we flew with first choice in december and they gave you our visa card on the plane and had to wait about 20 mins to go though passport control not bad the year before it took about a hour

Just arrived back and the airport was fine. We filled in the landing cards on the plane and got through security and got our bags within 25 mins. That was on a Sunday about 4pm.

Flying into Sharm for the first time in a few weeks. No trips planned outside the resort during our stay so no need for a visa!!!!. Any tips on avoiding getting into the wrons queue(s) etc., etc.. Thanks

We got back from Sharm yesterday, it took us around 45 minutes to get through passport control going despite filling in cards on flight going over. Took us even longer checking in for return flight yesterday but well worth waiting for!!

Reply for alan richards, if you don't need a visa, as you go in the door to the airport, go to the queue on the right hand side. they will probably try to make you buy a visa but just be firm and tell them you don't need one! Enjoy your holidays, very jealous, wish i was going out there!

Hi

I arrive at Sharm Airport on Sunday 29th of July @21.40 and depart on Sunday 12th of August @22.40. Can anyone tell me if these are busy ( chaotic ) times and how much time should i allow to get there for departure ??

We arrived and left on a Thursday and both times were complete chaos, I've never seen such disorganisation as bad as this, on Departure we queued for an hour and a half, think we literally had 15 mins before we boarded the plane, the queue started outside the building!!

On arrival was not much better either, the queue took on a mind of it's own and it wasn't long til we realised the queue was actually going nowhere and had to join the back on the correct queue

Oh how I look forward to arriving two weeks on Thursday!

I guess the new airport has made no difference whatsoever

We arrived back today and it wasn't too bad on departure. Our flight was 10.15pm so I think the main rush had gone as it was awful the year before. The worst bit was arrival. We went through passport control and our passports were stamped. Before we went through to collect our luggage they were checked again and obviously they had been stamped incorrectly or something because this old man (in a uniform) but God knows who, shouted at us and shoved the passports back in our hands pointing to the passport booths. We had know idea what was wrong and didn't know what to say to the guy in the booth. Another young lad took us back to the booth and said something to the man there who stamped it again and sent us away. We went back and was promptly sent away again. By this time I was getting really angry as no-one could speak a word of English and we had know idea what was wrong. The young lad took us back to the booth where the man promptly scribbled out all the stamps, stamped them again and literally through them back at us. This time we were let through.

What a welcome. When we departed a few comments were made about the stamps and I had visions of sitting in an immigration room trying to explain the mess. It really puts me off going again and certainly not a very warm welcome although I know this is not typical of the people as they are lovely.

Facts about the airport are:
The new terminal is not yet operational
For UK travellers Thursday is the busiest day. Sunday and Monday are undoubtably the best days. On my recent trip arriving on Monday evening, I was through immigration within 5 minutes. Previously on a Thursday it took 40.
SES airport is a military airport. The significance of that is that no UK couriers / reps are allowed in the terminal past the first checkpoint. On my return from last trip, the aeroplane had a damaged windscreen from forward trip. No information was forthcoming from airport staff until frustrated travellers demanded that the Chief of Police contacted the Captain who then crossed the tarmac to address us all and inform us that the flight would not go ahead. A new plane was sent from UK and the next time we spoke to UK reps was when we left SES airport for 4 hours at local hotels for a meal.
I would still go back no hesitation. But I would only travel on a Monday.

Arrived at Sharm Airport from Gatwick around 22:00 Sat 10th March travelling on the BA flight. Usual long queue at the Visa desk - we did not need one - so went straight through passport control - no queue. The baggage reclaim area was a noisy melee. Flights arriving at that time were from Manchester, Moscow, and Italy. Don't bother reading the 'information' screens to direct you to the correct carousel they are wrong/incomplete - The baggage for or flight appeared after about 20 minutes - not bad I guess.

Departure on the following Saturday was fairly painless until the last bit in the departure lounge . The whole thing descended into farce with airport staff wandering around shouting incoherently - EG - Gatwick flight ... (inaudible) .. now closing at Gate 7.. Italians were getting very noisy , as were the Rusians..why don't the airport staff use the screens above the gates to display which flight is leaving from there ? - Well it gave me and my wife some entertainment - but there is a real danger of missing your flight . too many variables .. wrong queue ... etc, etc, etc.

And while I am on my soapbox - why do the airport authorites tolerate the uniformed beggars who 'attend' the toilets ? - that is a real disgrace ..

Sunday and Monday are undoubtably the best days.

Glad to hear it! Last time I went to Sharm I arrived/departed on a Thursday and it was very busy.

This year I'll be arriving/departing on a Monday

Pippy

I will be arriving on Thursday and could always give you a Thursday "report" when I get back. To be honest, I am not looking forward to it but I don't have any other option from Glasgow.

This will be my first time..........just a little anxious.

We arrived on a Thusday last year along with three other flights. There are two luggage belts, so each belt had two flights worth of luggage on them at roughly the same time.

However they told everybody the wrong belts and when word spread, you had hundreds of people with luggage trollys swopping belts!!!

Chaos....but all part of being in Egypt!!

Ann....if you are going for one week, I'll give you a wave as you depart Sharm airport a week on Thursday, if your stopping for two weeks I'll see you at the aiport amongst all the other hundreds of folks leaving!!!

Have a look at my photos from Sharm last year.....

http://www.pbase.com/iaintwoeyes/sharm_el_shiehk_2006

Thanks Spinner,

Now I know what to wear for quad biking, it was all looking great until I saw the photo of the airport ! We are only going for one week - just to test the water and see if we like it.

I hope you have a great holiday.

Hi,
I came back via Sharm airport yesterday and they seem to be sorting their act out a bit. Better organisation than when we travelled last year.

I think Mondays are better than Thursdays. I went on a Monday last year and it was fine and I wondered what everybody had been moaning about.

Like a complete wally I have booked Thursday to Thursday this year and now it's closer to the time I am going really wish I hadn't. I do wonder about myself sometimes.

Hi Spinner

I see from your photos that you did Ras Mohammad & the Quads. Is it expensive to do these as they are the two things that i've picked out to do. Have to say it looks fantastic from your photos.Do you have any advice on these.

Regards

PM

......sorry

Just a quick answer.....we paid about £20 for snorkling and £13 for quads.

But shop around and then shop around again......you will get low prices if you barter.