…not actually, but that’s what the airport seems to think it’s doing.
Last week I wrote about how I consider Cairo International Airport (CAI) to be the worst major airport in the world. That’s just my opinion, and I shared the reasons that I feel that way.
As it turns out, the government of Egypt isn’t happy about that, with this apparently having made headlines in Egypt, and the Minister of Aviation calling my claims baseless, and even threatening to take legal action against me for spreading misinformation.
The Egyptian government has now published a full story refuting my claims, and posted CCTV footage of me at the airport, to prove that I’m lying, and that my claims are baseless. The government is even arguing that I traveled to Cairo exclusively to tarnish the reputation of the airport. Anyway, grab some popcorn…
In this post:
The claims I made about Cairo Airport
To start, let’s talk about the claims that I actually made, rather than what the government is fabricating. On November 11, 2024, I published a post entitled “Cairo Airport: Is There A Worse Major Airport?”
As the title suggests, I posed the question of whether there’s a worse major international airport in the world, because based on my own travel experiences, I haven’t been to one. Now, I didn’t quantify what exactly constitutes “major” (my bad), though my thought was an airport that’s a hub for a fairly large airline, and/or which gets tens of millions of passengers per year. For what it’s worth, in the comments section, more people agreed with me than disagreed with me.
My four primary arguments about the airport were as follows (and I expand on each one in the initial post, so check that out):
- Cairo Airport staff are rude, unhelpful, and distracted
- There are endless requests for tips
- There’s zero order among passengers
- There’s nothing redeeming about the facilities
Let me emphasize a couple of points:
- My judgment of the airport wasn’t based on a single visit to the airport, but rather was based on a countless number of visits to the airport over the years; if something was specific to my most recent visit, I noted it as such in the post
- Nowhere did I say that Cairo Airport has incredibly long queues, but rather I just said that there’s no order at the airport, and that the friendliness of the staff leaves a lot to be desired
Statement from Egypt’s Minister of Civil Aviation
I guess I should be flattered by just how much effort the Egyptian government has put into disproving my claims, as they’ve dug up CCTV footage tracking my every movement at the airport. To the airport’s credit, I’m impressed that all the cameras seem to work correctly!
When I heard that the Minister of Aviation planned to publish a video of me at the airport, I was excited to see it, as I wondered what their “evidence” would be. I have a clear conscience, because I’m an honest guy, and I’m not even looking to stir up any drama. So I was looking forward to seeing what they’d come up with.
What’s in the video? The airport posted a seven minute video of me in various parts of the airport. Creepiness aside, I’m not sure what exactly this is supposed to prove? Like, I’d understand this if the claim they were refuting was that I was never at the airport, but what does this prove, exactly? Unsurprisingly, this excludes the less pleasant parts of my experience.
But it gets much better than that. The Minister of Aviation has published a play-by-play summary of my time at the airport, and is basically writing my trip report for me. Let me just share that below in its entirety, and then I’ll respond.
“The Minister of Civil Aviation has directed a thorough investigation into the claims made, instructing a review of the airport’s surveillance footage. This allowed authorities to track the passenger’s journey step by step — from his arrival at Cairo International Airport on his first flight from Italy to his departure to his hotel, and then his second flight later that same day from Cairo to Addis Ababa.”
“The Ministry added this statement presents a clear and accurate account of the situation, taking into consideration the passenger’s reported difficulties during his travel experience.”
“The passenger arrived at Terminal 2 of Cairo International Airport on November 10, 2024, on ITA Airways flight No. AZ896 from Rome, landing at 16:50. The time from his arrival until his departure from the terminal was approximately 18 minutes — a remarkably quick processing time by international standards.”
“The Ministry noted that finalizing the procedures in this time reflects the efficiency and smoothness of the airport’s arrival procedures, as well as the flexibility of movement within the terminal. Afterward, the passenger proceeded to the Le Méridien Hotel, where he stayed for about five hours.”
“Later that same day, the passenger returned to Terminal 3 at Cairo International Airport for his onward journey. He was booked on Ethiopian Airlines flight No. ET453 to Addis Ababa, which departed at 2:50 am on November 11. His experience at the first checkpoint took approximately one minute. He then proceeded to the airline counter to complete his travel procedures, which took around 8 minutes. It’s important to note that these procedures are handled by the airline, not the airport, and are outside the airport’s direct control, the ministry continued.”
“The passenger then proceeded to the passport control counter, which took just one minute, further confirming the smooth and efficient flow of passengers within the airport. This contrasts with the passenger’s claims of chaos and disorder, which he suggested made him uncomfortable.”
“It is also worth noting that the passenger did not have any luggage, only a handbag and a small backpack. This contradicts his claims of being harassed by airport staff requesting a tip for helping carry his bags.”
“The passenger then visited two lounges in the departure hall. First, he went to Lounge 2, and later to Lounge E, where he had a drink, used his laptop, and stayed for about an hour. Afterward, he moved to Lounge G, where he had dinner and spent approximately 30 minutes. This indicates that the majority of his waiting time at the airport was spent enjoying the services offered by these lounges, which are known for their high quality.”
“This raises the question: Is it reasonable for a passenger to visit two lounges before a single flight? Additionally, before leaving Lounge G, the passenger used the lounge’s bathroom without any reported issues or harassment from staff. Furthermore, an important detail undermining the passenger’s claims is that the photo of the bathroom he posted does not correspond to the bathroom he used at Lounge G.”
“Regarding the passenger’s complaint about tipping, Cairo International Airport’s policies strongly contradict these claims. There are clear ‘NO TIPS’ signage throughout the airport, along with a dedicated complaint number to report any inappropriate behavior by staff. It’s important to note that no complaints were received from the passenger during his time at the airport.”
“As for the reported smell of cigarette smoke, the airport has designated smoking areas, and smoking is prohibited in all other areas. This practice is consistent with global airport standards.”
“Upon arriving at the departure hall (Gate G4), the passenger spent approximately 30 minutes standing at the gate entrance, seemingly with no specific reason for his prolonged stay. This behavior suggests his intention to observe and highlight any potential issues to report later.”
“Once inside the hall, instead of using available seating, he chose to stand for another 30 minutes by a window, taking pictures with his mobile phone of various scenes in the terminal. This suggests he was looking for negative details to publicize, potentially distorting the reality of the situation.”
“Regarding his earlier post about the security procedures at Cairo International Airport, the Ministry confirms that the security measures followed at the airport adhere to international standards for safety and security. There is also ongoing and effective coordination with all relevant agencies at the airport to ensure smooth operations and the highest level of service for passengers.”
“The passenger also criticized Cairo International Airport employees as being aggressive and unfriendly, which is unsupported by the camera footage. The passenger did not have any direct interactions with staff in the arrivals or departures halls. Furthermore, he was met by a hotel representative, as per his request, upon arrival, which contradicts his claims of mistreatment, chaos, or disorganization at the airport.”
“The Ministry affirmed that the accusations made against Cairo International Airport employees are unjustified and without basis. ‘These allegations, which lack any tangible evidence, serve only to damage the reputation of the airport staff and tarnish the reputation of Cairo International Airport itself. It is clear that these misleading claims are designed to harm both the airport’s image and the standing of its workers, without any factual support,’ the Ministry said.”
Furthermore, the passenger’s brief visit to Egypt, lasting less than five hours, was not for tourism or any official purpose, but rather appeared to be aimed at undermining Cairo Airport, the ministry continued.
“‘Cairo International Airport is Egypt’s and Africa’s primary gateway, with a nearly 4-star rating and a place among the top 10 airports in Africa, according to the Skytrax evaluation in February 2024. Skytrax, a UK-based company specializing in airport and airline star rankings, conducts independent surveys to gauge customer satisfaction worldwide,’ the Ministry said.”
“The Ministry of Aviation also wished to emphasize that it welcomes constructive criticism that helps improve the quality of services for travelers. However, it strongly rejects any unfounded, destructive accusations that seek to damage the efforts and reputation of the airport’s dedicated staff, especially when they are not based on verified facts.”
“Cairo International Airport staff undergo continuous professional training to ensure that all travelers receive the highest standards of service, comfort, and safety, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said, urging media outlets and social media users to verify the accuracy and objectivity of any information before publishing.
‘We strongly discourage the spread of false claims or misleading rumors that could damage the reputation of Egypt’s civil aviation sector,’ the Ministry added.
“The Ministry will take all necessary legal action against those who attempt to harm the credibility and reputation of the civil aviation sector through unfounded allegations.”
Responding to Egypt’s allegations against me
Rather than taking what I have to say as constructive feedback, or even just ignoring it, Egypt’s Minister of Aviation is instead bringing more attention to this, and is making up baseless accusations. There’s nothing like claiming that someone else is making up baseless accusations, only to respond by… making baseless accusations.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised on their stance — there’s no room for improvement, but rather if you have anything bad to say about the airport, you must be wrong, and should face legal action.
Egypt’s claims about me at the airport fall into one of three categories:
- They’re accurate, but don’t contradict anything I claimed
- They assume that my claims about the airport are based on a single visit, when I made it clear that my impression is based on many visits (and I’ve written about my experiences at the airport many times over the years)
- They’re just downright inaccurate, and baseless conspiracy theories
So let me respond to the key claims that Egypt makes. As you’d expect, since I was clearly tracked step-by-step, the timeline provided by the government of my movement is accurate. I’ll stick to the main highlights, but if there’s anything I miss, feel free to ask me in the comments section, because I’m an open book and have nothing to hide.
“The time from his arrival until his departure from the terminal was approximately 18 minutes — a remarkably quick processing time by international standards.”
“The Ministry noted that finalizing the procedures in this time reflects the efficiency and smoothness of the airport’s arrival procedures, as well as the flexibility of movement within the terminal. Afterward, the passenger proceeded to the Le Méridien Hotel, where he stayed for about five hours.”
Right, so I never claimed that the arrivals process took a long time. Also, it’s kind of hilarious that the government claims that my arrivals experience highlights “the efficiency and smoothness of the airport’s arrival procedure.”
Do they want to share video footage of how I actually got through immigration? The Le Meridien Cairo Airport sent a meet and greet service for me, and I entirely skipped the immigration line, thanks to the escort just walking in front of everyone, and shaking the immigration officer’s hand. And then of course we stopped at the ATM machine on the way out of the airport. I’m not sure that really highlights the airport’s efficiency, and how user friendly it is for everyone? Regardless, this doesn’t contradict any claim I made, and if anything, supports it.
“The passenger then proceeded to the passport control counter, which took just one minute, further confirming the smooth and efficient flow of passengers within the airport. This contrasts with the passenger’s claims of chaos and disorder, which he suggested made him uncomfortable.”
Again, my claim was that staff at the airport were rude, unhelpful, and distracted. I didn’t claim there was a long line at the passport control counter.
“It is also worth noting that the passenger did not have any luggage, only a handbag and a small backpack. This contradicts his claims of being harassed by airport staff requesting a tip for helping carry his bags.”
So if Egyptian authorities don’t believe that those people “helping” with bags at the initial security checks are asking for tips, well, then they are really choosing to look the other way and ignore reality.
“The passenger then visited two lounges in the departure hall. First, he went to Lounge 2, and later to Lounge E, where he had a drink, used his laptop, and stayed for about an hour. Afterward, he moved to Lounge G, where he had dinner and spent approximately 30 minutes. This indicates that the majority of his waiting time at the airport was spent enjoying the services offered by these lounges, which are known for their high quality.”
“This raises the question: Is it reasonable for a passenger to visit two lounges before a single flight?”
Goodness, the Egyptian government is just coming up with new blog post ideas for me. “Is it reasonable for a passenger to visit two lounges before a single flight?” What a scandal! For the record, I first visited a lounge near the security checkpoint, and then when I got bored there, I headed to a lounge closer to my departure gate.
“Additionally, before leaving Lounge G, the passenger used the lounge’s bathroom without any reported issues or harassment from staff. Furthermore, an important detail undermining the passenger’s claims is that the photo of the bathroom he posted does not correspond to the bathroom he used at Lounge G.”
Right, so I wrote about an awkward lounge bathroom encounter, and in it, I posted a picture of a urinal. That urinal was from a lounge in Cairo Airport — it was taken during a previous visit, as were all the pictures I posted of Cairo Airport in that post. I never claimed otherwise.
