Sharm El Sheikh Airport

✅ Trip Verified | Having seen comments from past years I can now confirm that this airport is absolutely atrocious. We all understand that security is important so 1.5 hour's queuing for Arrivals at passport control is slow but (loosely) understandable but for Departures, they have a mindbogglingly insane series of checks for luggage and passports. Basic luggage check-in is ridiculously slow (2.5 hrs!) and results in a form which must be filled in then handed to 'Passport Control' 10m later, who has no way to check the data contained or interest in doing so - they just get stacked! Multiple Passport checks are often in quick succession and can only be described as farcical! Why follow a conventional computer & visual passport 'gate' with a single guard in the middle of the corridor doing another (but cursory) visual check 3m later, then again 10m later, and there are similar absurdities for hand luggage? The net result is that a simple process takes forever and allows no time to purchase food or duty frees - we almost missed our flight because of the delays added. I can only assume that they either have a chronic employment issue so must add as many manual steps as possible, or they are deliberately making life as difficult as possible for some obscure reason. There is certainly no logic to the sequence or integrity of any of the processes. Lessons learned for us include 1) Avoid Sharm el Sheikh Airport if at all possible, 2) Allow far longer than the tour guide quotes (including arranging independent transfers if necessary - I'd recommend at least 5 hours to have any confidence). 3) If forced to follow other timetables then take your own food (but allow for ditching drinks!) and be warned - there's no WiFi available so don't rely on online services either.

Not Verified | I have travelled all over the world and I am appalled with Sharm El Sheikh Airport, it’s literally rubbish, the whole experience was a joke, my passport was checked 5 times before I even got to the plane which was one hour delayed due to the ground staff and their shambolic procedures. At one point I even swapped my passport with my partner (male) handed it in for checking for the 3rd or 4th time it was not even checked we both carried on through after showing incorrect passports which goes to show it’s all for show and authority they do not do the job required and managed to turn the departure experience into an nightmare. They literally can’t even organise a queue. Airport doesn’t even have Wi-Fi unless you have an Egyptian phone number shops are full of usual overpriced market rubbish, eating facilities very poor. We will not travel to Egypt again based on your shambolic airport. Civil Aviation Authority could do with visiting you.

Not Verified | Long long waits, most staff incredibly rude, multistage checks. The worst airport I've been through ever. I love Sharm but the airport is getting even worse than before and this will affect my decisions to come here again. Most Egyptian people are great but staff here are rude and dreadful attitude.

✅ Trip Verified | Having travelled to Egypt a number of times I am always dissatisfied with the level of service at their airports. It seems that they need to employ so many staff to duplicate the same jobs over and over again, on arrival we were told we did not need to pay for visas as we were not leaving Sharm but we had to fill in a form, that's fine but in years gone past the airlines provided them saving time in the airports, but now you need 6 people shouting at you to get your paper visas and then having to fill them in standing up as there is never anywhere to write on, instead of completing them on the plane before you even land, then you finally get to passport control and no sooner than a plane load turns up a number of officers stop working and then you form an orderly queue behind one who is working only to be sent back to the end of another queue as a head passport officer decides to close that station and then 10 minutes later after everyone moves he decides to open it again for no logical reason. At least as the airport is quite small you get your luggage quite quickly. On departure it is not much better, again so many staff doing the same work, I think our luggage went through scanners three times, we were body searched twice and had to remove different items of clothing at different searches and then held outside the gate departure lounge where there is little seating, despite there being lots of seating inside the departure lounge, and when we eventually were allowed in the departure lounge they decided to randomly check passports, boarding tickets and for some unfortunate people have the hand luggage checked for the 4th time. Whilst I understand the need for security I don't understand the need to show my passport 5 times from the entrance of the airport to getting on the plane. Unfortunately the rudeness of the majority of officials at Sharm Airport certainly takes to gloss off what is a truly magnificent holiday, maybe that's the price you have to pay for a good holiday. Just don't understand that when you are arriving or departing the shifts seem to change causing such a delay, I know that tourists can be stressed after a long flight or transfer to the airport but treating us poorly does Egypt no good. On another note, if you arrive in time for your flight don't leave it to the last minute to get your Burger king and then have to rush to the gate and please don't queue up outside the boarding gate if your flight has not even been called as you are just making it difficult for those on the earlier flight who have to push past you to get to their flight, you all have allocated seats there is no hurry the plane wont leave without you, and put your rubbish in the bins there are plenty about, we don't help ourselves.

✅ Trip Verified | Disorganised and very rude airport staff! Our first-time visit to Sharm El Sheikh and the airport experience pretty much dented our trip here and won't be returning. As soon as we arrived chaos loomed, we were directed to pass through immigration as a visa was not needed if you are to stay in Sharm only. Whilst being directed a small card (pointless card btw) was given to us and told to be taken to the immigration/border control and it will be filled by the immigration officer there. When we got there we were met with the most intolerable and very rude immigration officer you could possibly be checked in by! After checking me through with the worst attitude, he let me pass but then straight away screamed at me to come back as if I had done something wrong! This was because he forgot to check the card that was given upon arrival, I asked if I could borrow a pen (as we were told that it would be filled out at the immigration desk), and this was completely rejected, I had to ask another passenger if I could borrow theirs, and kindly gave it to me by them. He even shouted "Quick quick" like we were holding up the line, but matter of fact he was still checking people through whilst we were filling out this so-called immigration card. Once it was filled out and given to him he didn't even proceed to check it, just left it sitting next to his computer. Useless! Thankfully we were able to pass after such terrible commotion and unprofessional service by the immigration officer. Luckily it wasn't so bad on our way back from there minus the 4 security and bag checks you go through when leaving! One of the security checks, one of the airport staff demanded my wife to put her belongings on the belt without a box, luckily the passenger ahead of her offered to put it in her box as there was no other box available, otherwise my wife's stuff could have been lost or destroyed. But it's stupid things like this that airport staff have no consideration at all! The airport is very dirty to say the least, the departure gate was infested with ants! Sharm in itself is absolutely beautiful and the people you meet outside the airport are really kind and helpful, however, the airport experience in itself is not worth returning to.

