Nepalis are usually horrendous. Customs check number 1: Once clearing immigration passengers are met by soldiers in full combat gear who check you and your hand luggage. This check is personal and intrusive. Along with other male passengers my private parts were felt and grabbed. I have never been met by soldiers at any airport in the world nor, been subject to such rigorous personal searches. Customs check number 2: The first suitcase took over one hour to arrive on the luggage belt. Despite our plane having no more than 40 passengers, there was nobody there to place the luggage on the belt. There were literally hundreds of smartly dressed airport workers moving around, mobile in hand, but the person who places the baggage on the belt was not available. When passengers complained, they were told that there was no customs officer airside to check the bags before they were placed on the belt. Passengers having already received the unwelcoming arrival by Nepali officials/Army were getting increasingly frustrated and agitated. Eventually the luggage arrived after 70 minutes. Customs check number 3: Western passengers with other than withminimal baggage are increasingly pulled over by ‘traditional’ customs officers and their baggage x-rayed. This of course is at the Nepalese’ government’s discretion. However, in my view something has changed and for the worse. The international terminal has been reconfigured and upgraded but it is an utter disaster. I have never been in an airport with such a steep floor incline. This means that when passengers have eventually cleared immigration, baggage collection and customs they are met with a downhill floor! Many passengers cannot control their heavily laden luggage trolleys and end up crashing into walls, other passengers, or their trolley runs away with itself. It is a nightmare. Previously, there were long queues for the tiny elevators to take the trolleys to the eventual exit. Whilst placing the blame on a private company the government has installed an additional elevator – which shaves off about 10 minutes getting out of the airport (the airport exit is only about 200 metres from the customs check). TIA – Kathmandu Airport – is the gateway to Nepal for 99% of international flying passengers and is not the welcome that visitors should expect. It is sad that whilst other Asian countries are introducing measures to attract international tourists, the Nepalese government/TIA officials appear to be going in the opposite direction.

✅ Trip Verified | On arrival there one of my luggages disappeared. We didn't find it until the following day after looking back at the original point back in China and even going as far as to consult for an hour the airport CCTV of the luggage claim area and carousel in the security area. Only there we found where it disappeared. It was taken away by 'customs', who haven't notified either the airline, me (the passenger) or the ground handling services. No one. When we approached them, even some of their agents didn't knew it was there. It caused a lot of stress not just to me but to the airport employee in charge and almost a whole day loss of time while on the lookout. The security on arrival was extremely hot and chaotic, there was a security screening prior to entering the luggage claim area what i see the first time in my life and which is both stupid, absurd, infuriating and time-consuming. Most officers were rude and ignorant, passengers were fighting between them. On the way out, the airline (Sri Lankan) closed their check-in counters more than an hour ahead of time. They were impossible to be contacted or found. Once contacted, they promised they'll come down, they never did so i missed my flight eventhough it was delayed and took off two hours later. I purchased another ticket and i won't mention the chaos, overcrowding and extreme heat/absence of a/c, dirty toilets and absence of seating in the airport that everyone talks about. What infuriated me the most is that on arrival i found both my luggages not only damaged but opened and that someone scavenged through them looking for God knows what. Everything was spilled out and taken out of its purses and pockets, all clothes were messed up and small items were thrown out all over the place. I've neve witnessed something like that. I don't know what were they looking for but that doesn't happen at any airport worldwide. Maybe they were digging for some valuables which fortunately after the previous incident i took out of my luggage, for not to risk a repeat of a similar scenario. Internet doesn't work in most places without a Nepali Sim card, which, if you have one, you probably don't need public internet anyway. I witnessed more dirty and aesthetically unpleasing airports, but in terms of operational effectiveness and customer service, this has to be one of the worst in the world. Avoid at all costs.

✅ Trip Verified | Dirty Toilet, seats also very dirty. It is also very smelly. I never review any airport ever in my 16 years of travels. Only now because I am unable to use the toilet as it so smelly.

✅ Trip Verified | My experience with the security staff at the departure security checkpoint was absolutely terrible. They pulled out every single item from my bags and if an officer liked any item, they simply kept it, claiming it wasn't allowed on the aircraft. Even after bringing airline staff to confirm the item's validity, the security officers would just laugh and still refuse to return the item. This was a very distressing and frustrating experience, and I would strongly recommend avoiding this airport if possible. Their behavior was unprofessional and unacceptable.

