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As your flight to Mombasa is on KQ, not BA, there is no BA lounge at NBO you could use, whatever your status at BA. (BA's lounge there is not operated by BA themselves.)
www.prioritypass.com shows two "First Class Lounges" airside at NBO, by gates 5 and 11. You could pay to join PriorityPass or possibly just pay on entry.
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Nairobi airport is hell to spend 8 hours in.
I've used the Priority Pass lounges and they are marginally better.
Have you considered going into Nairobi for a few hours? There is actually a surprisingly okay (for the middle of the city) safari park in Nairobi that might be worth a visit, if your Kenyan trip is to the coast and not one of the game reserves.
Nairobi airport is hell to spend 8 hours in.
I've used the Priority Pass lounges and they are marginally better.
Have you considered going into Nairobi for a few hours? There is actually a surprisingly okay (for the middle of the city) safari park in Nairobi that might be worth a visit, if your Kenyan trip is to the coast and not one of the game reserves.
Hen confronted with a similar with a similar wait (connecting SA to BA) we booked a day room at the Serena. Not cheap but a bed to kip on and a pool to swim in won over the airport.
Sorry for reviving an old thread but seemed like the most appropriate.
I will be arriving to NBO airport 4 hrs prior to departing in CW back to LHR straight from a safari. Any chance to get a shower in the lounge BA uses? Would I be able to check in that early?
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There are no shower facilities in any JKIA lounge. Check in will be possible 4 hours ahead and I fully recommend you check in in good time early to avoid very long security lines outside the terminal.
The "map" they hand out to you at checkin is still somewhat useless (as previously reported). It's basically a flowchart telling you to take escalators magically to the 5th floor. Actually after the escalator, you head towards immigration (downwards tunnel), then instead of going through immigration, you head left, then up some stairs, then you take a lift to the 5th floor.
No wifi, wired internet, or computer access.
There are no fans in the lounge anymore, apparently there is central air, as can be seen since the acoustic tile ceiling has some missing tiles showing exposed ducts.
Food and drinks offerings are poor to adequate. However, it is better than waiting in the normal waiting areas.
I haven't seen all lounges in the world, but.... NBO lounge is a small, dark, crowded and hot. The terminal is crowded with narrow corridors and people everywhere.
Personally, I would spend an absolute minimum of time at the airport. The obvious problem is of course the queues to security and passport control so you must arrive early
I can't remember any airport/lounge that could be lower on my list of dreadful places.
Just returned from NBO-LHR and have a few comments:
Getting there - Under no circumstance expect to come from NBO center to the airport between 3:30 pm and 8:30pm in less than 3 hours.
Waiting - If you have a few hours and are hungry/thirsty and want cheap and good, there is a place called "Choma Zone" behind a gas station (on Mombassa road I believe) where Tuskers are ksh150 and a platter of mixed meats for three people is ksh1200. Not sure what the taxi would be but doubt more than ksh500 each way.
Checking in - fast, friendly. No wait at immigrations. (4 hours early).
Lounge - Yeah, it might be the worst OW lounge but it depends on perspective. I came from 2 months of long drop toilets so the sit downs were nice and there was AC in the first class section. Food is bad until the 9:00 pm hot food is brought out and then it is poor. Drink is fine. Does get full around 9:00pm. Easy to find without signage (but there is if you look) if you ask: Hallway towards immigration, left down the hall until prayer room, turn right, up one flight and lift to 5th floor. Staff is friendly and helpful if you ask. If you are early, expect them to want to watch their favorite soap opera on the tv.
On board - Had the new first and the cabin and staff was outstanding. The catering from NBO just sucked - perhaps the worst F/J dinner in the last 10 years. Carrots so hard that they shot out into the aisle when I tried to cut them. Same with the other veggies - almost ceramic like. The "king prawns" were smallish, watery-like mush. The steak was ok but I had spent two months chewing on hard goat so it probably wasn't passable for most. Really, really disappointed in the food. Still, I'd avoid the lounge food.
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Wow, old thread. This has been discussed in a lot of other threads, but regular NBO warriors know to arrive at the last minute for the BA flight. If you arrive less than an hour before the flight, there are no queues. You just make your way, if you have a PP pass, to the contract First class lounge by the BA gate and avoid the BA lounge altogether.
This assume OLCI and no baggage to check, but even with bags I wouldn't get there more than 70 or 80 minutes before the flight.
Wow, old thread. This has been discussed in a lot of other threads, but regular NBO warriors know to arrive at the last minute for the BA flight. If you arrive less than an hour before the flight, there are no queues. You just make your way, if you have a PP pass, to the contract First class lounge by the BA gate and avoid the BA lounge altogether.
This assume OLCI and no baggage to check, but even with bags I wouldn't get there more than 70 or 80 minutes before the flight.
I guess it depends on where you are coming from (connecting flights, last day safari, no late check-out, etc,). If you leave NBO center at 7:00pm I'd almost guarantee arrival at the airport in 3 hours or more depending on the jam status and if it is raining. If you want to be a "warrior" and arrive less than 60 minutes for a once a day flight, be my guest.
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tkelvin69
If you leave NBO center at 7:00pm I'd almost guarantee arrival at the airport in 3 hours or more depending on the jam status and if it is raining.
Well more likely 90 minutes at worst. But you make my point. Traffic is horrific at that hour. Best to hang out in a bar in town and go to the airport after 10pm when there is no traffic. And no other queues at the airport. And if you are coming from somewhere other than town, the same applies. Pretty much any shebang is nicer than sitting around at that airport and standing in long slow lines.
It is also a good idea to see if there is a big football match at Nyayo stadium if you are coming from town. That can make traffic even worse.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stimpy
Wow, old thread. This has been discussed in a lot of other threads, but regular NBO warriors know to arrive at the last minute for the BA flight. If you arrive less than an hour before the flight, there are no queues. You just make your way, if you have a PP pass, to the contract First class lounge by the BA gate and avoid the BA lounge altogether.
This assume OLCI and no baggage to check, but even with bags I wouldn't get there more than 70 or 80 minutes before the flight.
So what's the bottom line then? do I use the PP lounge or BA lounge given the choice???