Not Verified | First time back in Sharm El Sheikh for 20 years, lovely stay, beautiful hotel, diving, but will think again because of the airport experience. Arrival took an absolute age and the staff were incredibly rude, very unwelcoming. Once through passport control, more checks. Toilets absolutely filthy with a cleaner outside trying to extract cash (only women's toilet), more security checks to get out of the airport. Departure total confusion, zero organization, lots of uniformed men standing about, so many security checks before we boarded the plane 4 times we had to go through a security check. Facilities toilets absolutely filthy with the cleaners sitting outside! Food and drink crazy expensive. Dirty, zero organization, staff very militant, not sure they know how to run an airport, wont help tourism at all.

Not Verified | Zero rating for this airport! I have never experienced such a bad service! First of all the check in lasted more than 2 hours, it was going really slow. Secondly, we have passed 4 security checkpoints for what reason I don't know. All the passengers were treated badly. One of the security checkpoints lacked boxes for bags, phones watches, Because of that, my bag with macbook fell and I got home seeing that my macbook screen is broken. I left my phone in the scanner, I ran and caught the phone, otherwise it would have fallen again.

Not Verified | Agree with all the negative reviews on this site. We loved our stay at a great resort, and the red sea of course, however, memory of our lovely holiday began to fade quickly, upon arrival at Sharm el Sheikh airport. As soon as we disembarked our taxi, a teenager lurched at our bags and began to what looked like take ownership of bags in order to provide the so called assistance - despite our protest! Luckily with a small tip we able to send him on his way. The airport is basic to put it mildly, with rude staff and sky high food and drink prices, and unclean toilets. The whole boarding process was mismanaged, including multiple passport and luggage and manual body checks every few feet. I almost lost my cool, especially when they continued to single out our autistic 20 year old for so called random checks, all the way to the departure the gate! Still we got away lightly, felt sorry for the british Asian lady and husband in Abaya/head Scarf, who was also singled out for the so called Random check at the gate( her face afterwards said it all!) Surely the random checks need to be performed well before arrival at the gate, as it is the norm at other reputable airports. It’s a miracle that we made it on the flight with minutes to spare. Suffice to say , we love Egypt but will think twice before returning to this airport. Final note: one of the security officers informed my husband that their hands are tied as to these checks (literally they were taking out /searching all your belongings from trolley cases/back packs, while your flight is boarding) - as this “thorough check” was requested by the British authorities.

Not Verified | Here is the process at this airport. Queue at the entrance to show your passport to police. Just inside the door queue for a second PP check and to show ticket. All bags through scanner. You go through a scan. Everyone gets a pat down search - we have only just begun. Move forward 20 ft to random open bag search. Check in bags with PP and ticket check. Fill in exit form. PP check, photo taken, finger prints taken. not done yet. Remaining cabin bags scanned again. You go through a scan. Everyone gets another pat down. Move forward to random 3D body scan. …you’re in departures but not done yet… Queue with numerous other flights to enter the departure gates which requires a passport check. Random baggage search. Random pat down search. Head to the bus to plane, final passport check. If you haven’t been selected for a final body search you wait for those passengers that have. In all likelihood depart late. I also observe that in spite of or perhaps because of the amount of security the officers appear bored and distracted. Many are using their phones to chat or surf, open bag checks only look into the top, trays through scanners are rammed full to overflowing. Felt a bit like lots of people ticking lots of boxes.

Not Verified | Arrived 3 hours before the flight and then it went downhill from there. Arrived in the entrance and had to go through a first security barrier which took 40 minutes because the organisation was terrible. Some random person pushed my partner out the way and threw all our suitcases on the security belt then asked me for a tip and I told him to clear off. They needed more staff as bags were unattended for over 20 minutes and when I went through 3 staff members were on a prayer mat. I understand this is part of there religion and respect this but it didn't help with the chaos that was happening. Went to drop the hold luggage off which didn't take too long but it was still a bit confusing and they handed us a blue form which no one knew they had to fill out. Had to go through border control and went to go through but apparently had to fill out the blue form so we left the que for that like everyone else did and tried to get a pen. In the end my partner grabbed one from the bag drop desk even after being told she couldn't have one. So the form was filled out and we went through border control. Phase 4: Another security section where we had to do all the security rigmarole again. Take off shoes, belts, jewellery etc. No help from staff to get moving quickly which is why it took over half an hour. By this time they were calling on the tannoy for our flight to Bristol and it was starting to become a speed trial. Finally in the airports inner sanctum and through security x 2, bag drop, border control and form filling pen fiasco. Had to go to the loo by now so went down stairs to the food/shops area and had to go back up stairs to the loo. Went back down and went to the gate where there was another massive que with one entrance to 2 gates. Passports checked for the 5th time and managed to avoid the long random security check que after having a joke with the security guard about my beard. Got to the waiting area and 5 minutes later boarding commenced. So after arriving 3 hours early there was no time to go to the shops or have some food. I understand they need to be tight on security but it was a right palava.