Paris Orly Airport

We chose this airport as opposed to CDG, efficient, clean, helpful staff. Information clearly displayed. I don't recognise our experience with the other comments. Perhaps their airline procedures are the problem rather than airport. Confused! Will certainly use again.

Avoid if you can! Simply horrible experience at any level - huge line for the passport check, rude staff, lack of any signs. No indication on which bus can transfer you to Charles de Gaulle airport. Shabby interiors, dirty bathrooms and everyone extremely unhelpful.

Arriving at Orly South Terminal by the train shuttle is like entering a palace through the back door, but I noticed that the airport airside must have been recently refurbished. The tones of red and white allows for a sense of elegance and modernity and I have enjoyed the best restrooms I have recently experienced in an airport. Extra clean and almost posh and in red and white too. I found signs a bit confusing and lacking. Airside it was a bit of disappointment as it doesn't seem to have been refurbished at all and it still seems consistently 70s in its carpeted minimality. I appreciated, though, not being pushed through an endless gallery of duty shops as it happens in most more modern airports. On the contrary you have to walk the extra mile here if you want to go shopping from most of the gates. The overall experience was smooth and the staff is kind and helpful enough.

✅ Verified Review | First time through Paris Orly. Shocked at lack of facilities air side. Poor food choices, limited duty free and no place to sit. Patently not big enough for class of aircraft. And it's just grubby. Try pushing a broom around occasionally. Even more shocked at the chaos at security. Staff are clueless, arrogant and rude. I appreciate how difficult their job is, but try to do it with grace and have some pride in what you do. We complained but supervisor was as clueless as staff. We simply did not feel safe after security check. Staff are not paying attention. Will avoid Orly at all costs.

✅ Verified Review | Flight from Toulouse into Paris Orly was ontime. Transit was simple. Airport is compact but the non-schengen wing (Gate 31) of Orly West is very overwhelmed. There were two 77W flights (470 passengers per aircraft) to the French Caribbean plus a 738 (189 passengers) to Agadir and a 752 (112 passengers) to New York all departing within 30 minutes of one another but there were only two passport control booths open. The result was a 1 hour and 10 minute wait to get through passport control. Ridiculous. The airside area after security was a zoo since most people were running to catch their flight and there is a distinct shortage of seating. On the bright side, the restrooms were clean and the British Airways lounge is quite nice. I think I prefer CDG, however (I never thought I would say that).

One thing that everybody mentions about Paris Orly is that it's understaffed, and they are right. It can look small since is the second airport of Paris, but its not. The staff was disorientated, long queues, overcrowded. The terminal building definitely needs a refurbishment. It was hard to find my luggage as the bags from my flight were spread in different places. A big mess.

1 hour and 20 minutes to get through passport control on a broken ankle which was ridiculously understaffed. This was followed by a 20 minute wait for the bag checked. The flights were all delayed because of how slow the process was. The airport was deserted in the departure lounge, except for passengers running for their respective flights. Embarrassing.

✅ Verified Review | Terrible experience like the last reviewer. A queue 100m long. Only two human passport controls and one biometric control that barely worked. So sat in queue for 30 mins. Then to security - faster, but then the trays got blocked up and wouldn't come thru. More waiting. Really a farcical experience for what I would have thought is supposed to be a major airport.

My family experience through Paris Orly West today included a 20 minute wait to be dropped off by family at the 'depose minute' which only has one lane and no traffic warden. Come early or you might miss your flight. Next, check-in wasn't so bad but I get fast lane privilege with BA. The queue for customs was horrendous. They had 2 super long lines and we queued a good 45mn to get past customs. It felt like a classic TSA check all over again, or a classic French down time moment or the usual strike. Don't expect fast track privilege unless you have a business ticket or if you have an Air France / Delta card. The waiting hall is tiny and overcrowded with a very limited catering facilities. Don't expect great duty free shopping in here either. Overall a poorly run airport that has never upgraded to the demands and expectations of the 21st century traveller. On the good side, the WiFi was good, they sell delicious macaroons and it is a good location when travelling on the south side of Paris.

Checking at Paris Orly Hall 1 then having to go through Hall 3 to board is a nonsense, inconvenient and defies logic. Toilets had no soap in any of the dispensers. On boarding the aircraf we were hearded onto the bus like sardines - way too many people. We were then kept on bus as the aircraft wasn't ready - it was hot and hugely overcrowded. All in all flying from Orly was an ordeal. Amateurish and unprofessional.