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CAIRO AIRPORT REDUX
BY LOUIS WASSER
Traveling, whether for pleasure or business, holds the allure of the final destination. Too bad getting there can be so unpleasant. For those of us who spend a lot of time jetting around, the long lines, hours spent sitting around waiting for the flight, and then more hours crammed into a middle seat can make for a bad traveler’s tale – though not a particularly funny one.
Cairo International Airport was once associated with many such tales, but things are looking decidedly better as of late. An $800 million structural overhaul, new management, a wider range of traveler amenities and a brand new terminal (currently under construction) promise to make passengers’ airport experiences more manageable and pleasant. When the renovation work wraps up in 2011, the expanded airport will comprise three terminals capable of handling the 20 million annual passengers expected by 2020.
While the improvements are already visible, the metamorphosis is far from complete. Some areas of the airport, particularly Terminal 2, remain dingy and dysfunctional, and the parking situation is a mess. When the renovation is finished, not only will parking be more plentiful, Terminal 2 will be redone, matching the other refurbished aspects of the transformed airport. And while the airport may never become a destination in itself, you might just find it’s not a bad place to pass the time waiting for flights.
Terminal 1
Commonly referred to as “the old airport,” Terminal 1 with its four halls is actually much newer than Terminal 2, which is known as “the new airport.” Renovated about three years ago, Terminal 1’s makeover is astonishing. Travelers who remember the dark and dreary terminal before its renovation will appreciate its bright and cheery concourse, and wide range of dining and shopping options.
The terminal is divided into four different halls, some far nicer than others. Hall 1 is for international passengers and has both an arrivals and a departures area. The arrivals area has a few necessary basics such as newsstands and banks, a meet-and-greet area, a café and duty-free shopping. For departures, the public area before security isn’t much to speak of, with only a couple of places to eat or change money. The real prize is the airy multilevel concourse for departing passengers. One of the nicest parts of the airport, it includes a bar, sophisticated cafés, swank duty-free shops, VIP lounges and a food court packed with popular restaurant and café chains. Overall, it’s not a bad place to bide your time in as you wait for departure, though the gate area is still a bit dark and cluttered.
A new transit hotel will make a long layover less tedious when it opens, obviating the need to sleep with your head on a table or contort your body to sprawl over airport-style benches. But don’t bother trying to make a reservation just yet, the project is still in its early stages, awaiting the results of a feasibility study.
In stark contrast to the amenities of Hall 1 is the rather spartan Hall 2, which is attached by a corridor between the ticketing areas and also has its own entrance. The hall is used primarily for domestic departures, though some flights to the Gulf leave from here. With only two small cafés and a few rows of uncomfortable benches, it really doesn’t make sense to wait around here when an inconspicuous door just past the immigration check leads to a much richer selection of shops and restaurants in Hall 1.
Hall 3, in a separate building, is for international arrivals. Presumably arrivals won’t want to spend much time hanging around the airport, but those waiting to meet arriving passengers can sip a cup of coffee at Ritazza. The hall also has a car rental service, banks and duty-free shopping.
A skywalk connects Hall 3 to the airport’s Air Mall, a two-storey building with over a dozen upscale shops and eating establishments, as well as a Telecom Egypt business center. Located within walking distance of most of Terminal 1, the Air Mall offers the opportunity to grab a bite to eat, browse gadgets at Radio Shack, smoke a shisha outside at Kenoz, or buy beauty supplies. It’s often eerily empty, filling up just before a string of arrivals of international flights. But if you arrive early at the airport only to discover your flight will be delayed, this is one of the better places to pass the time.
Next to the Air Mall is an area containing a bus station, banks and a supermarket. This area is useful if you want to catch a bus into Cairo, take care of any last minute banking or stock up on pre-flight supplies at Ragab Sons – although you might have to compete with Heliopolis residents who flock to the supermarket to stock up on groceries.
Due to the high volume of traffic that the airport has been handling recently, Hall 4, usually reserved for private jets, is now also temporarily handling departing flights to Hurghada and Sharm Al Sheikh. Located about one kilometer down the road from the rest of Terminal 1, the hall has only basic facilities. But at least you can grab a coffee before your flight. A shuttle bus connects to the other halls.
Terminal 2
Out of walking distance from Terminal 1 is Terminal 2, which serves most European airlines except Air France and KLM (which arrive and depart from Terminal 1). Dingy and dank, Terminal 2 leaves a lot to be desired, although a complete overhaul is planned for the near future. The terminal is divided into two halls, arrivals and departures, both looking very dilapidated and not a place you want to spend any more time than necessary.
The public area of Terminal 2, before security, has a few necessary airport staples, with places to exchange currency and buy a newspaper. A soulless café in the basement offers the promise of a cup of coffee and perhaps a stale sandwich. The limited number of immigration windows in the arrivals hall means long queues when two or more flights arrive at the same time. And while arriving passengers can pay a fee to sit in the VIP area, don’t expect to be too pampered. The area is just a few chairs and couches, an anemic pastry cart and a lone television, all hidden behind a temporary wall.
