View Full Version : Best and worst airports in africa.
What are your best and worst african airports?(Main int'l airports).
I reckon FAJS must be amongst the best,and perhaps Comores airport the worst...what are your nominations?
non sched
7th Dec 2003, 20:54
Well, Lagos has to be among the worst what with exploding cargo buildings and landing aircraft on runways under construction! On the other hand, Cairo (HECA) is modern and well run. It has to be among the best.:ok:
Islander Jock
7th Dec 2003, 22:55
Only flown in as SLF but Luanda to my mind has to be the worse I have seen. From the rwy condition right through to the immigration and customs corruption and incompetence.
Beira is not a bad candidate for bottom of the list. Tops has to be JNB.
If there is a category for colonial, warm, friendly, I'd choose Chileka.
Flying Bean
8th Dec 2003, 00:13
Yeah. Without getting overawed by the technology of JS I also rate Chelika as a good place to come into. That ATC man is excellent with his diction and approach to the job. Mind you Tete is another nice man and airport, but I think they are glad of the company!!
Worst - Lagos. Only gone in as SLF, but from what we have read in the last month I would hate to fly in there!!
Lagos has to be the absolute worst airport that I have ever flown into. ATC, the worst controling I have ever seen, with a fair amount of traffic.........heads up going into that place!
As for the best well thats hard to say .........Jo'berg, I guess:
Goldfish Jack
8th Dec 2003, 15:32
It all depends on what criteria you want to rate them on.
Some airports in South Africa have to be amongst the worst in Africa when it comes to ops efficiency. They are an absolute nightmare to work at, when you are an ATC, with no high speed turn offs, only one taxi lane across the apron (so let one a/c break in the lane and the whole airport comes to a stop), airport personnel who call themselves managers and do not know what an aircraft looks like, never mind how one works (dont laugh it is true - come to Cape Town), aircraft parked on taxiways that lead off the main instrument runway(thereby reducing the number of options u have to exit a/c from the runway), allowing flying training at international airports, etc etc
Never mind about security. I regularly observe catering trucks enter a security area, that are not propely sealed and are not searched (heaven knows what they are bringing in and one hopes itis only catering related). The security company loves to search your vehicle when u leave the security area and they cant tell you why they are doing it and what they are looking for, except that it "is in our job description" or the supervisor is checking up on them ( and they are just as useless!)
Rand$
12th Dec 2003, 05:04
as far as services go incl atc, handling, facilities here are some of my all time worst:
Mbuji-Mayi, Congo. That dreaded female voice afetr hand over with 'calling mbujimayi?' will haunt me for years.:{
Duala, cameroon. The armpit of africa. eeuu.:}
Wau, Sudan. Controller sitting in terminal with no windows giving wind direction where its going to. :ugh:
and then there was one certain non african airfield where we were cleared to land at 140nm out cause it was lunch time but the fuel truck would be waiting on arrival. only to find out they meant self service. eish!:hmm:
and cents.:ok:
Cpt Launchpad
13th Dec 2003, 22:29
Conakry must also rank as one of the worst.
Wonder if the controlers have learnt English yet as required,oh sorry,forgot ,they are part of ASECNA,French only ,so why learn as they all recon French is the only language !!
ILS also tends to go U/S in heavy rain,hope the situation has improved.
Customs officials also make a quick buck by threatening to impound aircraft if incorrectly parked.Since there are no marked parking bays ,phantom marshal that only tower sees and we never see,can become expensive.
Viva Conakry !!!!!!!!
BadAndy
14th Dec 2003, 00:35
ILS also tends to go U/S in heavy rain,hope the situation has improved.
Nothing like the guys in the Malabo tower turning off the VOR for it's regular, daily servicing while in the middle of the arc to the VOR approach in heavy rain and about 500' overcast... I've "heard" from friends that one's voice gets progressively louder as you approach the field and they won't turn it back on... :}
As for the worst, the old expression "Happiness in Lagos is V1" has a certain appeal.
An even better expression would be
"Happiness in Lagos is 500 V1's (if the germans have any left)
:\ :\
419
helldog
14th Dec 2003, 19:45
I like Entebbe, much better than Dar.
The worst. Bunia. There is a VOR and an NDB on the charts, but dont try and use 'em. They have been dstroyed by bullets and morters an stuff. First time I went there the locals were fighting for control of the airport with UN and me in the middle. Then another day I was waiting there for pax, and someone decided to launch two morters at a position about 500m from the runway. Bloody loud could still feel the shockwave quite strong. Then there is the guys taking pot shots at you on approach.
After the killing stopped it became ok. But then the cr@p started with paying 50 different fees etc..typical stuff.
no reds
15th Dec 2003, 01:32
My kobo has to be on Lagos - max braking on landing when a local wandered across the runway fastening his trousers.On complaining to tower the previous landing called "sorry guys we saw him taking a dump and should have warned you" - amazing place !
Is the Crocodile Bar still going strong as group HQ for night fighter activity ?
Do miss that !:ooh:
No Reds, I'm sorry to have to inform you that the Croc bar is no more. It closed down a couple of years ago, and the night fighters have all dispersed to other locations.
I don't know what became of the crocodile. Probably croc suya.
419
dejidip
15th Dec 2003, 18:49
Lagos just cant be the worst haba;accidents happen maybe unpardonable to be cleared to land on a runway under repairs the tot just gives me the creeps its only in NIGERIA that such a wonderful thing can happen and life continues nas usual .Why all the noise sebi noone got hurt only the ego of the controller and almost the lives of the pilot abi?I guess its not worth thst much anyway a sad day in African Aviation history .My heart bleeds. Nigerian airspace is and must undoubtedly be the most dangerous not just airfield or airport.:\ :{ :sad: :sad:
Rhodie
15th Dec 2003, 20:10
Only done Jo'burg a couple of times as crew (all those BIG aeroplanes scare me...), then it's great - but as a pax, it stinks.
Surly faces and miserable attitudes from everyone (EXCEPT the counter ticket crew), security staff who's mighty word commands and rules all they survey, but the very worst are the CUSTOMS staff - outbound or returning, the most miserable bunch of slovens around.
Still, that said - it's still 10 times better than Harare and 100 times better than Kilimanjaro airport.
But, deepest Africa airports in general - Q: "How can we rip you off today...??" and "only US$, accepted, sir" (small 's').
:mad:
no reds
16th Dec 2003, 07:55
419 - sorry pal but is that Olympia 419?-
I`m gutted.