Worst airport to have a layover in?
Aug 22, 2017, 12:12 pm
#76
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Colorado
Programs: Delta, United, American, Norwegian, Southwest, Frontier, Bonvoy
Posts: 182
Worst International: Heathrow, Lisbon, Nairobi (sorry, can't be bothered looking up codes)
Worst Domestic: LAX, JFK, EWR, Dulles. Plus ORD if transferring between domestic and international
Best in the world: Singapore (of course)
Worst Domestic: LAX, JFK, EWR, Dulles. Plus ORD if transferring between domestic and international
Best in the world: Singapore (of course)
Aug 22, 2017, 4:26 pm
#78
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: AZ Exec, FB PFL, OneWorld Sapphire, IHG Diamond, Accor Platinum, Avis/Hertz President
Posts: 577
There is now a nicer, larger and more comfortable new AF lounge with windows and better F&B offer.
The WiFi improved a lot too across the whole airport.
I would not recommend CDG as a transit airport unless you arrive-leave from Terminals 2E-F-G.
Immigration is bad but then it is not better anywhere else when crowded.
Ulxima
Aug 22, 2017, 4:53 pm
#79
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: AZ Exec, FB PFL, OneWorld Sapphire, IHG Diamond, Accor Platinum, Avis/Hertz President
Posts: 577
The rule of thumb for any decent frequent traveller is to exclude airports where you need a VISA to stay in the transit country and airports where the change of Terminals cannot be done airside.
My personal choice, whenever possible, as transit airports is any among: AMS (overnight preferred), CDG (only 2E-F-G), FCO (no overnight transit), HKG (Terminal 1 only, overnight preferred), KUL (Main and Satellite only), ICN, MUC (Terminal 2 only, no overnight transit), SIN, ZRH (overnight preferred).
Ulxima
My personal choice, whenever possible, as transit airports is any among: AMS (overnight preferred), CDG (only 2E-F-G), FCO (no overnight transit), HKG (Terminal 1 only, overnight preferred), KUL (Main and Satellite only), ICN, MUC (Terminal 2 only, no overnight transit), SIN, ZRH (overnight preferred).
Ulxima
Aug 22, 2017, 6:35 pm
#80
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Haven't transited at MNL, only arrived/departed (and too drink to remember departing on a 6am flight to HKG), but the traffic was horrendous and the airport on arrival didn't strike me as very comfortable. That being said, 100% agree on NBO. 12hr layover, needed visa to enter and no lounge access. A single bar with a ridiculously overpriced beer. Urgh.
Aug 23, 2017, 3:04 am
#81
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Kingdom of Bahrain
Programs: GE, UA silver, Amex Plat, SPG Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 24
KWI - Kuwait. Seriously, an "operational stop" on UA had us corralled into a large room with seats. No bathrooms. No shops. No food. No TVs. One exit, but if you left, you had to go back through security again, and this was a big deal. Cigarette smoke was thick, and it was a miserable stop, for sure.
Aug 23, 2017, 3:24 am
#82
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Asia
Programs: HH Dia, UA S, US Plat, *A G, Delta Plat, SPG G
Posts: 17
ICN too
Aug 23, 2017, 3:44 am
#83
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,438
KWI - Kuwait. Seriously, an "operational stop" on UA had us corralled into a large room with seats. No bathrooms. No shops. No food. No TVs. One exit, but if you left, you had to go back through security again, and this was a big deal. Cigarette smoke was thick, and it was a miserable stop, for sure.
Aug 23, 2017, 3:37 pm
#84
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
I've never had an easier transfer than two at RUH in 2013; I left the plane, went up stairs, and was already at the gate. No security, though...
RUH doesn't have enough decent food options (mostly, it's fast food and baked goods), but I don't mind the airport.
RUH doesn't have enough decent food options (mostly, it's fast food and baked goods), but I don't mind the airport.
Oct 12, 2017, 8:34 am
#86
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 94
Surprised no-one has mentioned HEL. First went through there about 10 years ago, was nice in a subdued Nordic way, but recently it's become way overcrowded, even the main business lounge is a "hold onto your table before someone nicks it" kind of place, and security inbound from outside Schengen is an arbitrary circus ("phone in case - OK; table in case - please remove it, sir").
Oct 12, 2017, 9:13 am
#87
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Surprised no-one has mentioned HEL. First went through there about 10 years ago, was nice in a subdued Nordic way, but recently it's become way overcrowded, even the main business lounge is a "hold onto your table before someone nicks it" kind of place, and security inbound from outside Schengen is an arbitrary circus ("phone in case - OK; table in case - please remove it, sir").
Oct 12, 2017, 9:20 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,225
Oct 16, 2017, 7:09 am
#89
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 597
Worst experience so far: MLE (a few years ago)
When I can I avoid CDG, PEK and the big US Airports (the hassle of having to go through immigration when conecting Int - Int)
Airports in MOW have been OK for transfers (unless you need to change between them) - most of the lounges are quite bad though
When I can I avoid CDG, PEK and the big US Airports (the hassle of having to go through immigration when conecting Int - Int)
Airports in MOW have been OK for transfers (unless you need to change between them) - most of the lounges are quite bad though
Regarding CDG, it really depends on which terminal. 2E-K is awful, 2E-L and 2E-M are not so bad IMO. Though a nap in the chairs in front of the big window at the end of 2E-K makes it tolerable
Oct 16, 2017, 4:29 pm
#90
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 75
I haven't traveled to many places but it seems that ADD in Ethiopia is pretty bad. I was travelling with family in 2016 because of the cheap tickets and new flight path from LAX-DUB-ADD but honestly I think it was a mistake. Don't get me wrong, the new Boeing 787's were amazing but I can say that despite me not particularly enjoying connecting flights, I would take a 18 hour layover in Amsterdam without leaving the airport than a 5 hour layover there.
Aside from the infrastructure, the treatment by immigration and customs officers can also make the experience hell, particularly if someone is from different religion or ethnicity in some regions (Middle Eastern countries, Most of Asia, South America).
What would you have to say was your worst layover experience?
Aside from the infrastructure, the treatment by immigration and customs officers can also make the experience hell, particularly if someone is from different religion or ethnicity in some regions (Middle Eastern countries, Most of Asia, South America).
What would you have to say was your worst layover experience?