The departures concourse is slightly more hospitable than the rest of the terminal, with oriental souvenir shops, brand-name duty-free shopping and a pint-sized food court including Upper Crust and Mama Leone’s Pizza. The concourse is a busy place, and finding a seat can be a real chore – a struggle made more difficult if you want to sit in a designated smoking area. Cheer up traveler, this concourse – and indeed the entire terminal – will improve when renovations to Terminal 2 are carried out.
In the meantime, the dearth of quality food and shopping options at Terminal 2 may warrant the extra effort of a trip, time allowing, to the Air Mall near Terminal 1. While you can’t walk there, free shuttle buses move between the parking areas of the two terminals. Allow at least 15 minutes for the journey.
Terminal 3
Construction is under way on Terminal 3, a new three-storey terminal that will be connected to Terminal 2 by a skywalk. The terminal will handle both domestic and international flights, and should be open sometime in the second half of 2008. Expect extensive shopping and eating options, with the usual franchise fare, as well as a few new ones such as Häagen-Dazs. The terminal’s bar promises to be a trendy watering hole, unlike the no-frills bar in Terminal 1.
The terminal is also expected to have a transit hotel, although the final design has yet to be determined. In any case, there will be cozy VIP lounges for weary travelers, and the parking situation should improve with the opening of a multistorey parking garage.
Transport and parking
Airport parking was always a big problem, but only got worse when the main parking lot at Terminal 2 was annexed by construction crews preparing the new international terminal. That leaves only the public parking area near Terminal 1, which is within walking distance of the terminal and Air Mall, a smaller lot near Hall 4, and a distant lot near the main airport road. If you’re heading for Terminal 2, you will need to take a shuttle bus from this lot. A free shuttle runs every few minutes.
Once Terminal 3 is complete, the airport’s parking will expand significantly. Passengers will be able to walk from new parking facilities to Terminal 3, and presumably to Terminal 2 as well.
Driving is not the only way to get to and from the airport. A bus station near Terminal 1 is frequented by various city buses, as well as the air-conditioned CTA bus. Shuttle buses and limousine services can be booked in the meet-and-greet areas of the various arrival halls. There is a plan to make limousines available curb-side on a first-come first-serve basis with unified rates, although it is not clear when this will be available.
You can also try your hand at negotiating a fare with one of the black and white taxis lurking outside the arrivals halls. Be forewarned: you will need to agree on a fare before departing, and drivers often have astonishingly high expectations. It’s usually cheaper and less hassle to call a yellow cab. Three companies run these air-conditioned metered taxis, which can be dispatched by calling their hotline numbers. Arriving passengers may have a long wait unless they have pre-booked a ride.
In transit
Once you’ve made it to the airport, shopping and eating are not the only things to do. Business travelers can get last minute work done using the Wi-Fi available throughout the airport, or running to the business center in the Air Mall. When wireless services were first made available in the airport, time had to be purchased. However, because of problems in the service, the airport has chosen to make wireless freely available until at least the end of the year. So, while service might be spotty at times, at least it’s free.
While the airport will never be fun, it can seem almost pleasurable under the right circumstances. New amenities also let you make better use of your waiting time. So the next time you travel, rather than dreading your time at the airport, plan ahead and use it wisely, and maybe it won’t be so bad after all.
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FUEL UP FOR YOUR FLIGHT
Airline food is terrible, and airport fare was never much better. But Cairo Airport’s renovations have brought a much improved selection of cafés and restaurants to the airport’s terminals. So if you’re looking for a good cup of coffee, or to satisfy those hunger pangs before a long flight, you’ll probably find what you need.
Food and beverage outlets
Terminal 1:
Hall 1:
Public Area (before security): Pianola, 2 AeroCafé
International Departure:
Concourse (after security): 3 AeroCafé (2 coffee bars, 1 hot food), Sky Bar, Beano’s, Cinnabon, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, McDonald’s, Starbucks
Hall 2:
Domestic Departure:
Concourse (after security): AeroCafé, Segafredo
Hall 3:
International Arrivals:
Public Area (before security): Ritazza Café
Hall 4:
Domestic Departure:
Concourse (after security): AeroCafé, Segafredo
Terminal 2:
Public area (before security): Milani Café
International Departure:
Concourse (after security): Ritazza Café, Segafredo (due to open mid-April), Food Village: Upper Crust, Mama Leone’s Pizza, Oriental Gourmet, convenience store, salad bar
Air Mall:
Pause, Kenoz Restaurant and Oriental Café, Segafredo, Trés Bon, Cielo Café, Upper Crust, Oriental Gourmet, Mama Leone’s Pizza
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