Dark, dingy and dirty - OR Tambo and the wasted year.

[upup]

I've recently been to 2 EU airports and 1 Arab one.

The 2020 pandemic hit everyone hard, but as it began easing - and travel not picking up entirely - many countries used the very rare opportunity of almost-empty airports to due needed maintenance and some even to do re-designs.

The 3 airports i visited recently did that in some way or another.

Then you land at OR Tambo...
-Broken ceiling panels in arrivals
-Non-working escalators and travelators
-Floor tiles not fitting properly on air bridges
-Absolutely filthy pavements outside arrivals and departures levels roads.
-Old, and broken decor.
-Elevators that were last cleaned who knows when, hardly work properly and are terrible.
-Transfer buses that look like they've never been vacuumed or washed (here's looking at you Menzies)

What was ACSA doing during the pandemic? I mean forget about re-building and putting in new stuff could they not have at least CLEANED the airport properly when it had no passengers?!

That is why they change the name, to be inline with the condition of the place.

 

[nivek]

I think you probably meant to say : pre anc ☺️

Nope
I dont remember it pre ANC, but I've spent a lot of time at Or Tambo over the years and it's one of the better airports

 

[Johnatan56]

Nope
I dont remember it pre ANC, but I've spent a lot of time at Or Tambo over the years and it's one of the better airports

Their metal detectors are still weird. Only place I never had to take off my old jacket as every other place it would trigger (Cape Town, Dubai, Vienna, Zürich, Amsterdam, Heathrow).

Just flew back to South Africa for a few weeks on holiday, quite noticeable even in CT international how it's Africa. Things like the sign for the airport on plane side says "Cape Town Internato Airport", rest of them don't light up.

Health questionnaire but no pen, temperature measurement with separate equipment instead of the thermal cameras they already have set up, and constantly issues with them with battery or something. They added electronic gates for SA passport holders, but all closed/not able to be used, so constant issue of having to shout and get everyone from that queue to go to international queue, then if queue international some get to skip if South African but others not, etc. And you get stuck over 45 minutes for a process that should take maybe 5-10 anywhere else and they still can't get all the baggage onto the conveyor belt in that time.

Europe the electronic passport control has been in place and working fine for years already, South Africa "swaps" and then doesn't use it.

At least still better than Johannesburg. There is that nice half bar there, forgot what it's called, only nice thing there. Still remember driving back, dropping off rental and get told not to interact with dude on other side of parking lot as known conman working with gangs to hijack people, and I'm just standing there wondering how he hasn't been kicked out of an access restricted parking lot, have never even heard of that happening in an airport anywhere else.

Sorry, side rant all of that, I fly too often internationally, most people will never understand what's wrong with most of SA Airports until they try others.

 

[azbob]

Just flew back to South Africa for a few weeks on holiday

Why?

 

[Johnatan56]

Why?

Still have family in CT that is too old to leave, been gone for a while now and next job starts soon, won't be able to visit family for a good 1-1.5 years then due to nature of the job, so went now.

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Nope
I dont remember it pre ANC, but I've spent a lot of time at Or Tambo over the years and it's one of the better airports

Been to Changi Airport and then to compare, Port Harcourt?

 

[nivek]

Their metal detectors are still weird. Only place I never had to take off my old jacket as every other place it would trigger (Cape Town, Dubai, Vienna, Zürich, Amsterdam, Heathrow).

Just flew back to South Africa for a few weeks on holiday, quite noticeable even in CT international how it's Africa. Things like the sign for the airport on plane side says "Cape Town Internato Airport", rest of them don't light up.

Health questionnaire but no pen, temperature measurement with separate equipment instead of the thermal cameras they already have set up, and constantly issues with them with battery or something. They added electronic gates for SA passport holders, but all closed/not able to be used, so constant issue of having to shout and get everyone from that queue to go to international queue, then if queue international some get to skip if South African but others not, etc. And you get stuck over 45 minutes for a process that should take maybe 5-10 anywhere else and they still can't get all the baggage onto the conveyor belt in that time.

Europe the electronic passport control has been in place and working fine for years already, South Africa "swaps" and then doesn't use it.

At least still better than Johannesburg. There is that nice half bar there, forgot what it's called, only nice thing there. Still remember driving back, dropping off rental and get told not to interact with dude on other side of parking lot as known conman working with gangs to hijack people, and I'm just standing there wondering how he hasn't been kicked out of an access restricted parking lot, have never even heard of that happening in an airport anywhere else.

Sorry, side rant all of that, I fly too often internationally, most people will never understand what's wrong with most of SA Airports until they try others.

Pre covid I flew internationally a lot too
Still maintain OR Tambo was one of the better airports
Cape Town Airport is one of the worst, but this thread isn't about it

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Their metal detectors are still weird. Only place I never had to take off my old jacket as every other place it would trigger (Cape Town, Dubai, Vienna, Zürich, Amsterdam, Heathrow).

I once bumped a sugar bowl into my backpack. Travelled like that for years with the sugar residue. The only place that picked up an organic substance and did a drug swab was Dyce Airport in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The metal detectors at ORTIA always go off for me and I always get an African massage specialist.

At least still better than Johannesburg. There is that nice half bar there, forgot what it's called, only nice thing there. Still remember driving back, dropping off rental and get told not to interact with dude on other side of parking lot as known conman working with gangs to hijack people, and I'm just standing there wondering how he hasn't been kicked out of an access restricted parking lot, have never even heard of that happening in an airport anywhere else.

At a national key point nogal. Wonder who's in his pocket?

Sorry, side rant all of that, I fly too often internationally, most people will never understand what's wrong with most of SA Airports until they try others.

