After a luxurious night that included five hours of omakase-style gastronomy in Air Algerie’s A330neo business class over the Atlantic, I connected on the airline from Algiers (ALG) to Tunis (TUN). Well, I sort of connected on the airline, given the wet lease roulette the airline subjects its passengers to (or maybe blesses them with, given that getting to avoid Air Algerie seems like a prize?).
I thought I would be on Bulgaria’s Fly2Sky, but I actually ended up on Lithuania’s Avion Express. I digress, that’s not actually what this post is about. Instead, it’s about the incredibly bizarre jet bridge situation I encountered at the airport, which was unlike anything I’ve witnessed.
There were three document checks on the jet bridge!
During my layover, I got to briefly check out the Air Algerie Lounge at the carrier’s hub, which was actually reasonably nice, at least compared to my exceptionally low expectations.
I mean, it felt a bit like a furniture store — let’s call it a 2026 version of Flea Market Montgomery. Or Flea Market Algiers. Take your pick.
My Air Algerie flight was scheduled to depart at 7:10AM, with my boarding pass suggesting boarding would start at 5:40AM, a full 90 minutes before departure. I mean, why not have passengers show up the night before, while you’re at it?
Okay, that actually has nothing to do with the story, but the thing about Air Algerie is that nothing actually makes sense, so it’s hard to not throw in these tidbits. Anyway…
When boarding did finally start, the gate agent scanned my boarding pass and checked my passport, as usual. Just inside the door to the jet bridge was an Algerian police officer who was also checking everyone’s passport and boarding pass again.
Okay, fair enough, I’ve seen that at several airports, so that wasn’t at all unusual. However, 10 feet past him was another police officer, and she then checked all the same passports and boarding passes again.
And then at the very end of the jet bridge, there was a third police officer checking again. Like I said, I’ve seen one document check before, but three, all from the police?! I should also mention that this wasn’t just a quick glance, but each police officer carefully scanned the details on both documents.
I didn’t get the sense that this was a situation where they were looking for someone in particular, but instead, it just gave the vibe of “government workers performing tasks to justify their jobs.” Like, does anyone not find that to be insanely excessive? And by the way, if they were looking for someone in particular, you’d hope it wouldn’t take three police officers separately, carefully studying each passenger’s details.
Smoking on the jet bridge is apparently fine, though!
Here’s the funniest part of this story to me. Minutes before boarding started, the police officers were already on the jet bridge, as was one of the gate agents. All of a sudden, there was a noticeable smoke smell in the area. I wondered where that was coming from.
Well, the gate agent was standing just past the door to the jet bridge, and through the little “porthole” style window they have, I saw him smoking a cigarette. We’ll of course forget the announcement on the flight about how smoking outside of designated areas is strictly prohibited. Or perhaps the jet bridge is in fact one of those designated areas?
You’ve really gotta love places like Algeria. “Hey, safety is very important, make sure that each passenger’s boarding pass and passport are carefully inspected four different times within a minute.” “Oh, also, rules don’t matter, feel free to smoke.”
Bottom line
I’ve certainly had police or military do document checks on jet bridges, prior to boarding a flight. I’ve even had onboard air marshals inspect my bags in the jet bridge. But I’ve never had my passport and boarding pass checked by three different police officers on the same jet bridge.
I’m happy that there’s seemingly such a commitment to safety and rules that they don’t want anything to slip through the cracks. It might just be nice if they didn’t actively ignore smoking on the jet bridge at the same time. But hey, what do I know?
Is this just the standard operating procedure at Algiers Airport, or were they just overstaffed this morning, and looking for tasks?
They are communicating via telepathy where the first scans and transmits the data to the second, who analyses and sends a decision to the third, who allows you to proceed or return. In some cases an infinite loop may be started, and may require you to run off of the jet bridge to save yourself.
In April we transited through Algiers to Niamey, Niger and a week later to Tripoli. Both were on Air Algeria. The first time was a disorganized mess as nobody knew at the airport knew anything about where to go and we were misdirected to a closed area. With this in mind we had our travel agent arrange an escort from arrival to departure. This worked fine.
Reminds me of the idiotic and useless gate agents at CDG. One checks the passport around thirty minutes before the flight and the second checks the visa during boarding.
"...it felt a bit like a furniture store.."
That's exactly what I thought when I saw the picture.