“Regarding the passenger’s complaint about tipping, Cairo International Airport’s policies strongly contradict these claims. There are clear “NO TIPS” signage throughout the airport, along with a dedicated complaint number to report any inappropriate behavior by staff. It’s important to note that no complaints were received from the passenger during his time at the airport.”
Yeah, I mean this is where you know authorities lose all credibility, and where they’re really grasping at straws. Their defense is that no one at the airport ever asks for tips? Even the people who were disagreeing with me and saying Cairo Airport isn’t so bad agreed on this point, saying that’s just how stuff works in Egypt.
And of course I didn’t file a formal complaint about staff asking for tips, because… that’s just how stuff works in Egypt!
“Upon arriving at the departure hall (Gate G4), the passenger spent approximately 30 minutes standing at the gate entrance, seemingly with no specific reason for his prolonged stay. This behavior suggests his intention to observe and highlight any potential issues to report later.”
Hah. For those not familiar with Cairo Airport Terminal 3, security is at each individual gate, and it’s not always entirely clear when a gate area opens. So yes, I was near the entrance to the gate area, as were dozens of other people who were also on my flight.
“Once inside the hall, instead of using available seating, he chose to stand for another 30 minutes by a window, taking pictures with his mobile phone of various scenes in the terminal. This suggests he was looking for negative details to publicize, potentially distorting the reality of the situation.”
I just pulled up my camera roll from the gate area, and I had exactly two pictures saved, and you can find them below.
I review airlines, and I always try to have a picture of the gate area in my reviews, and this was no exception. Is there anything scandalous here? Nope. Did I stand in the gate area rather than taking a seat? Absolutely. As y’all know, I try to be the first to board flights, so that I can get good pictures of the cabin without people in them. Do you think I would’ve gotten proper cabin pictures of the Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350 if I took a seat in the back of the gate area? Nope, and that had nothing to do with Cairo Airport.
“The passenger also criticized Cairo International Airport employees as being aggressive and unfriendly, which is unsupported by the camera footage. The passenger did not have any direct interactions with staff in the arrivals or departures halls.”
The claim is that I didn’t interact with any staff? Right, I scanned my own bags at security, gave myself a pat down, checked my own tickets at the entrance to the airport, and scanned my own boarding pass upon entering the gate area. This doesn’t even make sense! Even beyond that, let me emphasize that my impression of staff at Cairo Airport is based on countless visits over the years, and not based on a single visit.
Furthermore, the passenger’s brief visit to Egypt, lasting less than five hours, was not for tourism or any official purpose, but rather appeared to be aimed at undermining Cairo Airport, the ministry continued.
That’s right, I traveled to Cairo Airport exclusively to be able to undermine the airport… not because the airport is known for its good premium fares, as I’ve written about several times. Honestly what a ridiculous and baseless claim. Even though I literally explain why I travel through the airport, authorities instead come to the bizarre conclusion that I traveled just to undermine the airport?!
“‘Cairo International Airport is Egypt’s and Africa’s primary gateway, with a nearly 4-star rating and a place among the top 10 airports in Africa, according to the Skytrax evaluation in February 2024. Skytrax, a UK-based company specializing in airport and airline star rankings, conducts independent surveys to gauge customer satisfaction worldwide,’ the Ministry said.”
To be clear, by “nearly 4-star rating” they actually mean 3-star rating. I mean, that’s like Air Koryo claiming a “nearly 2-star rating.” Oh, and we care about the independent takes on the Cairo Airport experience at Skytrax, right? Well, the airport has a 3/10 rating there, with the most recent review being titled “it’s awful every time,” and reading as follows (and no, this wasn’t me!):
Cairo airport has to be one of the most backwards and ridiculous airports in the world. I’ve travelled here countless times and it’s awful every time, whether you’re arriving or departing. The staff are horrid, the services are nonexistent, and the airport facilities are archaic. If you’re arriving, expect a ridiculous queue for visa, another ridiculous queue for passport control then, for no reason, a queue and security scanner on your way out, where twice now my bag has been damaged by staff. Let’s not mention the taxi trolls on your exit out of the building. If departing, give yourself an extra hour as there is a security measure and scan upon entry into the terminal building, before checking in. Where they’ve destroyed my laptop and broken my bag historically also. Have your passport and your ticket in your hand here, even though there’s no sign or information you need to have it outside your bag. Then expect a queue again and check in and for you to be stressed about missing your flight. Then you’ll get questioned by passport control on your way out. After wasting your time at the most awful outlets, you’ll go to your gate and have another security round where they’ll shout at you, and take all the liquids you just brought in the airport. They’ll then pen you in the gate area with no water, nothing, except one toilet.
I think the government needs to go after everyone not leaving a perfect review of the airport, because obviously they’re just making things up.
Bottom line
The Egyptian government is giving a masterclass in how not to respond to online criticism, especially at the same time that the country is trying to greatly grow its tourism industry. I shared my subjective take on why I believe Cairo Airport is the worst major airport in the world, based on my own experiences. I didn’t claim it was a fact, and I gave others the opportunity to share their opinions. Some people agreed with me, and others disagreed with me. Unlike Egyptian government officials, I respect everyone’s take.
The airport responded by posting CCTV footage of me (which proves nothing), claiming that no one at the airport would ever ask for tips, arguing that the purpose of my trip to Cairo was to tarnish the reputation of the airport, and even threatening me with legal action for spreading misinformation.
Like I said, I’ve been doing this a long time. While I know that Egypt isn’t exactly the most progressive country in the world, I wasn’t expecting this level of response to a simple blog post with a take on an airport. It makes me grateful to live in the United States, where I can at least criticize my home airport without fear of punishment.
If any other media wants to cover this situation but wants more details, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. The same applies to any Egyptian officials — I’m happy to have a constructive conversation, and would love for the airport to improve.
What do you make of this saga?
Why have a NO TIPPING sign if it’s not an issue? Thou dost protest too much.
Sorry for the repeated comments. Ben please make edits/posts easier to delete.
Sorry for the repeated comments. Ben please make edits posts easier to delete.
We just avoid the whole region now. We visited back in the 80's so we saw all the requisite great monuments and museums. Since then they have become even less accepting or tolerant of Westerners. Backward evolution. Even
their religion does not tolerate any other except its own. Modern technology may be in place but the mindsets are still Middle Ages. It's a mine field.
On a camel ride visiting the Pyramids, the owner...
We just avoid the whole region now. We visited back in the 80's so we saw all the requisite great monuments and museums. Since then they have become even less accepting or tolerant of Westerners. Backward evolution. Even
their religion does not tolerate any other except its own. Modern technology may be in place but the mindsets are still Middle Ages. It's a mine field.
On a camel ride visiting the Pyramids, the owner refused to have his camel kneel so I could get off unless I gave him more money.
We had a fixed price 2-hour visit with a local driver. After he spent almost half an hour stopping several times to chat up his buddies along our route, he threatened to leave us wherever the heck we were unless we paid more. We got into an argument where he threatened to call police. I told him "Do it" and that I was not some dumb woman who would remain quiet to be taken advantage of. He finally caved cause I wasn't going to. (Yes I probably shouldn't have gotten into it...)
What's the last count on jailed innocent visiting foreigners? Just sayin'....hasta la bye-bye!
We just avoid the whole region now. We visited back in the 80's so we saw all the requisite great monuments and museums. Since then they have become even less accepting or tolerant of Westerners. Backward evolution. Eve
their religion does not tolerate any other except its own tenets. Modern technology may be in place but the mindsets are still Middle Ages. It's a mine field.
On a camel ride after visiting the Pyramids,...
We just avoid the whole region now. We visited back in the 80's so we saw all the requisite great monuments and museums. Since then they have become even less accepting or tolerant of Westerners. Backward evolution. Eve
their religion does not tolerate any other except its own tenets. Modern technology may be in place but the mindsets are still Middle Ages. It's a mine field.
On a camel ride after visiting the Pyramids, the owner refused to have his camel kneel so I could get off unless I gave him more money.
We had a fixed price 2-hour visit with a local driver. After he spent almost half an hour stopping several times to chat up his buddies along our route, he threatened to leave us wherever the heck we were unless we paid more. We got into an argument where he threatened to call police. I told him "Do it" and that I was not some dumb woman who would remain quiet to be taken advantage of.
What's the last count on jailed innocent visiting foreigners? Just sayin'....hasta la bye-bye!
It’s a horrid country with thieving people everywhere. The last time I went was 14 years ago and the drivers are so reckless and crazy, we got scammed trying to see the run down pyramids the hotels were sh it even the 5 star ones .
Ok it was just before the government overthrow, only time it was nice was when it was under British rule!!
We just avoid the whole region now. We visited back in the 80's so seeing all the requisite great monuments have been done. Since then they have become even less accepting or tolerant of Westerners. Backward evolution. The religion does not tolerate any other except its own tenets. Modern technology may be in place but the mindsets are still Middle Ages. It's a mine field.
What's the last count on jailed innocent visiting foreigners? Just sayin'....hasta la bye-bye!
Wow...just wow! I'm not sure if I should be impressed or creeped out over the extensive (and detailed) video footage. I'm glad they didn't show you picking your nose (or a wedgey) :-). This reminds me of a quote that includes something about protesting too much! Anyway, I've never traveled to Cairo, but have visited many other international airports and know for a fact many of the employees are truly asking (begging) for tips, regardless...
Wow...just wow! I'm not sure if I should be impressed or creeped out over the extensive (and detailed) video footage. I'm glad they didn't show you picking your nose (or a wedgey) :-). This reminds me of a quote that includes something about protesting too much! Anyway, I've never traveled to Cairo, but have visited many other international airports and know for a fact many of the employees are truly asking (begging) for tips, regardless of a sign saying not to. And who have time to file a complaint - to what end? It won't change anything...the employees are trying to get paid! Be safe and watch your back - maybe hire personal security if you need to travel through Cairo again - they watching you!
Fascinating article. Sounds like the schoolyard bullies teamed up with the "I'm only got in because of who my parents are" children and suddenly woke up and were running this government agency.
The level of surveillance is breathtaking on an Orwellian level -- as is the amount of energy these Egyptian government official bullies put into this attempt to discredit the writer. Government of Egypt pro tip: Read 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World...
Fascinating article. Sounds like the schoolyard bullies teamed up with the "I'm only got in because of who my parents are" children and suddenly woke up and were running this government agency.
The level of surveillance is breathtaking on an Orwellian level -- as is the amount of energy these Egyptian government official bullies put into this attempt to discredit the writer. Government of Egypt pro tip: Read 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World and then adjust all your protocols to do the opposite if you really want to encourage tourism.
The level of what the Egyptian government went to on this also make me question why I would EVER want to visit Egypt if I had to go through this or any Egyptian airport.
Finally, having worked and stayed for extended periods in a number of African countries, being on Africa's Top 10 airports list isn't exactly what I would be calling a badge of pride. Egyptian Government: how about comparing the Cairo airport to all other Mediterranean countries' airports, including Athens, Rome, Tel Aviv, Madrid, etc.?
Final pro tip for the Egyptian Government: If you're trying to discourage tourism to your country, you just succeeded. This is horrifying. I will plan to watch videos of Egypt's heritage draws before I subject myself to the kinds of government overreach and aggression you've just shown in your attempt to discredit this highly respected and trusted travel blogger.
Good luck in all your future governance endeavors. If you want to start encouraging tourism, fire all those responsible for this in the responsible government agency, clean house at the airport, and figure out how to actually be welcoming -- not causing fear from your oppression. God help those who actually have no choice but to live under such austerity.
Wow...a bit creepy when the pulled the video and did a walking audit of your time in the airport. Scouting destinations for 2025 I had been considering Egypt and the Red Sea for an extended scuba vacation but I think I will take your experience as a lesson.
Once a person or entity fires back at a fair and honest review/report in such a novice and elementary way it is difficult to every look at them the same again.
My uncle worked off shore and over seas oil rigs and til the day he died, he said Cairo and their airport was the worst he had been to in the world. He said he would never go back. I would certainly go there atleast once to see the sites but it helps you know going in what to expect.
In my culture, & ever since I was a kid -
I was taught, if I have nothing good to say
Then say nothing.
P/s you are in the Top 3 most terrible & useless blogger out there
@ W Ho -- So you were taught to not say something if you don't have something nice to say, but you then proceed to call me terrible and useless? Hmmm...