There is a luggage drop off exiting ORTIA international arrivals where you can recheck baggage onto a domestic flight. I arrived once to notice only a single check in counter active with tons of people having a swearing match with the female security guard who was screaming at them to go fcvk themselves - In front of international people arriving. Welcome to South Africa. This is what happens when you don't employ the best for the job...

Went straight up the unmarked escalator on the left that leads to the domestic section. Few use it because it's not signposted and have to negotiate tons of people in the arrivals hall.

 

[nivek]

I once bumped a sugar bowl into my backpack. Travelled like that for years with the sugar residue. The only place that picked up an organic substance and did a drug swab was Dyce Airport in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The metal detectors at ORTIA always go off for me and I always get an African massage specialist.



At a national key point nogal. Wonder who's in his pocket?



There is a luggage drop off exiting ORTIA international arrivals where you can recheck baggage onto a domestic flight. I arrived once to notice only a single check in counter active with tons of people having a swearing match with the female security guard who was screaming at them to go fcvk themselves - In front of international people arriving. Welcome to South Africa. This is what happens when you don't employ the best for the job...

Went straight up the unmarked escalator on the left that leads to the domestic section. Few use it because it's not signposted and have to negotiate tons of people in the arrivals hall.

Long queues for internationals should make them feel right at home
The queues at JFK can be insane
My worst experience was in Lisbon, only just beating Lagos

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Long queues for internationals should make them feel right at home
The queues at JFK can be insane
My worst experience was in Lisbon, only just beating Lagos

Lagos was bad. Especially with the touts wanting US$10 to get you to the front. And everyone that you dealt with expects some monetary reward for doing their job. Even the Yellow Card examiner.

My longest queue ever was in Luanda in the mid 2000's. Three hours to get to the check in counter. Luanda also had the most checks of documentation from entering the airport till boarding the aircraft. A minimum of eight checks and a maximum of ten.

There was also the Financial Police check in Luanda before the escalator going up to the waiting area. They wanted to ostensibly check your wallet for Kwanza which was illegal to take out of the country but they were hoping you would have and donate some US$. For some reason anyone with a Malongo badge was exempt from them. I once worked at Malongo in Cabinda and was issued a badge. Since then I wore it every time I went through Luanda and never got checked by the Financial Police again as they just waved me through.

 

[Fred07]

Been following Cosmik for a while now. Lot's of trolls/stupid people that always attack or try **** with him cause they can't believe he has actually done everything he has speaks about here.

So they always try to pull the piss. And there are many.

Hey not my thread or anything and I've zero interest in Politics and stuff anymore cause nothing I can do will change anything.

So as a thin, weight conscious pink piggie I'm just eating my cabbages and hoping for the best.

 

[GrootVoet]

Cape Town International still considered the best airports in Africa according the Skytrax World Airport Award for Best Airport in Africa.

If the ANC / EFF get their way and rename it the Winne Mandela International that will also be the end of it.

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Long queues for internationals should make them feel right at home
The queues at JFK can be insane
My worst experience was in Lisbon, only just beating Lagos

My quickest queue was in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. All South Africans and Brits got a personal policeman that went everywhere with them and kept your passport after the coup attempt by Simon Mann and his mercenaries. Driving from Luba to Malabo we were waved through four army roadblocks and my Brit colleague and I were taken straight to the front of the passport queue. Passport stamped and escorted to the lounge by the policeman. Didn't even have to give the immigration rubber stamp operator a present. Given my passport as I boarded the Air Kenya plane to Nairobi

 

[krycor]

I suspect it needs a major revamp & redesign but it will be a whole lot trickier to pull off than Cpt or Dbn because it’s a lot bigger and needs to continue to operate when they do it.

Funding will also be a problem since their historic stuff don’t count.. ie world is changing fast. Globally things getting interesting as there is a shake up coming. If you think the last 10-30yrs will just continue on .. lmao, you in for a rough few decades.

 

[modern10]

Cape Town International still considered the best airports in Africa according the Skytrax World Airport Award for Best Airport in Africa.

If the ANC / EFF get their way and rename it the Winne Mandela International that will also be the end of it.

Yeah... Changing a name will definitely have that impact

 

[Cosmik Debris]

I suspect it needs a major revamp & redesign but it will be a whole lot trickier to pull off than Cpt or Dbn because it’s a lot bigger and needs to continue to operate when they do it.

It was extensively revamped for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. It was a nightmare for regular travellers with all the frequent changes.

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Yeah... Changing a name will definitely have that impact

Show me anything that has had it's name changed that is in a better condition than it was under the old name?

 

[GrootVoet]

Yeah... Changing a name will definitely have that impact

Well let me put it this way, go take Winnie Mandela and rather rename Ekurhuleni sewage works after her, that will be more fitting for her legacy.

 

[^^vampire^^]

I've recently been to 2 EU airports and 1 Arab one.

The 2020 pandemic hit everyone hard, but as it began easing - and travel not picking up entirely - many countries used the very rare opportunity of almost-empty airports to due needed maintenance and some even to do re-designs.

The 3 airports i visited recently did that in some way or another.

Then you land at OR Tambo...
-Broken ceiling panels in arrivals
-Non-working escalators and travelators
-Floor tiles not fitting properly on air bridges
-Absolutely filthy pavements outside arrivals and departures levels roads.
-Old, and broken decor.
-Elevators that were last cleaned who knows when, hardly work properly and are terrible.
-Transfer buses that look like they've never been vacuumed or washed (here's looking at you Menzies)

What was ACSA doing during the pandemic? I mean forget about re-building and putting in new stuff could they not have at least CLEANED the airport properly when it had no passengers?!

Welcome to a world klaaas efrican seetee!