I was hoping this plane goes to MGM (Montgomery, AL - I had to look it up).
I have a sudden urge to shop for second-rate vintage furniture at a mini mall. Amazing.
“government workers performing tasks to justify their jobs." is the vibe I got in the whole country. It's that and "security theater". 3 or 4 document checks is not uncommon in that area of the world. The exact same thing happened in Egypt when I flew Egypt Air. I had this happen multiple times in Europe during COVID (everyone was in theater back then.
Passport checks from one country to the next, I understand, even if a bit quirky. But how about a three police passport check on the jetway from FRA to KEF arrival on LH. There are no checkpoints for arrival from EU country to EEC country. To make matters worse, it was midnite and -5C. And the police were bundled up in their parks, while passengers, at best were just in sweaters.
I recently flew from ISB to DOH, and there are seemingly endless passport/boarding pass checks at the Islamabad airport. The first was is to enter the airport. The second one is of course check-in/baggage drop off. Then one to enter the immigration line. Then of course actual immigration. Then another one to enter the gate area. And then, bizarrely, one AFTER scanning the boarding pass to walk on to the jet bridge. At least they're thorough I guess?
My record is seven checks between entering the terminal and boarding the aircraft. That prize belongs to Nouakchott, in Mauritania.
I did this flight last year and that was not my experience... Scanned through as normal and then walked onto the plane, no additional jet bridge checks. YMMV in that part of the world.
HA! Reminds me of WAW departures in 1989.
Document check at Passport Control (understandable), gate (also makes sense), at the bus door, at the foot of the air stairs (by two armed soldiers), and at the top of the stairs.
When the price of labor is low, the number of employees (especially in government jobs) goes up.
On my last Qatar flight to the US, my boarding pass and passport were checked 5 times in less than that distance at the gate. So Qatar has Algeria beat for security theater.
This usually happens when there are unnecessarily employees and not enough actual jobs. So why not everyone acts like they are doing something important.
Haha! Now you see what I had to deal with every day while living in Algiers, Algeria for 3 years. Keep in mind, this is the same city that has 500,000 police officers for a city of approximately 3 million people!
Also, you should try checking in for a flight in Algeria! There are LITERALLY 11 different security checks BEFORE you step foot on the plane. 11, you read that right. And one of...
Haha! Now you see what I had to deal with every day while living in Algiers, Algeria for 3 years. Keep in mind, this is the same city that has 500,000 police officers for a city of approximately 3 million people!
Also, you should try checking in for a flight in Algeria! There are LITERALLY 11 different security checks BEFORE you step foot on the plane. 11, you read that right. And one of those is the “currency check” to make sure you aren’t taking Euros or Dollars outside the country.
It is a total government employment thing. Those with the government jobs, which is huge percentage, are not trusted and it is exceptionally corrupt. Half the time I’d be asked for a bribe to get my baggage or by the Immigration Officer. So gross.
Air Algerie, which I’ve taken dozens and dozens of times is by far the worst airline I have ever encountered in all my years of travel. The government would prefer their employees take Air France regardless of where their employees were going, with me at flying North to Paris first even if you were heading south in Africa. That’s how bad the airline is!
This was the worst and longest 3 years of my life, living in Algeria. I can find no redeeming qualities of the country, people, airline, culture, or ANYTHING related to the country. It’s a rotten, horrible, depressing place. So gross.
Just out of curiosity: did you work in oil & gas, speak limited or no French (no Arabic), spent your free time with other Western expats and all your holidays outside the country?
I lived there for five years - albeit as part of the diplomatic community and found it pleasant and hospitable. The people were kind, the food good and the country worth visiting. I lived there from 1990-1985 so but exactly recent and wonder how things may have changed.
Contrary to the Algerian legend that Algeria conquered its independence from France 64years ago, time to re-establish the truth: Algeria was EXPELLED from France in 1962 and France has never been the better for it.
Why do I suspect they would not have reacted kindly to you just asking them what the second or third duplicative check was supposed to accomplish? In the US or Europe I would 100% do that and expect the officers to have an answer or else demand to speak with a supervisor before complying.
So, you would delay boarding just to get an answer to satisfy your curiosity? Regardless of the answer, you still would be subject to the check. Indeed, why risk being detained and missing the flight?
You misspelled kamikaze
They are hunting for the JetbridgeJesus.
The clue they're looking for are miracles.