I believe his job is to "critique." So W Ho, are you saying don't do his job unless his critique is only positive. I'm not sure there is much value in only positive reviews. Personally, I like to read both the good and not so good. I can then make a decision for myself.
Then why do you continue to read the posts?
This is a very unfair and biased report by this person. I am not saying Cairo is the best airport or best place on earth but I have seen much worse airports and people in the USA where people might not ask for bribes but rob you and worse still attack you and might even kill you. The tipping culture of the USA is one of the worst on earth but Ben has no time...
This is a very unfair and biased report by this person. I am not saying Cairo is the best airport or best place on earth but I have seen much worse airports and people in the USA where people might not ask for bribes but rob you and worse still attack you and might even kill you. The tipping culture of the USA is one of the worst on earth but Ben has no time to write about these things. Obviously, he will not even write about Tel Avivi airport bearing in mind his ethnicity.
Love those Christian Dior sneakers. Glad to see that Ford converted you haha
Cairo International Airport is not the best in the world and it has some negatives like any airport, but we are trying to be the best while introducing many improvements. As an Egyptian who loves his country, we thank you for drawing our attention to the mistakes and we promise to be the best. Welcome to Egypt, and we accept our criticism with open arms. Long live Egypt, long live Egypt, long live Egypt
Good on you Khalid for your (very enthusiastic) patrioticism and for standing up for your proud and glorious country. You appear to be like a great example of the everyday good Egyptian nationals that I've met throughout my times in the Middle East.
I worked in Saudi/Bahrain/Kuwait for over 20 years and Egypt was always my preferred Eid holiday destination. I always appreciated the unique character of the Egyptian people - cheeky, wicked and sometimes...
Good on you Khalid for your (very enthusiastic) patrioticism and for standing up for your proud and glorious country. You appear to be like a great example of the everyday good Egyptian nationals that I've met throughout my times in the Middle East.
I worked in Saudi/Bahrain/Kuwait for over 20 years and Egypt was always my preferred Eid holiday destination. I always appreciated the unique character of the Egyptian people - cheeky, wicked and sometimes ruthless in trying to get a bit of what's inside the over-privileged and entitled tourists wallet but always charming with their totally honest and frank approach with a mischievous glint of mischievousness and brilliant smile usually radiant on their faces .... and never any evil intent.
I have experienced incredible moments on trips throughout your country and the wealth of your ancient sites and treasures is incomparable.
If people want to take Ben's negative slamming review of Cairo Airport and the subsequent response from your authorities as a justifiable reason for cancelling long-planned family trips to Egypt then that is their perogative but it is also their mistake.
You acknowledge that "Cairo International Airport is not the best in the world" and I agree but we both know that Egypt is an incredible place and I certainly hope to be getting back there again soon.
I'm almost tempted to chant "Long Live Egypt, Long Live Egypt, Long Live Egypt" but I maybe think that's un-necessary.
Totally agree. The airport experience is awful. From entering and having to show passport and tickets, I've just shown random travel emails and waved through previously, to the endless x Ray machines. Random security stops. To the awful facilities and beyond poor WiFi connections. To the staff who really seem to be unable to grasp the basics of being professional. Don't even get started when you come back into the airport. Baggage reclaim and security...
Totally agree. The airport experience is awful. From entering and having to show passport and tickets, I've just shown random travel emails and waved through previously, to the endless x Ray machines. Random security stops. To the awful facilities and beyond poor WiFi connections. To the staff who really seem to be unable to grasp the basics of being professional. Don't even get started when you come back into the airport. Baggage reclaim and security and take at least 2 hours to go through. But like the minister says, there's nothing to see here, move along
I just came back from Cairo, and I can safely say I would never ever go back again. It's chaotic, every five minutes someone asking for a tip, the airport staff were extremely rude, and police officer was literarily smoking while the no smoking allowed announcement playing ... and I travelled to most major countries and airports, I have never seen security like that ... It's by far the worst airport (And city) I have visited if I'm being honest.
I have to agree with what a few others have suggested: It sounds like they might have thought you were Jewish.
I’ve travelled through Cairo International a few times in the past 5 years and I agree with everything the author has written.
It was by far my worst experience in an airport.
The never ending ID checkpoints, men trying to “help” with my baggage at the multiple security x-ray scanners. The complete disregard for queuing etiquette from fellow passengers.
And whilst the least of my concerns but it does highlight the lack...
I’ve travelled through Cairo International a few times in the past 5 years and I agree with everything the author has written.
It was by far my worst experience in an airport.
The never ending ID checkpoints, men trying to “help” with my baggage at the multiple security x-ray scanners. The complete disregard for queuing etiquette from fellow passengers.
And whilst the least of my concerns but it does highlight the lack of professionalism, watching football on your phone while checking my passport does look a bit amateurish.
Comedy gold !
I would be stunned if the writers at 'Curb your Enthusiasm' did not contact you to co-write an episode for the next series!
well done Lucky. this just proves your point. visited 126 countries and been to CAI Airport on 3 trips and confirms it's the worst/most stressful country as well as airport. that says a lot
Hey, Egyptian trolls, your goats are getting lonely. Go tend to them in your usual fashion.
Clickbait headline for the ages
And you even admit it in the 1st line of the post!
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt
Lucky, I totally agree with you. I was on Cairo in 2021 and I never felt so unsecured like that.
I went to the toilet inside the security zone and a cleaning service guy closed the door of the toilet, only opening it after I gave tips for him. Its unbelievable!
Egyptian here..Please dont stop exposing these people and/or the government (If you think its safe to do so (Never coming back to egypt etc.)), they are actually afraid from foreigners giving them a bad reputation thats why they are trying so hard to sugarcoat the situation. The airport is just a mini version of what actually goes on in Egypt, like a demo before the actual thing. If you find people in the comment section...
Egyptian here..Please dont stop exposing these people and/or the government (If you think its safe to do so (Never coming back to egypt etc.)), they are actually afraid from foreigners giving them a bad reputation thats why they are trying so hard to sugarcoat the situation. The airport is just a mini version of what actually goes on in Egypt, like a demo before the actual thing. If you find people in the comment section accusing the author of lying know that these people are sent by the government to cover stuff up (I think we even succeeded North Korea in propaganda).
The video evidence contradicts your claim that Cairo Airport ranks among the worst in the world. Your journey appeared smooth and far better than what many experience in major European airports. Claiming familiarity with the airport from past visits undermines your argument—why criticize it now when evident improvements have been made? I’ve visited Cairo twice a year for the past 20 years, and the progress is undeniable. When was your last visit, and how often...
The video evidence contradicts your claim that Cairo Airport ranks among the worst in the world. Your journey appeared smooth and far better than what many experience in major European airports. Claiming familiarity with the airport from past visits undermines your argument—why criticize it now when evident improvements have been made? I’ve visited Cairo twice a year for the past 20 years, and the progress is undeniable. When was your last visit, and how often have you experienced the airport firsthand?
If tipping is an issue, why not highlight the management’s visible efforts to discourage it with signage? Failure to report the behavior but criticizing it here appears contradictory. Cultural sensitivity is essential for a credible travel writer. Tipping cultures exist globally, and singling out Egypt reflects bias. Highlighting reforms rather than nitpicking would add balance.
Using outdated photos instead of documenting current renovations weakens your objectivity especially when you apparently had all the time to take new photos for your article. This suggests that you are cherry-picking evidence to fit a predetermined narrative, casting doubt on your motives. Instead of acknowledging both positive and negative changes, your one-sided account undermines credibility and fairness in assessing the airport.
That comment by @Tim Zak almost exactly echoes my own take of the surreal claims and counter-claims regarding CAI.
I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment, especially with the blogger's admission that the video was not doctored. What it shows is an event-less stroll through...
That comment by @Tim Zak almost exactly echoes my own take of the surreal claims and counter-claims regarding CAI.
I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment, especially with the blogger's admission that the video was not doctored. What it shows is an event-less stroll through what could be any airport in the world. CAI is definitely not Changi (SIN), which the blogger gushes about incessantly, but to characterize it as the "worst in the world" is a bit over-the-top.
Absolutely true! It was a head-scratcher that the blogger was assuring us of his objectivity while making the following admission, which directly challenged the claim of objectivity:
"Never claimed otherwise" does not cut it. The pictorial evidence should have been a concurrent or contemporaneous depiction of the allegations in order to be credible and refute the provided video evidence.
Lastly, given that the blogger's characterization of CAI as the worst major airport in the world was "based on a countless number of visits to the airport over the years", shouldn't one conclude that the airport had some truly redeeming feature (be it the ease of connecting to "premium airlines") that made going back to get the "punishment" of the "worst airport in the world" worth it?
It's not worth much at all because it's like "preaching to the choir or to the converts", since the overwhelming majority of the comments were from those who closely follow the blog and, thus, are the blogger's sycophants...
They must have mistook you for Josh Cahill!
As a retired person who enjoys travel I am very interested in contemporary information on the regions I am preparing travel to. Egypt , specifically Cairo and Luxor are on my agenda for December 2025, so Ben's article is important to me, as is the response from the Egyptian authorities. But equally the responses from supposedly open and honest blog readers. So many of the final contingent indicate they accept corruption as normal and acceptable....
As a retired person who enjoys travel I am very interested in contemporary information on the regions I am preparing travel to. Egypt , specifically Cairo and Luxor are on my agenda for December 2025, so Ben's article is important to me, as is the response from the Egyptian authorities. But equally the responses from supposedly open and honest blog readers. So many of the final contingent indicate they accept corruption as normal and acceptable. They also seem to accept pay-back against the journalist, and also their family, friends, colleagues. This is certainly not acceptable to me and like minded travellers, so I have now reluctantly crossed Egypt from my travel list. Ben, please keep writing informative articles about the interesting regions of the world, as they are these , and those if the many travel journalists I read , provide the necessary background to the future travel plans of millions of people just like me. Thank you
I think they are on to something. For one thing, most of the videos, the airport was empty. Secondly, and more embarrassingly, you cannot seem to walk without have to constantly be looking at your phone. No doubt, you are one who constantly runs into people in crowded places, because you are always looking at your phone. If you dish it out, then you should take the criticism back. PS - You have always mentioned...
I think they are on to something. For one thing, most of the videos, the airport was empty. Secondly, and more embarrassingly, you cannot seem to walk without have to constantly be looking at your phone. No doubt, you are one who constantly runs into people in crowded places, because you are always looking at your phone. If you dish it out, then you should take the criticism back. PS - You have always mentioned that Cairo is a cheap place to start for business class journeys... I wouldn't be going to Egypt anytime soon - a trumped up charge and jail awaits you there....
Apparently, the bat signal went out for Egypt’s comment trolls, and they have responded in force!
Éthiopien rubbish
“‘Cairo International Airport is Egypt’s and Africa’s primary gateway, with a nearly 4-star rating and a place among the top 10 airports in Africa, according to the Skytrax evaluation in February 2024. Skytrax, a UK-based company specializing in airport and airline star rankings, conducts independent surveys to gauge customer satisfaction worldwide,’ the Ministry said.”
3-Star Rating is nearly 4-star rating.....hahaha
What's even funnier is that Skytrax gives 2 stars to T1, and 3 stars to T2 and T3. So, in reality, we're talking about a nearly 3-star rating (actual score=2.66). That was a failing grade at my school, lol.
Having worked for the UN for 14 years, I was in and out of that airport a hundred times and can attest to a few facts. 1. Staff are often rude and/or dismissive. 2. The place is full of staff or unidentified individuals who seem to be there only to scam any unsuspecting tourist they can. 3. I travelled on a diplomatic UN passport and the vast majority of staff knew nothing about what that...
Having worked for the UN for 14 years, I was in and out of that airport a hundred times and can attest to a few facts. 1. Staff are often rude and/or dismissive. 2. The place is full of staff or unidentified individuals who seem to be there only to scam any unsuspecting tourist they can. 3. I travelled on a diplomatic UN passport and the vast majority of staff knew nothing about what that meant at immigration or customs. 4. Corruption is everywhere in Egypt so prepare yourself. After 50 years in the security industry believe me when I say, Be Careful there.
It is noticeable that most of your responses are based on your previous experiences. Therefore, if you were fair in your evaluation, you should've compared your previous experiences to your current one and assessed the progress you have observed.
I never been to Cairo Airport just at sharm el sheikh airport in Egypt . It was around 5 AM as our plane had a few hours delay so I went to the bathroom , as I was having a number one the guy who was mopping the floor just came to me asking for some money . As i had only one hand free I was able to find 0.5 cents in my pants...
