Maputo International Airport — Local services in Maputo

BY FAR THE WORST staff 😡😡 of an aeroport i’ve ever seen in my life ,just because i am à white guy comming from Europe (in winter time when they rarely see tourists or strangers )they assumed that im rich and ended up mugging me and taking my money from my wallet ,,,,at first they claimed that they need to see my hôtel réservation ,i show it to them ,they said they gonna check it they went with it and just throw it somewhere, then someone else came-back asking me where’s your documents i told him your collègue took my hôtel réservation he said ( which collègue !? There’s only me Who works here ,so off course i protested and ask to speak to the guy Who took my hôtel réservation,,they start yelling at me like if i was an outlaw , then à little while after this guy Who asked for my documents come back and tell me look we gonna résolve this problem follow me (To toilette) so we can speak ,when we went to the toilet (out of caméras) (2 of his collègues followed us including the guy Who took away my hôtel réservation,,him and à women ) so this guy Who called me spoke to me first and said ( look if you want we can help you and you go ,no problèmes but you have to pay us my friend, i said (pay what ? ,,,,he said give us 300 euros and you can go ,,,,, i couldn’t believe my eyes these people who works in an international aéroport where literraly highjacking me like if they were thugs in the street ,,, so off course i refused ,,,,,so then since they didnt like it they took my luggage and said we need to check all this ,, you dont have à hôtel réservation and all this look à bit suspect ,,,so they checked my luggage and later on ask me to put everything that was in my pocket in front of them and i had cash in my wallet about 500 euros,,,they checked everything and in front of me the women who just like them is dressed as à sécurité agent of the aéroport,, took my 500 euros from my wallet and said to me (this is for the waiste of time you did here ) i said (what are you robbing me ,im gonna go right now to the police ) she said (if you’re not happy go back to your country ) ,,,this was just unreal i couldn’t belive it was people who work’in an aeroport who did that ,, i went to police who were nearby and when she saw me she send one of these 2 guys who followed me there started to speak to the police in portuguese kinda accusing me of something ,,,at the end the police they just told me ,(we don’t speak english , we can’t do anything).......so this hateful bi* and her collègues not only humilliated me but straight up stole 500 euros from me and it was in broad daylight in an aeroport ,,,how crazy is that ,,, but it’s aint over i just reported this here in belgium since i got back , à message to these 3 people who hummiliated me and stole 500 euros from me ,, thanks to the autority of my country we gonna find the 3 of you and we gonna make sure you’will be fired from working in this aeroport of maputo ,the autority of this country said it themselves that they will make sure about it , you will see what it cost to highjack me ,...

Maputo International Airport (IATA: MPM, ICAO: FQMA), also known as Lourenço Marques Airport or Mavalane International Airport, is an airport located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest of the center of Maputo, the largest city and capital of Mozambique. It is the largest airport in Mozambique, and hub for LAM Mozambique Airlines and Kaya Airlines. Most destinations served from the airport are in Africa but TAP Portugal operates a service to Lisbon, Portugal, Turkish Airlinesoperates flights to Istanbul, and Qatar Airwaysoperates flights to Doha.

Quick facts: Passengers, Airport type…

Expansion

China's Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company has built a new cargo terminal, in what was the starting point of the first phase of a Chinese financed expansion project, with an initial estimated cost of US$75 million.The first phase concluded with the opening of the new international terminal on 15 November 2010. The new terminal has a capacity of 900,000 passengers a year, far from the 60,000 it could hold before. Originally, this modernization project had in mind to benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cupheld in neighbouring South Africa, but it could not be finished in time. It was, however, ready for the All Africa Games which were held in Maputo in 2011. The project experienced a serious cost overrun, with the builder requesting an additional US$40 to 50 million to complete the work.

The second phase entailed the construction of a new domestic terminal where the old terminal stood. The whole plan is for Maputo International Airport to double its capacity from 450,000 to 900,000 per year and help expand tourism in the city and country. The terminal will also have 14 check-in counters, electronic panels displaying flights, a presidential VIP lounge, escalators and an electric central cooling system. The new terminal is expected to serve 400 arriving and departing passengers per hour, compared to the old building that could only handle 150...

Having visited over 212 airports worldwide, I've heard tales of corrupt security practices, but my recent experience at Maputo International Airport has left me genuinely shaken. The entire process felt intrusive and intimidating, leaving a lasting negative impression. My taxi was stopped at the airport entrance, and police officers searched through my belongings. While I understand the country's ongoing conflict with rebels, this level of scrutiny seemed excessive. After passing through the initial security check, I had to wait for a green light from the police before proceeding to check-in. The check-in area was minuscule, serving only a handful of airlines. The air conditioning was barely adequate, and the overall ambience felt cramped and uncomfortable. A few souvenir shops and snack bars lined the waiting area, along with two VIP lounges. The real ordeal began after checking in. As I ascended a staircase, two security officials approached me in a forceful manner, demanding to know how much cash I was carrying and if I had any local currency or USD. I explained that I primarily used digital payments and only had around $5 in cash for purchasing a snack. Despite my explanation, they insisted that Brazilians are wealthy and should have more money. They proceeded to rummage through my bags, scrutinizing my belongings with an aggressive attitude. I remained calm throughout the ordeal, reiterating that I only had the clothes on my back and some cosmetics. Their search yielded nothing, and they eventually gave up, appearing visibly frustrated. This unsettling experience left me feeling deeply intimidated. I noticed that the security officials worked in groups, making it clear that travelers should never attempt to pass through security alone. The entire encounter left a sour taste in my mouth, and I sincerely hope to never return...