Leave plenty of time to pick up bags, sort VISA's etc. (Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO))

Member Name: Lools_24

Product:	Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)
Date:	27/01/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Signs in English, enthusiastic staff

Disadvantages: Efficiency, upkeep, VISA section not well staffed. Security not good

I arrived here on a flight from the UK to Kenya... via Amsterdam travelling on Kenya Airlines. The journey in itself was awful so I didn't arrive in one of the best of moods.

The bags took 2 hours to arrive for the group of 16 BUT this was fine as only half of the group had made it through the VISA section despite the fact we only needed transit VISA's and we all had the money to hand. There were over 100 people needing VISA's arriving off our flight and only 3 staff processing. A member of staff shouted for us to come to one side as we only needed transit VISA's. Our group of 16 followed. Eight of us got through and the member of staff told us he had finished his book of VISA stickers so the rest of the group had to go to the back of the queue again!! . There was not a queue just chaos. However this is the general way of life in Africa the culture is very much to not do things at pace or in an ordered way!

My suitcase had got completely smashed up on the journey and was repaired straight away when I asked the airport staff, which was great and they were only too happy to help...... but was repaired by tightly wrapping my suitcase in cling film!!! . I was thankful but extremely amused.

Efficiency is not one of the strong points of this airport, the staff seem to come and go as they please.

Checking in is very easy, security is an issue. We had been camping and 5 members of the group had left camping knives in their hand luggage rucksacks. These were not confiscated until we had reached Amsterdam!

There are lots of people outside of the airport offering their services to carry bag etc... obviously they want paid so if you don't want their services say NO!! and if you do want some help you have to pay them (even if you ask for directions). Just remember this is a country where there is extreme poverty so don't expect luxury

Summary: It does take a while to exit the airport, security isn't a strong point!