I never been to Cairo Airport just at sharm el sheikh airport in Egypt . It was around 5 AM as our plane had a few hours delay so I went to the bathroom , as I was having a number one the guy who was mopping the floor just came to me asking for some money . As i had only one hand free I was able to find 0.5 cents in my pants so I give it to him . The guy looked at coin , turn it on both side and then just asked me for some more ... It was the first and the last time I visited Efypt
Try going thru Tel Aviv airport.
1. Try it with less than white skin, ie; tan, brown, etc
2. Try it with a Arab or muslim sounding name.
3. Then report about the service you received there
4. Make it worse, fly El Al. See how nice you get treated.
Ben, its time (December 19th and forward) to be fair about things around the world. It is not the best...
Try going thru Tel Aviv airport.
1. Try it with less than white skin, ie; tan, brown, etc
2. Try it with a Arab or muslim sounding name.
3. Then report about the service you received there
4. Make it worse, fly El Al. See how nice you get treated.
Ben, its time (December 19th and forward) to be fair about things around the world. It is not the best thing to write everything from the American viewpoint.
Mainstream news gives us enough of that already.
Open mind. I am not lecturing, I am urging you to take a different look at things. Please think about this.
As I mentioned previously to your Egyptian Airport article. Cairo WAS the Hollywood of the middle East. The top singers came from there, they were invited to other countries, including Europe to show their talents.
Then Egypt got poor, very poor. Their country funds went to Swiss bank accounts. Imagine how poor America would be if that happened.
Germany, I think you know that story from the news, at least here in Europe, we've been advised that the country is broke. Imagine the economic powerhouse of Europe is now broke. I would not wish it upon them, I have visited many times and I think its a wonderful country, just like Egypt was before.
I still think Egypt is a wonder of the world, no one (all scientists) can properly explain how the Pyramids were built.
If there was more money there, Egypt would be a shinning Jewel once again.
I am not Egyptian. I am an American. We travel alot and we go to people's countries as their guests. We treat them nice. We don't critique their language. We get so many people to speak with us, the barriers come down, they relax.
Some people called us diplomats, but not of a country, but of the world.
We are not criticizing, not at all. You do a great deal of good with your blog which we appreciate very much.
We just say, be nicer to all.
Do you even know what a review is?
Do you even know what this blog is all about?
And what do you mean "from the American viewpoint"?
It's HIS own point of view!
I can relate to the first part. As someone with slightly tan skin and an Arabic name, I was questioned and detained for more than an hour while transiting through Tel Aviv (traveling from United to Turkish Airlines). I had to provide detailed explanations about my travel plans, including my background, origins, and family history. Despite the intense questioning, I found the officials to be relatively polite. To be fair, I was somewhat prepared for...
I can relate to the first part. As someone with slightly tan skin and an Arabic name, I was questioned and detained for more than an hour while transiting through Tel Aviv (traveling from United to Turkish Airlines). I had to provide detailed explanations about my travel plans, including my background, origins, and family history. Despite the intense questioning, I found the officials to be relatively polite. To be fair, I was somewhat prepared for this, given the country I was transiting through and my flight pattern; SFO-TLV-IST on separate tickets which, admittedly, looked a bit suspicious. At the time, though, it was the only way to fly Polaris, and Israel was considered part of Europe on Aegean's award chart.
So they called you out on your "article".
Who cares.
Most "writers" are in it for the free perks.
Take what they tell you as paid advertising.
Sorry that you have rattled their cage as I fear that such "notoriety" might now seriously impact your ability to provide honest, unbiased and useful opinions/reviews of airlines and facilities in the Middle East region.
I am particularly concerned about any possible negativity in upcoming reviews of RIYADH AIR and any possible visit to Saudi Arabia. Whilst the Egyptian response is appalling, we all know how KSA responds to any negative criticism. All regimes...
Sorry that you have rattled their cage as I fear that such "notoriety" might now seriously impact your ability to provide honest, unbiased and useful opinions/reviews of airlines and facilities in the Middle East region.
I am particularly concerned about any possible negativity in upcoming reviews of RIYADH AIR and any possible visit to Saudi Arabia. Whilst the Egyptian response is appalling, we all know how KSA responds to any negative criticism. All regimes in the Middle East share intel and details of foreigners that have expressed negativity of their operation and I would try to tread very carefully from here if you are going to continue travelling in this region and are tempted to be totally candid and frank.
This sounds like a thinly veiled threat under the disguise of a friendly advice :/
Friendly advice I assure you - I worked in KSA and the Gulf for over 20 years and know very well how things go over there. Having seen many friends imprisoned, lashed and deported and experienced the same myself, I would not want Ben and his family to needlessly have to experience the same - simply in order to give an honest and objective review.
Valid point, except that he’s written extensively about KSA (most of it negative) and they’ve never even acknowledged it, it’ll be up to him to decide whether or not a risk exists.
Quite, and it will be up to him to decide if it is worth rolling the dice and suffering the consequences if the outcome is not in his favour.
I don't know what negative stuff Ben has been writing about KSA (I can't recall anything that is too directly critical) but if the Saudi authorities feel that he's defamed the Kingdom in any way then he most certainly will already be on their radar. The...
Quite, and it will be up to him to decide if it is worth rolling the dice and suffering the consequences if the outcome is not in his favour.
I don't know what negative stuff Ben has been writing about KSA (I can't recall anything that is too directly critical) but if the Saudi authorities feel that he's defamed the Kingdom in any way then he most certainly will already be on their radar. The unfortunate reaction to the "Worst Airport" review is only going to highten their alertness and, in such a situation, I would be thinking very carefully about landing on the ground at Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran or wherever - without expecting an official invitation for gahwah and a "little talk" and possibly more time in the country than was ever anticipated.
This is almost James Bond stuff! What an amazing waste of public money! A good read though.
"A handbag?"
It means a carry on bag. “Hand luggage” is the counterpart to checked luggage.
What a creepy nation.
Will 100% avoid. So should you (they may jail you)
Absolutely scandalous.
And no, you did nothing wrong. The minister, on the other hand, deserved to be sacked over this.
Arms folded walking all judgmental, looking for fault and some taglines.
You got outed. Suck it up.
If in times past it was bad and this time it was better and more efficient- write about their improvements.
The way you wrote ,made it seem like were passing by pushy passengers, shepherds tending goats and hostile one eyed beggars.
You got served.
Look: no matter how self-deluded they are, they obviously know that this is the most awful airport in the world, and they cannot fix it due to the system being so corrupt and dysfunctional; so this is the only way they can respond. Someone obviously got into trouble because someone important read your report and all the comments affirming it, and they had to come up with something to cover themselves, which explains the amount...
Look: no matter how self-deluded they are, they obviously know that this is the most awful airport in the world, and they cannot fix it due to the system being so corrupt and dysfunctional; so this is the only way they can respond. Someone obviously got into trouble because someone important read your report and all the comments affirming it, and they had to come up with something to cover themselves, which explains the amount of time and effort that went into apparently refuting your claims. I have travelled through this airport many times and, if anything, I think you were soft on them. Travelling through this airport is truly an awful experience with no redeeming features from the minute you enter it to the minute you leave it. It is, in a word, vile.
i'm recalling my one time visit to egypt and pretty much everything ben posted in regards to the airport i agree with.
i'm also now vaguely recalling another experience of being harassed by a woman upon landing and around the baggage claim area. she kept claiming that i needed to book a tour with her because it was illegal for me to be in egypt without a tour guide. somewhat fortunately i had actually...
i'm recalling my one time visit to egypt and pretty much everything ben posted in regards to the airport i agree with.
i'm also now vaguely recalling another experience of being harassed by a woman upon landing and around the baggage claim area. she kept claiming that i needed to book a tour with her because it was illegal for me to be in egypt without a tour guide. somewhat fortunately i had actually booked a tour of the great pyramid so i was able to use that to stop her from harassing me eventually. i think in normal circumstance if i hadn't booked a tour i most likely wouldn't have believed her anyway but the incessant harassing may have eventually gotten me to cave. the tour i was on wasn't anything to write home about either and it was just constant upselling and tipping pressure that made me feel uncomfortable.
it's a bit of a shame as there are many places in egypt id like to visit and see but most likely wouldnt from my own one time experience.
My god...to think that last time I was in Heathrow T3 I visited BA, Quantas AND Cathay's lounge! 3 lounges!
I don't think anyone has mentioned they also have the worst airport trolleys in the world.
I fully agree you that the airport staff was so rude and unhelpful... remember leaving the airport rather pissed by the staff... until today I have not wanted to return to Cairo airport... also agree there might be worse airport, but as a hub for a global airline, Cairo tops (for being the shittest).
Good ol' Egypt, where the men are men and the goats live in constant fear.
I think you’re confused. Egypt is not a country of herders, it’s a country of agriculturalists. So, think wheat and barley, not goats.
If you’re gonna be racist, at least get a basic knowledge of geography and related subsistence strategies.
And in most countries, showing video footage of an individual without their consent is against privacy laws. Surveillance should only be used for crime prevention and security. You would be well within your rights to threaten them with legal action rather than the other way round.
In my view, their response leads even more credence to your review. Going on the defensive tends to mean someone has something they would rather not have exposed. Egypt is notorious for demands for "baksheesh"
which is the local term for tips. I have flown through the airport several times and none have been a great experience. Highlights include being held at security in the transit area for two hours as security claimed I...
In my view, their response leads even more credence to your review. Going on the defensive tends to mean someone has something they would rather not have exposed. Egypt is notorious for demands for "baksheesh"
which is the local term for tips. I have flown through the airport several times and none have been a great experience. Highlights include being held at security in the transit area for two hours as security claimed I could not enter departures until 3 hours before my flight - my airline, Saudia stepped in to resolve but I'm sure some Baksheesh should have had the same effect. And another time, on arrival, when baggage trolleys were in very short supply, having someone try and literally snatch my hard won baggage trolley from me! I'm not sure it is the worst airport in the world but certainly very low down the list of pleasant airports.
Ben, you might consider not going anywhere near Cairo airport for a veeerrrrrry long time. You might end up as an involuntary guest of the authorities.
I seriously doubt you so much now, you credibility went to zero. You are like a kid who lost in a fight but keeps using excuses.. Ethopia must have paid you or something.
At least try to write something that doesn't clearly out you as an Egyptian bot.
This is excellent; keep up the good work.
We really do live in interesting and exciting times. So on one hand we have self righteous "Karen" mud raking flight reviewer Josh Cahill lashing out at the ever diplomatic aviation geek Sam Chui, we have the Egyptians going for Lucky, as if he just smeared Egypts most glorious international connections facility. I wonder what comes next; LH's Carsten Spohr threatening to haul everyone to court who claims that the long overdue, but still not...
We really do live in interesting and exciting times. So on one hand we have self righteous "Karen" mud raking flight reviewer Josh Cahill lashing out at the ever diplomatic aviation geek Sam Chui, we have the Egyptians going for Lucky, as if he just smeared Egypts most glorious international connections facility. I wonder what comes next; LH's Carsten Spohr threatening to haul everyone to court who claims that the long overdue, but still not existing LH's Allegris First five star rating, is a hoax and a joke? Lets lean back and watch.
Mental note, do not visit Egypt...
And politely decline invitations to dine at the Egyptian embassy.
This video release proves Ben has a huge PENIS because if it was small, you bet urinal footage would have been included
important: no homo.
dunno what's going on with this comment but I do respect the raw chaotic energy
There’s nothing to see in the CAI video. I would like to see video of you walking around Changi in pajamas? Now that’s what I’d call a real OMAAT scandal
This is so crazy. I am also surprised about how much work has gone into this. I can just imagine some room in an Egyptian Government building with 20 security staff combing through footage of you going through CAI.
Traveled through cairo last summer..stayed at le meridien.. same meeting and greet that crowded for us..tips asked all over...even inside airport restrooms after security! How did they get in?
I found all of egypt generally rude and hating american tourists...it's normal too them so they don't see anything wrong with airport behavior.
I had idea to leave wife at le meridien, check bags in and go get her...bad idea.. they refused to let me...
Traveled through cairo last summer..stayed at le meridien.. same meeting and greet that crowded for us..tips asked all over...even inside airport restrooms after security! How did they get in?
I found all of egypt generally rude and hating american tourists...it's normal too them so they don't see anything wrong with airport behavior.
