Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
James Brownjohn (United Kingdom)
Arrival at DME from ZRH. Travelled with excess baggage including technical equipment (three boxes) requiring ATA carnet. Immigration area first; strong smell of diesel. Three lines with two officer booths each but possibility to go to booth on different line i.e. possible pushing in. Officer says nothing but takes ages to inspect your passport. Never mind it's a tourist visa. Collected bags from carousels. This is a small and chaotic area with people pushing trolleys into you at speed from all angles. Then customs: with ATA carnet went to area that looked like 'anything to declare'. Waved carnet at officer. He took us directly into a staff area at end of corridor is a customs office. They (old guy and a trainee) dealt with the relevant section of the carnet checked a few items communicated in English took photocopies. Had a cover letter in Russian explaining what purpose of equipment which helped. Were told to come back to the same place exactly when departing. This was pretty efficient. Leaving from DME: Travelling from area of KUNTSEVSKAYA Metro station (i.e. West Moscow) allowed four hours to departure. Orbital motorway anticlockwise pretty quiet at 0615AM clockwise direction was already very busy and slow. Kashira highway going south east to DME also OK. So that part in 45 minutes. Possible to drive to front of the only terminal get (free trolley) and go straight inside building. All baggage scanned just inside building but this was simple no delay. Went to the left (east) end of check in area to get to arrivals showed carnet to a the first customs-looking oficer available. He waved us to the staff area to have the next section of the carnet dealt with. No queues no problem. Documents were photocopied and we were on our way. Then back to check in area (waving carnet at anyone official) checked in personal baggage taken told to go to airline cashier desk (Swiss) to pay excess baggage. Showed checkin clerk the excess baggage receipt then took the three boxes to excess baggage reception. It was scanned and we pushed into a lift and said goodbye to it. Then went upstairs through passport control/security. This was no problem either (got waved into business lane for unknown reason). The whole process through the airport to now was less than an hour so had almost an hour to spare. Departure area fairly busy but OK with simple layout no miles to walk anywhere but enough shops eateries and places to sit.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | yes |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
Dmitry Kuzin (Russian Federation)
Having spent a lot of time at airports all over the world now at DME I can't wait until I board the airplane or get my luggage and get out. Airport is far away from the city centre it's difficult to park. The terminal is always crowded and the staff impolite. The gates are clearly marked and easy to get to. Waiting areas are small as well as smoking rooms. The prices in shops and cafes are extremely high. Avoid if you can there are better airports in Moscow.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
Simon Gilmore (New Zealand)
The Russians can do many things well except running airports. A great time in Moscow was tainted by leaving through this dreadful airport. Too it's credit the toilets are spotless but there are way too many duty free shops and a total lack of anywhere to sit and rest. There is only a small Russian language only newsagent which is hopeless for an international airport. No ATMs or banks in the departure lounge plus surly officials everywhere. Truly dire.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
E Jacobson (United States)
Domodedovo builders had the right idea but the airport is a victim of its success - it is overcrowded. There are lots of flights and people all streaming in and out. Before you enter the airport you go through poorly managed metal detectors and X-ray machines. There is one tiny currency exchange we found (with horrendous rates) - look for that on your left as you enter. There are multiple check-in booths that become available a few hours before your flight. Once you check in you go on to your sector. There are guards all around. There are few seats. Some shopping and dining is available. Customs and passport control are next. The officer has to "buzz you out" once your passport is stamped. More security checks are on the way. The gates are overcrowded but the whole entry process takes so long that it is unlikely you'll have much time to spend at the gate anyway. This airport needs to separate itself into terminals and have major updates.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
G Evans (United Kingdom)
The car park was like a zoo! We arrived in two coaches. Ours managed to find a space the other went round in circles for about 10 minutes. To access the terminal you and your baggage have to go through security scanners which slows things up. The terminal is completely overcrowded which makes moving around with cases challenging. Check in was ok but passport control customs and security were very slow. The officials only seem to speak Russian which can be a problem if something goes wrong. I forgot to remove my wrist watch before going through the scanner. Once you get to the departure areas we could only find two small places to get food and drink and they are very expensive. Two cheese and ham croissants a small cappuccino and a small beer came to over £27. The whole departure area was overcrowded with far too few seats for the number of passengers. The gate areas are enclosed. Our gate area had seats for about 50 people. We were due to board a 747 so about 350 people needed to stand. The queue went outside the gate and blocked access to the surrounding areas. I plan to go back to Moscow which is a wonderful city but not if I have to use this airport.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
Roman Sosenko (France)
Extremely overcrowded airport. Every single zone is overcrowded. No enough seats at departure gates. Air conditioning often out of service in all buildings. Slow passport control for non Russians at arrival (automatic filling of immigration cards by immigration officers takes a lot of time). Not enough luggage belts: luggage from 3 flights are put on same belt. Everything is undersized even business lounges (the Swiss lounge is around 30 sq meters). Transaero and Lufthansa moved some flights to Vnukovo for all that reasons. Avoid at any cost.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
M Aoki (Japan)
It is difficult to find domestic final gate after I proceeded entry due to language. Staff does not understand English well. Not sufficient English explanation for exit gate direction etc.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
L Kiqai (United States)
Get to this airport as "transfer" there is a small window of opportunity for me to see the entirety of the airport. Based on my experience going in & out of my destination a total of 6 hrs stop-over here. I can only say few things. This is not an international standard airport for me. The restroom is wretched with the smell of smoke no aircon too crowded and every terminal can't hold the number of people riding on the plane. People need to stand to wait. The security may need more people as the normal wait to check on the passport & boarding pass is way to long. The lady who was checking the passports was by herself and check each individual but opening the door for each passenger is too much for me to see. It's too crowded and to think they allow people to smoke inside the building is such a disappointment. Now I decided not to use this "route" just to prevent this airport. I'll wait for further reviews and may change my mind.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
A Dron (United Kingdom)
The usual scrum at immigration despite six counters manned; took around 45 minutes to get through and staff took very close looks at passports but smiling at them seemed to ease the process. Baggage appeared almost instantly after walking into reclaim. You still have to fight your way past importuning taxi drivers - go to the official taxi desk at the wall facing you as you emerge into arrivals and book a taxi into town. You will then be escorted outside to your assigned driver. On return leg check-in very smooth. Security a tad silly at times - two people stationed just 3 metres apart both checking passports and boarding cards - but otherwise fairly standard. Duty-free outlets in all directions but it would be useful if they posted prices in roubles as well as dollars and euros. Generally however a fairly decent experience.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |
Moscow Domodedovo Airport customer review
N Fortuna (Australia)
Tried to collect a rented car at the airport. After the terrorist attack car rental desks were all removed even the information desk did not know where they went. After I called the provider they sent a driver with the car to collect me from the concourse. All the rental formalities were performed on the side of the road past the airport perimeter. The terminal building itself is bursting at the seams. Passport control was busy but plenty of desks open. The longest wait was for the allocated luggage carousel. Departure formalities were also quick and painless.
Queuing Times | 12345 |
Terminal Cleanliness | 12345 |
Airport Shopping | 12345 |
Recommended | no |