enormous. The only saving grace was there was a much shorter women only queue. Hand baggage was hand searched as well as scanned and one of my group was asked for baksheesh (bribe) to let her take toiletries on board. (she refused). After security there are just 2 departure lounges with no shops or cafes and uncomfortable seats and very smelly toilets. There were no departure boards and fuzzy announcements so it was difficult to know if it was your flight was going and everyone was asking everyone else! Nepal is lovely but Kathmandu airport is hard work. Kathmandu Airport by John Lynn 17 November 2006 Surely Christian Kracht is refering to a different airport! The airport at Kathmandu is anything but clean or efficient - one queues on entering to have baggage screened - then security taped - then humps bag to the departure tax window to pay - tip - dont go to the long check in queues for gulf air before doing this - they wont accept your checkin without the required receipt. After check in there is the dire immigration queue upstairs - takes about 15 mins each and god help you if you pass the red line before being called. Then the further x ray screening and full bag search - again god help you if you dont get a stamp on boarding card when they have pulled everything out of rucksack - then a dire waiting area with screwed down plastic chairs. Before final