I had idea to leave wife at le meridien, check bags in and go get her...bad idea.. they refused to let me exit the airport after checking in luggage...and I had her passport so she couldn't come in.....stupidity to not leave an airport..I didn't go thru security yet, just ticketing...was like I was held hostage to go forward only! No exit. Stupidest airport in the world for sure.
wow so in these harsh, masculine, ego driven male driven govt beauracracies, someone prob sent someone important who laid harshly to subordinate in Egypt - prob the guy reporting the minister - and so they frantically did this comical push back. like wtf? ur airport got a bad review from one of many points/travel bloggers, and then having other review sites with openly harsh reviews for years, make this statement is....such a waste of time...
wow so in these harsh, masculine, ego driven male driven govt beauracracies, someone prob sent someone important who laid harshly to subordinate in Egypt - prob the guy reporting the minister - and so they frantically did this comical push back. like wtf? ur airport got a bad review from one of many points/travel bloggers, and then having other review sites with openly harsh reviews for years, make this statement is....such a waste of time and money and people should understand thats not happening in usa and most places....so we all are lucky.
the questionable part ...is it bc hes openly gay? u know that upsets these hardcore moronic overseers even more to bad critique bc he'd prob be kidnapped and tortured if a local.
its so terribly bad PR they did this, it should go viral, not his review, but this response, bc as a gay muslim American, im disgusted and disappointed. smh. some majo new network should cover and prompt an apology from the Egyptian govt. trust me, its not the minister but the insecure peeps above him who forcefully made him come up with this.
Ben - sorry to hear this, however, I am not surprised.
My wife and I flew in to CAI a couple years ago and booked an “Egyptologist” who was great. I became concerned when he took our passports and didn’t come back for 10 minutes, but that expedited getting us through immigration. The pressure was felt outside in the taxi line, where everyone was trying to pressure you in to a ride, but we...
Ben - sorry to hear this, however, I am not surprised.
My wife and I flew in to CAI a couple years ago and booked an “Egyptologist” who was great. I became concerned when he took our passports and didn’t come back for 10 minutes, but that expedited getting us through immigration. The pressure was felt outside in the taxi line, where everyone was trying to pressure you in to a ride, but we had arranged it with our guide so we were able to bypass that. Everyone tried to grab our bags to “help” but our guide told them to scram, which was greatly appreciated.
Sorry to hear about this, Ben. For what it's worth, I asked my Egyptian friend living there to chime in and this was what he said:
"If there is one of the very few things [the Egyptian government] succeeded in it, making the average Egyptian not believing them is one of them"
I have no idea who the Minister of Aviation is nor am I going to look him up, because I already can tell from this everything I need to know about him, because holy crap is this incredible!!! This man is off his f%cking rocker!! This is clearly a nepo hire and this man is definitely laughed at behind his back by the staff constantly because, well, how could he not be if this is...
I have no idea who the Minister of Aviation is nor am I going to look him up, because I already can tell from this everything I need to know about him, because holy crap is this incredible!!! This man is off his f%cking rocker!! This is clearly a nepo hire and this man is definitely laughed at behind his back by the staff constantly because, well, how could he not be if this is how he thinks and spends his time? This may be one of the most embarrassing things I've ever read, seriously on the level of "if I wrote something like this I'd go into the woods and never show my face again" because it's just that absolutely ridiculous. Can Egypt start a national holiday where everyone in the country posts pictures of the aviation minister and just collectively laughs at him, because the whole world already is, so they might as well make it official.
"nearly 4-star" may be the last thing I laugh at when I take my dying breath...
"Nearly 4-star" is a true gem. Just phenomenal work, no notes.
as far as travel lore goes, it will not go quietly into that good night.
This is disgusting. You seem pretty unfazed Ben but I can imagine that it must be stressful so I’m sorry.
What's the worst that can happen? So Ben never goes back to Egypt again. That's hardly the end of the world. Any attempt at legal action would be laughed out of an American court. The Egyptian government has scored a huge own-goal, and achieved nothing but confirmation of just how petty and authoritarian it is.
CAI airport isn't great at all,
First the security check getting into the airport is disorganized and folks can cut in front of you by just having a good "relationship" with the works in charge. Btw, the whole country works on the quid pro quo mentality... from tours, to hotels, to everyday interactions...
Once you get into the check in area, you deal with the unhelpful agents and indifferent workers. Good luck trying...
CAI airport isn't great at all,
First the security check getting into the airport is disorganized and folks can cut in front of you by just having a good "relationship" with the works in charge. Btw, the whole country works on the quid pro quo mentality... from tours, to hotels, to everyday interactions...
Once you get into the check in area, you deal with the unhelpful agents and indifferent workers. Good luck trying to ask for anything. I had a poor taiwanese girl come to me crying because the person at the currency exchange won't exchange her money, I helped her to do the exchange... Oh btw, if you are traveling as a solo female, you should reconsider, you'll be regarded as a lesser being without a male companion. Going through passport control is just long and tedious. You need to really lower your standards when going through airports like this and most African airports too.
Is it the worst airport in the world? probably not, but its just not good.
The video is scary and alarming. Not that they have video, but what it took to isolate just you.
Meh. AI could have done that
A critical review that probably reached a few hundred thousand, who mostly agree, now reaches millions, who probably also agree. The Egyptian government is taking PR lessons from Thai hotels and restaurants that sue over bad reviews.
Looking at the video, everything seemed VERY smooth. You seem to be another entitled winer selling clicks. Get a life
The footage showed what appears to be an almost empty airport. If only every other was as vacant. Our first visit to Cairo in 1991 was definitely not as nice as this and would have been accurately described by the blog. Mind you we left from DXB "old" terminal which still used busses so was not much better!
My takeaway is that compared to 1991 the building looks modern beautiful and in the video...
The footage showed what appears to be an almost empty airport. If only every other was as vacant. Our first visit to Cairo in 1991 was definitely not as nice as this and would have been accurately described by the blog. Mind you we left from DXB "old" terminal which still used busses so was not much better!
My takeaway is that compared to 1991 the building looks modern beautiful and in the video has very few pax or crowds. What a change. However Egyptians as a whole are loud and don't respect our concept of personal space but are entertaining in their "aggressive" nature. But not as mean as it appears and all in good humour. In the souk they will cheat you with a smile on their face, especially if you catch them.
Having said that, officials in most countries such as Egypt are very aware of their special authority to be mean and often exercise it to make life difficult.
My last visit to Cairo was in 2006 on the way to Sharm el Sheikh so I am sure things might be quite different now especially with the tension in the area.
In contrast, our last visit to MLE was a total disaster with over an hour outside waiting in the heat to enter the airport and then another hour waiting to (unsuccessfully) check in. There was total confusion and nobody to assist when it went south. There were no roaming phone services and no internet my phone would allow me to connect with. I think I have a better candidate for worst in the world. MLE!
Honestly this kind of a situation is enough for me to postpone going to Egypt indefinitely.
Honestly, they're making it worse by responding. It would have died a pretty quick death had they just ignored it. Now it'll get coverage for days. Also, SUPER CREEPY that they have that kind of video capability. (and once again, I'll say I didn't think the Cairo airport was all that bad - I mean, it's no Heathrow, but I wouldn't have expected that).
They probably have a facial recognition program from China. They monitor 2 Billion residents with cameras every 100 yards so must have the best software in the world.
China makes a fortune selling their own special brand of autocratic repression all over the world. How do you think the odious Nicolas Maduro and his crew of sycophantic rodents cling onto power in Venezuela? Mass surveillance using Chinese tech, that's how.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do a review of LHR, which we think think is the worst airport in the western world. It would take a Tolstoy length comment to cover the problems and deficiencies with this abomination.
I had multiple connections in LHR terminal 5 (plus its satellite terminals) and they all went smoothly. I only thing I don’t like is that everyone is forced to go to security again even if originating at “safe” airports.
I like it much better than Frankfurt.
Even if you stay away from Egypt for a few years, the Grand Egyptian Museum probably still won't have opened in full yet! So you really won't be missing anything new. Government efficiency at its best.
It wasn't open in 2006 either.
Have you contacted Josh to find out what his advice is moving forward
You mean to contact Aljoscha Wendholt
The only Cairo airport I now am willing to visit is CRI.
Make that CIR (Cairo Regional Airport -- in Cairo, Illinois).
lol. so when are you going back?
As someone who has flown in and out of Cairo International Airport dozens of times for over 30 years, I have to say the worst airport in the world award goes to Charles de Gaulle in Paris.
CDG has rude staff, poor signage, traveling with an 85 year old and being forced to drag heavy luggage across vast distances to get in and out of the airport and search fruitlessly for our gate. No...
As someone who has flown in and out of Cairo International Airport dozens of times for over 30 years, I have to say the worst airport in the world award goes to Charles de Gaulle in Paris.
CDG has rude staff, poor signage, traveling with an 85 year old and being forced to drag heavy luggage across vast distances to get in and out of the airport and search fruitlessly for our gate. No luggage carts, no one to even tip or not to help us with our luggage. I swore after my last experience at Charles de Gaulle I would never set foot in that airport again.
As for the Cairo Airport staff, one time I was flying out of the country and didn't have the proper paperwork in order and technically I shouldn't have been able to leave. However, the man in charge of security graciously gave me a humanitarian exception because I was traveling to visit a sick relative I hadn't seen in 5 years.
Cairo doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some other airports, but it is functional.
I note that you were flying to Ethiopia from Cairo and probably posted this from there. I wouldn't be surprised if you were paid by the Ethiopians to write this hit piece. Good luck flying back the same route. LOL. You sure know how to burn your bridges (or your flights!)
Agree with you, also the boarding process is not the responsibility of the airport staff, it’s the responsibility of airline agents , which in this case it’s the Ethiopian Airlines!!!?
“As for the Cairo Airport staff, one time I was flying out of the country and didn't have the proper paperwork in order and technically I shouldn't have been able to leave. However, the man in charge of security graciously gave me a humanitarian exception because I was traveling to visit a sick relative I hadn't seen in 5 years.”
Wow. That’s just completely shocking. You freely admit that you and an airport employee undermined...
“As for the Cairo Airport staff, one time I was flying out of the country and didn't have the proper paperwork in order and technically I shouldn't have been able to leave. However, the man in charge of security graciously gave me a humanitarian exception because I was traveling to visit a sick relative I hadn't seen in 5 years.”
Wow. That’s just completely shocking. You freely admit that you and an airport employee undermined the basic security standards that protect all of us when flying?
Maybe it’s time for other countries to re-look at Egypt’s airport security standards?
Certainly I would expect much better from an “almost 4 star” airport.
Oh. The comment I was replying to has disappeared. Apologies for any confusion.
You'd be a fool to transit anywhere in the Middle East or Turkey in the future.
This advice... is like having a bogus warrant out for you in Russia and avoiding the EU as a result.
You will be the first fool to transit once you find a great business-class offer
For anyone reading this who isn't a regular reader of Ben's blog, I just wanted to say how any frequent reader of OMAAT knows that these allegations are complete BS. Ben's blog is the best out there in this space, and his post about Cairo Airport was just a regular commentary article showing his point of view. However, this event has shown how big his reach is and how he does have quite a big...
For anyone reading this who isn't a regular reader of Ben's blog, I just wanted to say how any frequent reader of OMAAT knows that these allegations are complete BS. Ben's blog is the best out there in this space, and his post about Cairo Airport was just a regular commentary article showing his point of view. However, this event has shown how big his reach is and how he does have quite a big influence. None of the points in the Egyptian government's response aclaims. Ben is just being used as a scapegoat instead of the Egyptian government improving Cairo Airport, or even staying quiet to a blogger's commentary on an airport he has transited through many times.
I have been through Cairo airport a few times, and I can say all of his observations are accurate. I also see why he views the airport as one of the worst major airports out there (in terms of size). I don't view transiting Cairo airport as horrific because I have been through such airports routinely since I was a little kid. But I can see where Ben's POV comes from, and going through Cairo's airport is no easy task or a pleasant one compared to other airports. The people asking for tips and the taxi drivers in the arrivals hall is the worst for me, but that's just how it is in Egypt.
Being almost attacked in Puerto Vallarta and almost every other airport outside North America I don't find the taxi drivers any more aggressive than the rest.
