those I witnessed going back to the loo were not rejoining the queue as this was for the security checks on hand baggage. As they had already been in the departure lounge they had sensibly left their hand baggage with fellow travellers and taken their essential documents only - including toilet paper - no one in the queue seemed to mind this at all.

if you have your own loo paper, do you still pay 50p for the priviledge?

Has anybody travelled to Sharm on a Saturday evening? We arrive at 02.15 on 23rd July and fly out on 6th August at 03.05. Is it just as chaotic as on a Thursday or are we going to miss all the queues? By the way we are going to the Hilton Waterfalls Hotel if anybody else is going there. JacquieC

having read about the queues, hassle etc at sharm airport - i have a rather pathetic question.......

can i smoke in the airport??
after long flight with 3 kids i will be needing a fix!!

(altho i survived a trip to USA last year....just!!)

rbtjoiner:

You're not supposed to smoke - but no one will stop you doing so - half the airport does it and one wee fella stands in the corner with a daft look on his face aimlessly whimpering 'No smoking'...carry on regardless.

This airport is an absolute mess - they will seriously need to sort it out - as Sharm is only going to get more popular in the future and the airport simply can't handle the volume of traffic as it is.

thank mooby

was like that in Spain too - i saw no smoking signs, but lit up anyway - no one seemed to mind too much.

after reading about the airport - its one thing that i am not looking forward to - we're going in August - will let the board know how it is!

Briar - I have to say that I noticed plenty of folk smoking in the departure lounge - that perspex difference to the main area made no odds!

I have got my visa in advance of my trip, does this mean we can make any shortcuts in Sharm airport or do we still have to que for ages?!

Still have to queue I'm afraid. Depends when you go though. Thursday 16:00 - 18:00 the worst, other days and evenings can be easy.

Hi,
I can't remember what it was posted under but someone who goes by the name of Daffyduck and works in Sharm as a rep said that the airport in Sharm is a lot quieter now on Thurs because a lot of the tour operators had changed their flights for the summer season. I don't know if anyone can verify this but I'm hoping it's true because we fly on a Thurs.

Reference planes arriving at the same times in airport on thursdays if you look in the summer brochure for this year you will see that flights leaving from gatwick birmingham manchester all leave at 0915 or there abouts in the mornings so looks like they will all be landing together If you add the flight time to get there then add 2hrs on it will be 430pmish the other flight leaving gatwick at lunch time goes same as from newcastle, gatwick was changed from 1345hrs to 1200pmso we will be getting in to sharm same time as the NEWCASTLE FLIGHT which should be 7pm ish Hope this helps . See you on the 21st july Tina

thats in the first choice brochure dont know about other companys
tina

Hi, we've just returned from a week in Sharm. We went out on Thursday 12 May from Newcastle and arrived in sharm on time at about 20:20 local time.
The arrivals hall was busy, but we got our two visas at one of the three 'Bank' windows just as you enter the hall from the bus (we'd read about this on a post on HT from "Daffyduck" and it worked fine).
It was only 15 US dollars per visa at the Bank, but about £12 at the desk, and there was no queue. A lot of other people seemed unaware of this and there was a massive queue to buy visas from the main (Thomas Cook?) desk, (It was a T.Cook flight).
After getting our visa (two postage size stamps to be stuck on a blank page in your passport), we joined the passport control queue which took about 10 mins. You MUST have you passport OPEN at the page where you've stuck your visa stamps AND have your fully completed Landing Card ready in the same page. They will stamp your passport/visa and retain your landing card (you need to fill in another card at check-in on departure for your flight home).
A visa is essential if you want to leave the Sinai penisula (eg if you intend visiting Cairo), and it is NOT easy to obtain one after you've left the airport!

Overall, we found Sharm airport to be ok and much better than painted in many posts on HT, but no doubt each flight/day is different. The luggage area is too small with only three small belts, one of which broke down. But, the luggage from our flight was up within the time it took us to clear visa/passport control. A trolley was only 1 or 2 EGP (20p), or any other note you have handy. Don't let any of the guys carry your luggage OR push your trolley out, unless you intend to TIP them, again any small note (or a £1 coin) will do. Everybody in Egypt wants a tip, so have plenty of small value notes or £1 coins. We actually took some 1 US dollar notes (worth about 50p), which were very handy during the holiday for tipping, as you can't easily get lower than 20 EGP notes in the UK (£2), with mainly 50 EGP notes available before you get over there.
You can get 'small notes' in the resort, eg 1, 5, 10 EGP, with a .50 note also available (worth all of about 5pence!!!). Sterling, Euros and US dollars are all well accepted.
At the airport Egyptian guys were wanting to exchange 10x£1 coins for a £10 note, as there can't use the £1 coins (but STILL readily accept them off you). We did this while waiting for our cases to come up, and the guy was very appreciative.

Ray.

Hi, you have all been very informative about the toilets in the airport and I have a bag full of tissues ready, but can you please tell me if you need to pay to use the loo, or do you only have to pay if you need toilet paper?
Thanks

As far as I am aware (via my wife) you don't have to pay to use the Loos, just if you want to buy their loo paper.

Ray P,

Your post was very informative, but you've thrown up something that I wasnt aware of.... LANDING CARDS?!

Are these something you get from your travel agents when they give you your tickets?

Cheers

L
xx

Nope the stewardesses generally give them to you an hour or so before you land. Make sure you pack a pen as they never do have enough.

BACK IN FEB WHEN I WAS THERE WE DIDNT PAY TO USE THE LOO!
BUT A TIP FOR WHEN YOU COME HOME ( I KNOW YOURE NOT EVEN THERE YET) BUT GO TO THE LOO IN THE DEPARTURE AREA NEAR THE
SNACK BAR ETC DON'T GO THROUGHT THE METAL DETECTOR TO BOARDING GATES AND ASSUME YOU CAN GO TO THE LOO AS THERE ISNT ONE... HOWEVER THIS WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO , THINGS MAY HAVE CHANGED.I WAS TRAVELLING WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN SO
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I HADNT REALISED AT THE TIME.

Emso, can I please ask that you do not post in CAPS on the forum.

Many thanks

Kath HT Admin