The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, the biggest travel hub in the region, has evolved over the past three years following major expansion works. Not everything is for the better.
The now not-so-new international departure and arrivals terminals have brightened the once tedious check-in process with self-service kiosks and an offering of a variety of restaurants and duty-free shops. But before you get to experience this, it is a different story outside the terminal.
First, all travellers are subjected to a security check a kilometre away from the terminal, which is fine for safety's sake. But considering it involves scanning the entire vehicle, why must passengers step out and go through a different security gate?
This security check point has no shelter for when it rains, or when the sun is blazing hot.
There is no order whatsoever in how the vehicles pass through the check point, so you have to be alert to see your driver as he makes his way to the pick-up point. It's always a scramble.
In January, the drop and pick-up points inside the airport were at the front of the departure terminals.
Police and airport staff made sure each vehicle spent minimal time doing this.
In April, there were changes. All vehicles were rerouted to a central designated drop and pick-up point, regardless of what terminal you were going to.
The taxi operators, of course, are clearly not happy with this and are punishing their fares by refusing to drive to the secluded farthest terminal, where regional and local airlines not operated by Kenya Airways are situated.
These airlines have now been forced to operate shuttles to ferry passengers to and from the new designated drop off point.
In January, the immigration hall in the arrivals terminal was chaotic, in April it was worse, in August, the hall had queues snaking around the hall, even for citizens who clearly just need to be stamped in. The problem is a basic one.
More times than not, there is only one bored immigration official dealing with hundreds of passengers whose flights arrive at almost the same time.
It just shows the level of inefficiency and lack of regard for first impressions. Bigger airports handle these things with minimal stress on travellers.
JKIA has an organisational issue. If passengers have to inquire for directions to transfer desks, (for lack of proper signage), what paperwork to fill out and how long they have to queue at the immigration desk, it's time for a review.
Then comes the Customs desk as you exit. The latest addition of a humongous luggage scanner has at least stopped Customs officials from rummaging through people's luggage. The downside is that now every passenger has to queue again and have their luggage scanned.
Oh, finally, Customs are enforcing the plastic bag ban. So ditch that duty free plastic bag in the plane or they will make you do it at the Customs desk before exiting the terminal.
The overall impression of JKIA is that of disorganisation; it is rigid and cumbersome to manoeuvre through.