As an Egyptian , I am sorry for your bad experience. But that's how our country is run under military dictatorship. They ruined everything turing ( the good into bad ) and ( the bad into " worse " ). If you think that publishing such a video for you is weird , just imagine that Egyptians can be arrested for post on Facebook or Twitter. Check freedom House index for Egypt if you want...
As an Egyptian , I am sorry for your bad experience. But that's how our country is run under military dictatorship. They ruined everything turing ( the good into bad ) and ( the bad into " worse " ). If you think that publishing such a video for you is weird , just imagine that Egyptians can be arrested for post on Facebook or Twitter. Check freedom House index for Egypt if you want more. And BTW, multiple Egyptians made similar videos multiple times but all were accused of being " paid to spread false propaganda against Egypt ".
Please solve the problems of US airports first and then talk about other countries.
Solve the problems? He’s not the secretary of transportation. He’s just a passenger, same as anyone else. And he can complain about any airport, same as anyone else.
ooh great idea - @Ben for Secretary of Transportation. Someone get Trump on the phone stat!
I traveled to Egypt once via CAI a couple o years ago and all Ben's criticisms I experienced. They are valid. That Egypt would threaten someone with legal action for negative comments should give potential visitors pause before committing to a trip to Egypt.
We also went to LXR. If you think CAI is bad, LXR is worse. A couple of family members got interrogated briefly at the luggage carousel at LXR by supposed undercover...
I traveled to Egypt once via CAI a couple o years ago and all Ben's criticisms I experienced. They are valid. That Egypt would threaten someone with legal action for negative comments should give potential visitors pause before committing to a trip to Egypt.
We also went to LXR. If you think CAI is bad, LXR is worse. A couple of family members got interrogated briefly at the luggage carousel at LXR by supposed undercover police who identified themselves not with a badge, but by opening their jackets and flashing their guns. There was a mob attempting to grab our bags to "help" us on the way to the taxis, then you run in to the taxi scammers (our flight was delayed and we missed our pre-booked ride).
Ben, as a fellow regular passenger who transits through Cairo, I fully concur with Ben’s assessment of the airport and some of the public activities. If he thinks that the airport is bad then he would be horrified to pass beyond the terminal exit. The whole country outside the sanctity of the international hotels, etc, can be a much worse experience than that which Ben described.
“Baksheesh” is a common request and practice in...
Ben, as a fellow regular passenger who transits through Cairo, I fully concur with Ben’s assessment of the airport and some of the public activities. If he thinks that the airport is bad then he would be horrified to pass beyond the terminal exit. The whole country outside the sanctity of the international hotels, etc, can be a much worse experience than that which Ben described.
“Baksheesh” is a common request and practice in many parts of the world. Westerners, etc, can easily be offended by those who ask for baksheesh, especially in a country where the practice is accepted. In some of those countries traditions die hard, Egypt is one such example.
In my experience, I find that the Egyptian establishment believes that since the recent troubles the country has joined the twenty first century. However the reality is not as they would have the rest of the world believe. One cannot judge Egypt by western standards.
Returning to baksheesh, I find that giving everyone who asks for a baksheesh, a wrapped boiled sweet along with a broad smile, disarms them admirably.
Ben, the bottom line is; risk it for a biscuit and take absolutely no notice of the Egyptian threats.
Do not rule out that you will be requested by Interpol and imprisoned, and perhaps a commando team will be sent to kidnap and torture you as an example to others, as you have destroyed tourism and the airport will stop working because of the world’s boycott of it, so the government’s move against you is justified, as its future is at stake.
While you are way over estimating Interpol.
You are still right, because governments are funding Interpol, politically motivated arrests are not uncommon.
abdullatlf, do not rule out that Santa Clause will shimmy down your chimney and give you a prostate exam, and it is justified, your future is at stake
Visited Cairo back in 2014 and to this day it was the most unwelcoming and hostile place I have been. The airport had all of the same issues back then and its shameful the government wastes their time defending their incompetence. Had thought about a visit to the new Egyptian museum but forget it. Thanks for your work. You have led me towards a lot of enjoyable travel experiences over the years.
Youve got to hand it to Cairo, the video shows the moving walkways working, which is not the case at Newark
Wow Lucky -- so sorry that the travel ministry is responding to this so negatively, when they could have just frankly worked on their weak points. For your safety, I do recommend staying away from Egypt for at least the next few years or so. Developing countries are no joke once they have you set in their sights -- especially an increasingly authoritarian regime after a military coup! Please do not take any more premium...
Wow Lucky -- so sorry that the travel ministry is responding to this so negatively, when they could have just frankly worked on their weak points. For your safety, I do recommend staying away from Egypt for at least the next few years or so. Developing countries are no joke once they have you set in their sights -- especially an increasingly authoritarian regime after a military coup! Please do not take any more premium fares to Egypt no matter how cheap, or use Egypt as a transfer point even if air-side. The US Embassy can only help you so much. I appreciate your travel reviews and just want you to stay safe!
LOL! I think you should do a comedy post about the cairo airport. "The nearly 7 star airport in Cairo, puts the likes of Doha and Dubai to shame. The only other airports that compare to this quality is the Ashgabat Intl Airport in Turkmenistan and Pyongyang Intl Airport in North Korea."
Wow. The video has completely changed my opinion on Cairo Airport and its staff! Seriously doubting your credibility now!
Well, just wow. You are officially a celeb in Egypt, but not in a good way.
You can’t risk going back to Egypt anymore, but that may not be much of a loss at least when it comes to the airport. Egypt is just making this way worse, because westerners will not be impressed by their showing here. The footage of you eerily remind me of the killing of Kim jong-un’s half brother in KUL....
Well, just wow. You are officially a celeb in Egypt, but not in a good way.
You can’t risk going back to Egypt anymore, but that may not be much of a loss at least when it comes to the airport. Egypt is just making this way worse, because westerners will not be impressed by their showing here. The footage of you eerily remind me of the killing of Kim jong-un’s half brother in KUL. Unbelivable that this is allowed to be released in these circumstances. A freakin blog, it’s not a major diplomatic incident for crying out loud.
Once upon a time, Arab civilization was juch more highly advanced than Europe in scientific knowledge and personal hygiene. Now they grow up ignorant and smelly and get beheaded if they don't bow down and moan five times a day. Remember, Lucky, these were csame people who burnt down the Library of Alexandria, the Medieval Internet (or at least Wikipedia).
So Arabs burning Greeks in Alexandria the csame as one civilization burning another civilization in some bank strip heights?
What about settlers who massacred indigenous people on their ancestral land and sent them to reservations and brainwashed them into thinking they have control over their own nation and casinos.
Is there difference if you "bow down and moan" five times a day, three times a day, or once every Sunday?
Hypocrisy is everywhere.
...
So Arabs burning Greeks in Alexandria the csame as one civilization burning another civilization in some bank strip heights?
What about settlers who massacred indigenous people on their ancestral land and sent them to reservations and brainwashed them into thinking they have control over their own nation and casinos.
Is there difference if you "bow down and moan" five times a day, three times a day, or once every Sunday?
Hypocrisy is everywhere.
You're either lying or brainwashed.
No, not brainwashed. I'm a Gulf War vet. I also witnessed Palestinians dancing in the streets on 9/11, broadcast by CNN. So I'm totally in favor of anything Israel does to Hamas and Hezbollah. And history tells us that the Greeks were in Alexandria first. The name's a big clue, Seymour.
Why stop at 4? Why not say nearly 5 star rating? Might as well..
Pretty great example of the Streisand Effect in practice. I'd not even read Ben's initial review of CAI but now I'll go out of my way to avoid the airport. Ha!
‘Nearly 4 stars’ what are they on? This is embarrassing on every single level!
Damn this is pure entertainment! Thank you Ministry of Aviation.
Ben, you’re the best!
WOW. I've used Cairo for affordable business fares for a few years now. This is shocking and unsurprising at the same time- what a paradox. Would you mind if I translate some of this to French and use it in my classroom? I'm trying to teach my advanced high school students how to travel responsibly.
If you want to teach your students to travel responsibility you could start my avoiding gratuitous business class flights. Maybe you've heard of climate change?
I feel this headline is going to bite Lucky in the a**. Search engines might not show the "not actually".
That would just make it more tempting to click at :)
https://onemileatatime.com/news/bali-punishes-travel-blogger/
Reminds me of this. Comments are funny LMAO.
It is all about "saving face". The Arab culture is different from western culture. You can respond with "facts" all that you like. It will not change anything, this is about saving face. Please Google "Arab culture saving face". You will find a long list of articles related to this.
It should be also noted that the communication from the Egyptian authorities was really intended for the domestic audience, I don't think they expected people from abroad to even read about it. Serves them right, I was torn whether to visit or not, now I'm absolutely 100% sure that staying as far away as possible is the correct choice.
If only they took the time, money and energy to meticulously respond to your review and apply that to tangible improvements to their operations. I can’t imagine how many resources were wasted during this process.
And of course you’re going to go to two lounges, if you had the time, you’re a travel reviewer, and it makes sense to see as many as you can if you’re able to.
Calling a 3 star rating a "nearly 4 star rating" is enough by itself to disregard the whole thing.
The "nearly 4 star rating" had me rolling. Hilarious.
I would be extremely careful about calling out governments, especially one that has given our future president $10M for unknown reasons. You never know what kind of favors are going to be called in over the next 4 years.
No favors. Not even close to tipping the scale.
$10M is nothing compared to what their neighbor on the East has been giving.
Just like our NYC mayor was gifted by Turkey and Egypt gifted Democrat senator for exclusive contract to Halal certified meat from Egypt. Yeah.
We already rekt that POS senator and we're really gonna do a number on this mayor, real unfortunate timing for this clown to go down given that he'll soon receive no help from the feds either, wishing him and his fellow NYPD all the worst over these holidays!
I was planning on visiting Egypt in December, with a tour company, but if the airport is this bad I may have to reconsider! A pity because i love Ancient Egyptian History. :(
GO - Egypt is fantastic. My husband & I went in February. The tour company will take good care of you and help you get along. The trip and the country were/are AMAZING. The airport is not all that bad - again, the tour company will help you get through it with minimal hassle. If it's extra for an airport pickup, pay for it. Having someone help you through the whole process (visa, bags, etc.) is super helpful.
The only point I could see my self agreeing with you is the boarding process, I visited Cairo airport many time and it always has been very pleasant experience, the Egyptian people are well known for their hospitality and friendliness at the airport or even in the city, the airport in general very nice and clean, lounges very comfortable, bathrooms are clean and the staff are a lot a lot nicer than security staff at...
The only point I could see my self agreeing with you is the boarding process, I visited Cairo airport many time and it always has been very pleasant experience, the Egyptian people are well known for their hospitality and friendliness at the airport or even in the city, the airport in general very nice and clean, lounges very comfortable, bathrooms are clean and the staff are a lot a lot nicer than security staff at European airports, your point about smoking smell, Cairo airport smells very nice in all areas and has fewer smoking area compared to European airports and I wish they add more smoking lounges not less
(smokers has right too and as far as I know, smoking is not illegal, and if airport discriminates against smoker I don’t visit and try to avoid)
As I mentioned before, the only point I agree with you on is the boarding process and it has nothing to do with the airport policy, it’s just the airline representative not doing there job properly, and that is the only area it need some attention beside adding more smoking lounges!!!
Thanks for the laugh Rami
You welcome!!
Without getting into your experience and comments about the Cairo Airport, I share a similar opinion from a trip to Egypt a few years ago.
I may not be as travelled as you are but I have been to over 50 countries around the world and visited the best airports and lounges in the world during my trips.
I also have the opinion that the Cairo Airport is the worst (among major airports) I have ever been in my entire life.
I'm finding this entire thing very fascinating. No doubt, Egypt is handling the entire thing in a bizarre fashion. They probably never heard of The Streisand Effect. Regardless, there are some interesting things to break down on both sides.
Have reviews started to cross the line across the world? Review sites, bloggers, influencers, Instagramers, TikTok - we have essentially gone review mad. Bad reviews, or drama, brings even more views, clicks and dollars. Even at...
I'm finding this entire thing very fascinating. No doubt, Egypt is handling the entire thing in a bizarre fashion. They probably never heard of The Streisand Effect. Regardless, there are some interesting things to break down on both sides.
Have reviews started to cross the line across the world? Review sites, bloggers, influencers, Instagramers, TikTok - we have essentially gone review mad. Bad reviews, or drama, brings even more views, clicks and dollars. Even at TripAdvisor and Yelp, bad reviews are what people are looking for. They scan for the worst outcome. It's like looking at car accidents.
