We're flying to Nairobi via Paris and Cairo. The Air France flight from Paris lands in Cairo's Terminal 1 and the Kenya Airways flight leaves from Terminal 2.....Air France said I don't need a visa as long as I don't leave the "Transit area" but I'm not sure what that means.

We would like to meet Ahmed for either a quick dinner or coffee - I don't mind getting a visa if I have to but that might add time.

Anybody familiar with this circumstance? AF confirmed they will check our bags through to Nairobi so we'll just have our carry on.

thx!

"in-transit" means just that. Not leaving the secure area on the air-side of the terminal/s. If you have to leave this area to meet Ahmed outside, you'll require a Visa... USD$15. Getting Visa is relatively quick, you stop at Visa counter on way to Immigration - buy Visa, paste in passport, queue on Immigration, clear and out to Baggage Claim or area arranged to meet Ahmed.

Often there are restaurants/coffee shops/shopping in the secure in-transit area (paxs need something to do on layover), but then Ahmed has to make his way thru Security to meet you.

Not sure how this works in Cairo, but here if a person doesn't have a proper boarding pass... they ain't getting thru Security.

sandi - I understand the notion of the transit area, just wondering how changing terminals affects that? Is there a walkway or tunnel between them on the secure side?

Liz,

I looked at the web-site for the airport and do not see the layout to be able to tell the distance between terminals 1 and 2....see www.cairo-airport.com. I agree with sandi....I don't think Ahmed will be able to meet you in the airport without the necessary permit or boarding pass. He met us at the Novotel hotel just prior to our departure and we had dinner...the fish was very good. The Novotel is less than five minutes from the airport. How long do you have between flights?

Thanks Lollie14 - in a perfect world we will go to Novotel or dinner - we have 2 clear hours (leaving 2 hours for visas, moving around, etc) so unless our plane is late I think we'll just plan on getting the visas and meeting him outside the arrival hall.