✅ Trip Verified | Simply a terrible airport, the bad experience starts with a long queue at the passport control at the arrival, then you end up in another line for a totally useless security control before collecting the luggage, which obviously takes a while to arrive. But the big problems are at the departure. First useless security check when entering the terminal (useless because they didn't really check anything, but yeah, that's a waste of time). I queued at the online check-in line, which is usually faster than the normal one, but not there... I literally queued for 40 mins, despite there were no more than 15 people in front of me. Considering that it took only 30 seconds for me to leave the counter, it means that other passengers did NOT check in online but nobody cared that they were in the wrong line. Another 30 mins waiting at the passport control and you finally reach the small terminal, but here comes a new bad surprise: the shops and even worse the lounges are all BEFORE the security check... it means that you can't relax in the lounge until the boarding announcement, because you have to consider another line that could be just 5 mins or half an hour... so, if you stay too long in the lounge you don't arrive at the gate in time, and if you fear about it and leave the lounge too early, than you have to wait long time at the gate where you can't find absolutely anything but dirty seats and an useless shop (guess what? yeah, to buy a bottle of water and spend the few rupees I had, I obviously had to queue for another 15 mins). Obviously the airport is dirty as everything in Kathmandu, but one thing was really disgusting: at the security check the trays were horrible as people are forced to put the shoes on the same trays where you also put your belongings, jackets, laptop and so on... I really wanted to throw up when I realised it. Last point about the Horizon Lounge. Finally a positive point: the staff was really good. But the food, despite a big choice, is definitely not what I was looking for. I could eat only cheese, as all dishes were spicy and/or mixed with vegetables.

✅ Trip Verified | Security staff are completely inappropriate my bag was pulled to pieces with every item being tipped out and on to the floor. My underwear was pulled up in front of me for everyone to see and there was clearly no reason to inspect this. They were very rude and laughing and I felt very violated. After a overly thorough inspection, I was allowed through. It seemed they were just picking on tourists. Also, the airport is disgusting with bird droppings over the seats. Don't bother buying a coffee either, it must be the worst coffee I have ever tasted, it was so bad that I had to pour it away after a few sips.

Not Verified | Honestly this is the worst ever airport I have ever seen. This airport is dirty, the staff are all useless and rude always hungry for money. Everything in this airport is just unimaginable. Worst in everything, the cleanliness, the workers, the environment. The airport is like a zoo, bunch of animals, no sign board, no clear instructions on where we should go. It’s like a jungle.

Not Verified | The worst airport I’ve ever experienced. Appalling immigration. They don’t have good customer service. Their check point disgusting. Employees act like they are helping, but they start pulling your luggage and asking for money in front of all the airport staff. I have never seen this at other airports. They don’t have signs and they don’t have good customer service even at the customer care front desk. According to international airlines policy, customers have the right to carry two pieces of luggage under 28 kg. But they charged for both pieces of luggage. I feel like all the staff are just only looking for money.

Not Verified | Asia’s worst airport. By far. Appalling immigration procedures as detailed by others: long queues, bored and limited staff - all of whom unhelpful. Takes at least an hour to get through unless you have a visa in advance from a Nepali Embassy. Other Asian countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia allow you to pay and get a visa online. Nepal sends you through a series of desks and queues. Then there’s yet another queue for a pointless security check to enter the baggage retrieval. Not much better on the departure as the airport is so busy three major flights were all delayed by 90 minutes causing people to miss connections. 2020 is supposed to be Visit Nepal year. I suggest no-one does until they have improved the airport. Domestic is equally delayed and chaotic.

Not Verified | Quite literally the most ridiculous immigration process imaginable! No assistance from any ground staff when entering Kathmandu immigration, half the computers not working, not enough computers, queues with no signs, no organisation. Simple signs, step 1, step 2, step 3 would make life a lot easier! I spent 2.5 hours trying to get through this ridiculous immigration process, by which time my bags were sitting waiting in the arrivals hall for a long time in supervised!! Exiting via Kathmandu airport, no signs in check in desks, again no ground staff, or they were in disguise! Immigration, once again a joke! Signs saying fill in the embark form but no forms anywhere and then not even required. 2 immigration officers for dozens of international flights! Congratulations on being rubbish!