The reality of this review is that I think it does not take into account culture, location, or realities that are ingrained in Egypt. I, for one, know what to expect there. As do most. Is it the worst airport? Doubtful. I personally think MIA is a hole....but again, it's MIA...Miami is gonna Miami. CAI is also one of the reasons flights are so cheap from and through. It does that part well - so perhaps in context it is the best airport in the world? MIA doesn't even offer value...why I would rate it the worst.
That's where reviews and reviewers seem to miss the mark. They fail to point out the value equation or realities of place. In the process they insult its people. Of course, Egyptians just see an entitled rich white American coming there and telling them how bad they are. That's not going to go over well anywhere.
This probably serves as an inflection point for reviewers out there. Where the line may be drawn. Perhaps the idea being that if the review serves no real purpose (I doubt the original post was not going to sway anyone if they wanted to use CAI or not) do you want to risk insulting these people in the process?
The reality is, as they see it, a rich white American man insults a proud people. No different than a rich British blogger coming to MIA and writing about the disgusting nature of American airports and the horrid people working in TSA, CBP, airline counters etc. Not wrong, but do you really want to go there?
Not wrong, but do you really want to go there?
Do you find this very fascinating?
Infidels occupying Holy lands.
Egyptians want money they don’t care about anything else! Cairo airport is all about blackmail and begging for money.
You gotta love the Meyer Lansky school of public relations response here: “Say that we’re friendly and polite or we’ll beat you up.”
As someone into ancient history, I've always been interested in very interested in Egyptian history and have visited Egypt a couple times to take in the sites. But, the country does my head in and my visits are likely finished. Rubbish airports are just the beginning. Even non-smoking rooms at Hilton and Bonvoy hotels stink of smoke and everyone is out to scam you (including convenience stores) or badger you for a tip. Earlier in...
As someone into ancient history, I've always been interested in very interested in Egyptian history and have visited Egypt a couple times to take in the sites. But, the country does my head in and my visits are likely finished. Rubbish airports are just the beginning. Even non-smoking rooms at Hilton and Bonvoy hotels stink of smoke and everyone is out to scam you (including convenience stores) or badger you for a tip. Earlier in the year I booked a private car to drive me from Soma Bay to Luxor, and we were stopped by cops after visiting Dendera Temple and not released until they were bribed. (My driver paid it, likely realizing I would have gone mental on the tour company I booked it through if I was made to pay it.)
If I were you I'd also be worried about entering other authoritarian countries, especially in the Middle East... are you going to keep going to these countries? It only takes one.... and you are clearly on their radar now.
This is why you are the best in the biz Lucky! Don't go back to Egypt and lol maybe avoid their airspace for a while too.
Here is Gary’s take:
https://viewfromthewing.com/creepy-surveillance-bathroom-claims-and-legal-threats-egyptian-ministers-absurd-response-to-bloggers-cairo-airport-critique/
Though, he did spell your surname incorrectly.
Gary isn't very bright.
I admire your courage for being an openly gay man who shit on Egyptian authority. You're really one of the best travel bloggers out there.
Lucky, I agree with you 100%. But that is in our perspective as westerners. Perhaps in their perspective, their airport functions just fine. The tipping thing is ridiculous, but maybe in their minds, its not a "tip," rather wages to provide a service. Their super aggressive attitude when asking for tips maybe a cultural norm that we just aren't used to.
Somebody didn't read.
It's not just agreessively asking for tips, it's agreessively providing unsolicited and unwanted services and THEN expecting tips after the fact.
Alex is right.
It's not a tip if your employers don't even pay you minimum wage.
Then they ask for even bigger tip because the cost of living in big cities are too high.
Even grab and go self service kiosks expects a tip.
Definitely a cultural norm that the rest of the world isn't used to.
That's actually very entertaining. We should get more videos of your trip review works.
I’d love your video surveillance footage in Aegon Mykonos. Or in TAAG first class. :-)
If you can’t get it for free by pissing people in charge for being honest, you should hire someone to do it.
Ben, you’ve outdone yourself (with an assist from Egypt).
This is the most compelling OMAAT content ever.
The United States and Egypt have a legal assistance treaty that covers extradition and criminal assistance. The treaty was signed in Cairo on May 3, 1998.
All this fuss over an irrelevant "self-annointed travel guru"!
Or maybe it's that you're an actual travel guru with worldwide reach.
Go figure.
This does it for me: I haven't heard anything bad about visiting Egypt before, but now I am never setting foot in Egypt.
From Foreign Policy's website last week:
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory even before The Associated Press called the election on the morning of Nov. 6. “We look forward to achieving peace together, preserving regional peace and stability,” he posted on social media. Sisi later called Trump that evening to extend further congratulations.
Both leaders respect strongman politics. During his first administration, in 2019,...
From Foreign Policy's website last week:
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory even before The Associated Press called the election on the morning of Nov. 6. “We look forward to achieving peace together, preserving regional peace and stability,” he posted on social media. Sisi later called Trump that evening to extend further congratulations.
Both leaders respect strongman politics. During his first administration, in 2019, Trump sparked controversy by yelling out, “Where’s my favorite dictator?” as he waited for Sisi to arrive at a meeting during a G-7 summit held in France.
At that time, Trump applauded Sisi for being “a very tough man.” He added, “We understood each other very well.”
Sharm airport (SSH) has announcements.about no smoking in terminal. At the same time, during passport control, person in uniform saying Police, arrived in the booth, took cigarette from passport controlling employee and started smoking it there. That happened in September 2024. But of course they would never show CCTV of this, but everyone knows how it works.
Definitely don't go back to Egypt.
I do think there is an argument that Ben's expectations for Cairo's airport are unrealistic. Everyone knows it isn't a 5-star, world-class airport. And everyone knows that staff ask for bribes (tips). But is the airport objectively any worse than other comparables? I still believe, as I've said, that someone domestically must have found the article and started using for domestic political purposes because I highly doubt the Egyptian government is reading frequent flyer blogs.
I do think there is an argument that Ben's expectations for Cairo's airport are unrealistic. Everyone knows it isn't a 5-star, world-class airport. And everyone knows that staff ask for bribes (tips). But is the airport objectively any worse than other comparables? I still believe, as I've said, that someone domestically must have found the article and started using for domestic political purposes because I highly doubt the Egyptian government is reading frequent flyer blogs.
umm okay? its still the worst major airport lol
a big city hub for an airline where its ghetto and people scam you ? lol definitely cairo unless ur blind
I feel they are more observations rather than expectations, we have all travelled through airports that raise the odds ebrow or 2 but we don’t articulate them for all and sundry to digest.
YIKES! I can't believe they posted a video of you. Honestly that government is an absolute danger, and shame on every western government that legitimises it.
As long as Egypt plays nice with Israel, most western governments will legitimize it.
Been to CAI, as a simple passenger. Agreed that CAI undoubtedly is a 2d-rate airport in a 3d-world airport. I'm not so lucky as effectively to be banned yet. I have the same queasy feeling about flying through Hong Kong Airport HKG, as I distrust the controlling security force over my person and my bags.
I have to admit having transited through HKG, I didn't feel unsafe at all nor like anything untoward would happen - CAI just feels unfriendly, unforgiving and unsafe. I know why Lucky flies through their because of the sweet spot it is for cash fares often, but as general individual I would avoid, whereas with HKG I wouldn't think twice about transiting still.
You've to visit hurghada international airport, please do it. It's unbelievable how workers are unprofessional and most of them are rude. I hope those airports will be clear of those people acting like parasites. I love Egypt as my roots are Egyptian. But lying is the last option to solve a problem. Hope everything will change because Egypt is a beautiful country and it deserves much better.
Speaking of Hurghada’s airport
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/teenager-told-strip-airport-security-29959146.amp
Lol hurghada airport? no one knows where that is. it's not a major airport. ive flown through cairo airport twice and hated it each time. no one would choose to fly through it if they didnt have to lol
instead of claiming people are lying, how about you get your country in line?
OMG You are still wearing a mask?! I was on your side but now you lost credibility haha
Get a life! Is this what you are concerned about? I wear mask too when I travel to certain places, so does millions of people around the world everyday too for one reason or another
I wear a facemask too, when at crowded locations.
Honestly get a life. People like you should wear masks because you’re probably dirty af
He has a baby at home. God forbid a man prioritize his family’s health!
You are a liar supported by dirty Ethiopia and you will be punished by law and banned from entering Egypt forever
@ Ahmed -- I love insightful comments like this! So, I'm curious, when you say I'm "supported by dirty Ethiopia," that means... they're bankrolling me to criticize Cairo Airport?
Ha! But that does remind me... Addis Ababa is another rubbish airport. I still think Cairo is worse though.
TBH, that was my first thought when I realized where you were posting from. Come on, Ethiopia hates Egypt more than any other country. Ethiopia Airlines probably sees Egypt Air as a competitor on many of the same routes and they would love to have the services of someone like you.
If that is the “first thing” you thought then you are a dumb ape. Remove yourself from existence.
oh nooo, not banned from entering Egypt, Ahmed please anything but that!
Cairo Airport and the government officials are about to understand what the Streisand Effect is.
Omg, this is amazing Lucky! Do you think you'll go back to Cairo's airport after this? I don't think I would.
When I was there, I booked a night at Le Méridien Cairo Airport since I landed late. I couldn't find the walkway and went to the help desk and they said it was a $10 drive to get there and there was no walkway. It was late, so I agreed. On the drive, I could see the walkway and knew I got scammed.
@ Ryan -- Sorry to hear about your experience (obviously you must be lying, because everything in Cairo is perfect!). ;-) I'm definitely going to be steering clear of Egypt until there's a government change, and/or any positive progress is made here. I'm not a total idiot.
I believe you have two passports - would that make any difference or do you think they're linked (and/or other demographics/biometrics would still tip them off)?
Having traveled through CAI dozens of times over the past 2 years, I'd like to take the opportunity to fully endorse Ben's conclusions that CAI is, beyond doubt, the worst major international airport in the world.
Terminal 3 of CAI is, without a doubt, the worst airport terminal of any airport in the entire world. And I don't think that's hyperbolic to say so. Suggesting otherwise would be a disservice to all the other terrible...
Having traveled through CAI dozens of times over the past 2 years, I'd like to take the opportunity to fully endorse Ben's conclusions that CAI is, beyond doubt, the worst major international airport in the world.
Terminal 3 of CAI is, without a doubt, the worst airport terminal of any airport in the entire world. And I don't think that's hyperbolic to say so. Suggesting otherwise would be a disservice to all the other terrible airport terminals worldwide because none compare to Terminal 3 at CAI. What other international airport has you go through a side exit door from a major arrivals terminal to transfer to the domestic terminal? And have you go through a passport control that's in a back alley?
I have zero desire to ever return to Egypt ever again. There isn't a shred of me that will regret never going back.
Vladimir Shklyaro, 39, famous Russian ballet dancer has died. He fell out of a window yesterday. A likely story. No joke.
@ben this idiot seems to be making personal threats so would suggest you escalate to the police.
@derek I guess Egypt doesn’t offer customers the option to provide feedback. If it’s negative they get threatened. I for one, have no desire to visit that cesspit despite its former fascinating history.
I am not making any personal threat. The only one making a personal threat Icarus. Please stop Icarus.
You know what they say about picking fights with people who buy ink by the barrel.
Lucky causing an international incident, being publicly denounced like the Larry David fatwa, and probably never being able to return to Egypt is just proof that he is more back than ever. This is the cost of high quality content. We all got a little worried during the post-Covid review lull, but our man is back to performing at the absolute highest levels of travel reviewing. TPG could never!
Came to say the same thing. Fatwa fatwa!!!
Yeah, let's shower @Ben with some love! You're THE best!
I almost fell off my chair when I read the “nearly 4-star rating” part, LMAO.
Other than that, they're just making a fool of themselves. The security cam footage can easily be summarized as "1) dude texts his family back at home to know how their day is going; 2) dude goes about the airport minding his own business; 3) dude snaps 2 pics with his cell phone; 4) this proves his evil intentions...
I almost fell off my chair when I read the “nearly 4-star rating” part, LMAO.
