killing time at DAR airport
Jul 27, 2017, 8:19 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
Can i bump this? We are coming from IST on TK (in J), and land at 2:30AM. We are on a Coastal Air flight at 8:30AM. Is there a lounge we will be able to get into to hang out? If so, will I get access arriving on Business Class (but not departing) What else is there to do? It is our honeymoon, I would rather not sit on the floor for 5 hours.
Might I suggest getting a room off-airport for a shower and a quick nap? There is the Airport Transit Motel literally 2 minutes away and while it is nothing fancy by any stretch, it is clean and friendly and cheap (around $50 with airport transfer) and has decent wifi and a small breakfast. You can probably get about 3 hrs sleep in a proper bed there which will be much appreciated later in the day! I used it last month for a 10pm to 3am layover with my wife and it was well worth it.
Aug 13, 2017, 3:40 pm
#17
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Zanzibar
Programs: Flying Blue
Posts: 1,319
We arrived at the International airport in DAR about 4:30 PM. Our KLM flight did not depart until after midnight. There are no airline lounges at this airport, no place that is air conditioned to wait. We were told to go to the Flamingo “hotel” in the airport by the Coastal Airline staff. As it turns out, the Flamingo isn’t a hotel – it’s a restaurant -- the one up the stairway. I think they usually have air con, but this day it was broken. They were liberal enough to allow travelers to sit for hours and hours in the restaurant for the price of a few drinks and a sandwich. It quickly became the unofficial KLM departure lounge and appears that this is standard. There are airline lounges. You just can’t get to them until after you clear security at the gate – and the gate doesn’t open until 2 hours prior to the flight.
On arrival in DAR we stayed in the Southern Sun hotel in the city. Its quite nice. However, the traffic between the city and the airport can be brutal, so make sure you have plenty of time to make the journey.
On arrival in DAR we stayed in the Southern Sun hotel in the city. Its quite nice. However, the traffic between the city and the airport can be brutal, so make sure you have plenty of time to make the journey.
As some one who flies monthly to Tanzania on KLM I can only say that most of this is nonsense.
I normally get to the airport after rush hour and check in early to enjoy the incredible ugly but comfortable chairs in the Tanzanite lounge.
Check in opens normally around 19:30 / 20:00 which is approx 4 hours for the flight.
If the Transit Motel is full there is a hotel (big white building) behind it which has good rooms to. It has a bar and or restaurant but I would recommend to have drinks and food at the Transit Motel.
For people flying on Coastal Aviation, they have there own lounge near the airport with deckchairs to snooze on. There is water, coffee and thea but no other food. It is free for Coastal clients before or after the flight but needs to be requested. They will also collect you and bring you back to the airport before your international flight or Coastal flight.
Oct 2, 2017, 2:39 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: YYC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Fairmont Plat, IHG Spire, SPG Gold, WS Gold, Hertz PC, National E Elite,
Posts: 2,768
I will update this for future people wondering.
We arrived to the DAR International terminal at 2 AM. Our flight to Selous was at 9:30 AM from an entirely different terminal that is a taxi ride away. We tried to get into the Tanzanite Lounge but they would not allow us in since we were not departing internationally. We decided to taxi to Transit Motel for a few hours of sleep. GREAT DECISION. The taxi to the Transit Motel took 5 minutes, and the check in too 5 more. We were asleep by 2:30AM, and had a solid 5 hours sleep in a nice clean quiet bed. We arranged for the same taxi driver to pick us back up at 8AM. He charged us $10US each way, and I was too tired to negotiate. The Transit Motel was $50US.
We arrived to the DAR International terminal at 2 AM. Our flight to Selous was at 9:30 AM from an entirely different terminal that is a taxi ride away. We tried to get into the Tanzanite Lounge but they would not allow us in since we were not departing internationally. We decided to taxi to Transit Motel for a few hours of sleep. GREAT DECISION. The taxi to the Transit Motel took 5 minutes, and the check in too 5 more. We were asleep by 2:30AM, and had a solid 5 hours sleep in a nice clean quiet bed. We arranged for the same taxi driver to pick us back up at 8AM. He charged us $10US each way, and I was too tired to negotiate. The Transit Motel was $50US.