Tocumen International Airport (PTY, MPTO)

Well-maintained but not a great experience

🔗 Mon, 18 Dec 2017
— @Sam_Butler at Tocumen International Airport, Panama Reply

I connected in PTY twice in the last week and both times I found the satellite with gates around #30 full of people and very hot as though the A/C wasn’t working, while the other areas of the terminal were at a good temperature. Both gifts and food are significantly overpriced, which came as a surprise. $4 - $6 for a bottle of water, nearly $30 for a soft toy. The first time, my connecting flight changed gates and I couldn’t find it on the screens, nor was it announced. I couldn’t reach airline staff at a nearby gate because of a security blockade and security staff told me to speak to airline staff at another gate because they simply didn’t know anything. At another gate, airline staff did help, but blamed the airport, and told us the new gate, though incremented by one, was at the other side of the terminal and I should hurry because the flight is already boarding. Certainly not the best airport experience I’ve had in 20 years of travelling by air.