Other than that, they're just making a fool of themselves. The security cam footage can easily be summarized as "1) dude texts his family back at home to know how their day is going; 2) dude goes about the airport minding his own business; 3) dude snaps 2 pics with his cell phone; 4) this proves his evil intentions to destroy this country."
I'm suprised they didn't report about the comments people made on the original post, especially when MIA was brought into question. They could have said "our amazing airport is 'almost' at the same level of a major US airport."
What a comedy!
What a sh**hole of the country. I have visited 70 countries around the world, and here is another confirmation why Egypt is not among them, despite I have only 3 hours on the plane to reach it.
Ben for your own safety, AVOID Egypt for any future travel unless there is a government change. Please read the case of Guilio Regeni
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Giulio_Regeni
You are very much in risk of being arrested and tortured
It's called "saving face" and it's a HUGE part of the culture in the Arabic world. They can never admit fault...or else they would lose face.
You must be getting a lot of Egyptian traffic. I wonder if you could monetize with Egyptian credit card or other links. That would be a legendary troll.
Now THIS is a fantastic idea. I'm jealous I didn't think of this. Bravo!
Just thinking out loud... You're a holder of a German passport, right? As such, you would technically be a personal data subject under EU law.
GDPR also applies to organizations in third countries that process personally identifiable information of EU data subjects, and this video footage very much qualifies. Now, unlike most companies, it's probably not straightforward to indict an Egyptian state-owned company that runs the airport for GDPR infringement, but German data protection authorities...
Just thinking out loud... You're a holder of a German passport, right? As such, you would technically be a personal data subject under EU law.
GDPR also applies to organizations in third countries that process personally identifiable information of EU data subjects, and this video footage very much qualifies. Now, unlike most companies, it's probably not straightforward to indict an Egyptian state-owned company that runs the airport for GDPR infringement, but German data protection authorities have been known to be pretty shrewd. They probably wouldn't go into an all-out diplomatic conflict over this, but I would maybe still ask about their opinion on this :)
Worth a shot just to troll them, but Art. 3 Cl. 2 provides that the territorial scope governs individuals who are "in the Union" - i.e., physically present there - or else processing activities that occur in the Union. Mere citizenship without physical presence likely isn't enough for extraterritorial application.
This is unacceptable, the difference between a constructive criticism and a false accusation is way more than that between a praise and a criticism. I criticise something because I want that "something" to get better, and I believe this goes the same for many others.
I think we should also recognise how is Ben responding to this accusation in a proper manner, without panicking.
I wonder with this situation become escalated dramatically, could be some non-Egypt media start to pick this story?
It’s being covered in Jordon and Russia as far as I can see ;
https://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/3308761
@Ben: What brand of backpack are you carrying?
@ Santastico -- Briggs & Riley:
https://onemileatatime.com/briggs-riley/
I actually was planning on getting new luggage soon, but that's a topic for a different post.
I'd been kicking around the idea of visiting Cairo in the next year or so - lol not anymore. What a pathetic, whiny regime.
The good thing about the video is that it shows the amount of work Ben does to provide such detailed and helpful trip reports. Sorry the cheap fares out of Cairo are out for you now, understandably. Let us know where you find another business class fare sweet spot. Great work, Ben. Keep it up.
@ 777timetofly -- Thank you, means a lot! :-)
The amount of video surveillance is incredible. I mean, maybe not incredible in the sense that it is surprising as Egypt is a military dictatorship. But incredible in that (1) it works and (2) they had the capability to find him. Can you imagine how much time some state security bureaucrat had to spend pulling the video?
@ FNT Delta Diamond -- Yeah, I was shocked as well, and I really wonder how much time has been spent piecing this all together. I'm sort of impressed. If only they put this much effort into running a quality airport!
I'm sure with all this video, they have plenty of evidence of airport employees taking tips (bribes). I still remember being there in 2014 and seeing security staff take bribes to allow a passenger to avoid going through security.
@FNT Delta Diamond
Not that I support the current Egyptian regime, but I see nothing wrong with having so much security cams?
A lot of people praise and wonder how is unstaffed stores in Japan and Korea works and nobody steals anything from it.
But the same people complain about having too much security cams, when what they praise works largely due to the security cams, in addition to their cultural differences.
Double...
@FNT Delta Diamond
Not that I support the current Egyptian regime, but I see nothing wrong with having so much security cams?
A lot of people praise and wonder how is unstaffed stores in Japan and Korea works and nobody steals anything from it.
But the same people complain about having too much security cams, when what they praise works largely due to the security cams, in addition to their cultural differences.
Double standards.
Unless it's China security cams only do good for the security.
What will really blow your mind is how much video surveillance is present at airports in countries that aren't military dictatorships...
There goes your future chance of visiting Egypt! I'd be cautious to step into that country if I were you!
There are clear ‘NO TIPS’ signage throughout the airport,
Gee, I wish they put that sign everywhere in America.
You put signage because there IS an issue there.
You see 'no smoking' sign in hotel rooms because guests smokes.
Have you ever seen 'don't feed the birds' in a hotel room before?
Or how about 'no trespassing' on an airplane?
Even better a sign 'private property, please put your seat in an...
There are clear ‘NO TIPS’ signage throughout the airport,
Gee, I wish they put that sign everywhere in America.
You put signage because there IS an issue there.
You see 'no smoking' sign in hotel rooms because guests smokes.
Have you ever seen 'don't feed the birds' in a hotel room before?
Or how about 'no trespassing' on an airplane?
Even better a sign 'private property, please put your seat in an upright position lower your armrests and fasten your seatbelt, violaters will be shot' on a ranch in some stand your ground state.
Then the hilarious Skytrax, very very credible.
I guess someone will apologize for and defend an almost #12 ranked airline in the world. Which it self is an almost 5 star airline.
Bet he'd mock you for writing "guests smokes" instead of "guests smoke".
I wonder since when OMAAT audience included an age cohort full of Skibidi Toilet and Kai Cenat fans?
Well sometimes you have to trick chatGPT and bait sus Delulu.
Sometimes typing on a tiny is hard or maybe trolling the language police is actually fun.
I bet he think you're broken Ingliz is Ohio.
Life is hard to W.
I'd highly recommend you never visit that airport (or Egypt) again. You are on their radar, and they will harass you (or worse) the next time you're in their reach.
Ben shoʻuld apologize and do it now. There is some risk to his personal safety.
Egypt is right, Ben is wrong.
The only credit to Ben is that he might not have felt relaxed in Cairo, but objective measures, such as time waiting are in Egypt's favor.
For Miles and Ford's sake, apologize or, at least, clarify and don't come down as hard on Cairo.
CAI is a decent airport!
@ derek -- A decent airport? On the other post, you commented "Cairo airport is among the best in the world." Did it just get worse? :p
Ben, thank you for reminding me. Cairo is among the best. Seriously, Ben, think of your family. Back down. Do it now. No joke.
Whats wronh with you Derek? Go back to Egypt and enjou your life, if you have one
This sounds like a veiled threat to me. Not cool.
Why does this read like a threat? On second thought, it reads exactly like a threat, and one that's directed at the man's family and young child. Unbelievable.
Ben isn't an Egyptian "subject." He and his family remain in a country that is safe and free, إنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ
Derek - or is that the Egyptian government using a pseudonym?
CAI is a s— hole. Amongst the best ? lol according to who ?
Your message also sounds like a threat.
The message is not a threat but am grave concern for Ben. He is one of the best boarding area bloggers. The website would not be the same if Ben were to be a Skripal or an Otto Warmbier. Ben doesn't have the resources of the US Army behind him so he must be cautious. That's a sad fact.
"It makes me grateful to live in the United States, where [strong]I can at least criticize my home airport without fear of punishment[/strong]."
For now.
TravelinPenis being TravelinPenis.
You think Democrats would make America any freer?
They're the one who limited the freedom of speech the most, excusing it on "equality".
Lol freedom of speech is limited to the government if you knew anything about the constitution
They limited hate speech. Which isn't freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is speech where you can criticize the government without fear of reprisal from the government.
This might just be the best drama series we've seen on OMAAT since the Sparkling Wine-gate
Gotta ask. Of all the ways you thought you'd go (somewhat) viral, would you have ever thought it would result from that Cairo airport article?
@ Khatl -- Hah, absolutely not! Though given that my travels have been pretty smooth post-Aegon Mykonos, I figured it was about time for another "situation" that's blown out of proportion.
Ahh, the fond memories of Aegon Mykonos! Lol
Ben fully agree with everything you say. But why pick a random review from Skytrax website which just happens to be most recent and 3/10 - there are 8/10 reviews as well? Just about as scientific and one-sided as you claim their reply to be, you can do better!
@ Will -- I was just sharing the most recent review published on the website about the airport. To be clear, the 3/10 rating is the overall rating across all reviews, and not across a single review. Admittedly that was a 1/10 rating, but that would be closer to the average than an 8/10 rating.
Egypt is a s#&%hole country that I had considered visiting for the incredible history. Hard pass now.
Same. I almost bought QR business class tickets to visit the pyramids in the spring. No way. Hard pass. I wonder how much tourist revenue Egypt will lose on this ridiculous vendetta against Ben.
An unbelievable escalation. CAI drops down even further on my visit list (already low).
Why were you wearing a mask in parts of the airport?
@ FNT Delta Diamond -- I often wear masks when at airports and in crowded areas. In the case of Cairo Airport, it's also really cold in the terminals in some areas, so a mask helps with staying warm, heh.
Oh my!!! Wear a mask to help stay warm? I haven't seen anyone "crowding" around you in any of the videos above. Other than a few passengers in the baggage area you were the only person seen on the videos.
@ Santastico -- Well of course, of my hours at the airport, the authorities only shared video footage there weren't people near me. That footage obviously doesn't reflect the entirety of my experience.
@Lucky
Santastico is one of those people who equates people wearing masks as too scared to leave their parent's basement or some other nonsense.
Absolutely right, wear mask as you see fit.
Apology for masks is not necessary. Masks are good. The pandemic is not over. I wear a mask in airports.
Even without a pandemic, major airports are one of a few places (along with hospitals) where it makes sense to wear a mask. The last time I came down with a cold or some other bug after a flight was 2019...
I thought the same but if you pay attention to the videos he wasn't wearing a mask. It looks like a reflection on his face but I can't see a mask.
The short video did not show him wearing a mask but yes, the long version does.
3/10 on Skytrax reviews. That's a lot of bad reviews. I guess it will keep their legal department busy with all the " legal action" they'll be taking against everyone who didn't find Cairo better than Changi !
"Almost 4 star" lol. It's funny up to the point where it's threatening and creepy.
@Ben full version of the CCTV
https://youtu.be/2pV6-LeFzRA?si=eCglteaIjlUej-PE
@ Creditcrunch - Oh, how fun! Didn't realize it was even longer, hah. Let me update the post and add that.
Hey Ben, I'm Canadian who was born in Egypt. Everything you said is true and even worse. I hate the batting down they do at the gate. If the gate is changed, you get another free massage by someone with a disgusting smell. Then, if you land in Europe, you have to go to kind of enhanced security, because they don't see Cairo Airport as secure enough. It's a mess. Now, if they said they...
Hey Ben, I'm Canadian who was born in Egypt. Everything you said is true and even worse. I hate the batting down they do at the gate. If the gate is changed, you get another free massage by someone with a disgusting smell. Then, if you land in Europe, you have to go to kind of enhanced security, because they don't see Cairo Airport as secure enough. It's a mess. Now, if they said they will take legal action, this means next time in Egypt, you will be probably detained. I'm not trying to scare you, but just to let you know. Dumb Trump once named the stupid Egyptianpresident
"My favorite dictator” Feel free to PM me if you need a translation or something.
PS. Don't give up!
Some of those comments are great. Are those bots or just "patriots"
(Long live Egypt Long live Egypt Long live Egypt And down with the traitors and sheep)
I would probably not set foot in that country ever again for the fear of being arrested. They don't joke with these things.
So basically the Egyptian government won’t accept CAI is a s- hole.
Are they going to prosecute everyone who claims otherwise and you must ensure you say it’s the Changi Airport of Africa.
It’s also extremely concerning they went so far as to find CCTV and publish it.
I guess your last visit to Egypt and it would certainly put off a alot of people who thought they may want to go there.
This is beyond amazing. It's not like this blog is The New York Times. Does the Egyptian government just casually read frequent flyer blogs? I wonder if someone internally in Egypt found the article and was using it to criticize the government. That would explain the response.