Especially ones that enter the jet bridge on a wheelchair and miraculously walked by the time they reached the other end.
By the 3rd officer checks, some miracles might have morphed a person into someone else.
Stupid Algerian military regime sounds like North Korea 🙄🙄🙄🙄
What an absolute mess. This is wild.
Not enough document checks . There ought to be 6 document checks on the jet bridge .
There is most likely a very simple explanation to the 3 jetway police checks:
If this were not the case, the Algerian unemployment rate, already somewhere in the 45+%, would be above 60%. Case rested. The attention to detail by each agent is easily explained by the fact that if one agent were less thorough, he/she would be reported by one of the other two in an attempt to secure the job for a family member. Elementary my Dear Watson...
Photo from the Algiers lounge looks like a website display for multiple color options available for the same sofa set to order :)
Wait tell he finds out what they do to his type of people...
German people? I don’t think they care…
But the lounges, the service, the seats, all fabulous.
As far as smoking goes, I suspect that Algeria has a smoking-heavy culture not unlike France had? Also, I suspect that the smoking policy might be more a byproduct of the US foisting it on everyone in the 90s. I actually wonder if they care domestically.
Getting out of hell is not supposed to be easy Ben
…..I kid I kid, I’m sure it’s an absolutely lovely place to get kidnapped.
Not unlike Cairo Airport. After passport control an officer checks passport before baggage carousel area. Then, to exit a big bottleneck of passengers for yet another passport check to exit the term8nal building. Upon arrival to airport are similar multiple redundant passport and boarding pass checks.
In Cairo they follow you in CCTV from the moment you step off the plane.
Just ask Ben.
This is standard, procedure... iam algerian and I'll go through this procedure...even before boarding the plane you are checked ...you think this is overreaching. It is what is called safety..... so if you are not happy with this,procedure stay in Tunisia or Morocco..... Nobody cares about you or the few dollars you will spend..... when you go to the US or Europe, non citizens,are carefully scrutinized and asked hundreds of questions.. i traveled around extensively...
This is standard, procedure... iam algerian and I'll go through this procedure...even before boarding the plane you are checked ...you think this is overreaching. It is what is called safety..... so if you are not happy with this,procedure stay in Tunisia or Morocco..... Nobody cares about you or the few dollars you will spend..... when you go to the US or Europe, non citizens,are carefully scrutinized and asked hundreds of questions.. i traveled around extensively the world....and one time in Australia I was even asked about my religion. So shut up.... you think you will get a red carpet....
For someone who doesn’t care you sure wrote a long comment…
More like no-makase.
Got’em!
I recently flew from DOH to the US on Qatar in business. There were 5 different document checks at the gate from getting into line to the secondary screening area that all passengers go through to the holding pen to boarding the aircraft. I told one agent how annoying that was and he just shrugged.
Exactly my experience. Air France business ALG to CDG 07/2025. Glad you enjoyed the lounge
It feels like you're *trying* to get banned from Air Algerie and ALG so you have a built in excuse to never fly this airline or fly through ALG ever again... ;)
My wife and I visited Algeria on a cruise last winter. A panel of four officials came on board to review our passports and to lay eyes on us. They were courteous and professionally dressed in civilian clothing. We were escorted by a police vehicle on our drives into Algiers and Annaba, and by a couple officers of foot during tours. They were professional and pleasant. The tour guide spoke at length how Algeria is...
My wife and I visited Algeria on a cruise last winter. A panel of four officials came on board to review our passports and to lay eyes on us. They were courteous and professionally dressed in civilian clothing. We were escorted by a police vehicle on our drives into Algiers and Annaba, and by a couple officers of foot during tours. They were professional and pleasant. The tour guide spoke at length how Algeria is trying to recover from its 1990s civil war and the more recent Arab Spring, closing Madrassas as educational institutions while keeping them as cultural centers, and upgrading elementary and secondary education including a requirement for three languages (Arabic, French and English). I think the security overkill is part of an effort to prevent the re-emergence of violence, and to assure visitors and citizens that they are safe and the country is indeed advancing. Yes, it seems heavy-handed to us, but I'd cut them some slack while watching how things progress. Not so much slack for Air Algeria.
^^^ This ^^^
Oh God, I cannot imagine a cruise stopping in Algeria. Is that post a joke ?
Nope. It was a great pair of stops. Natural beauty, French Colonial architecture, terrific beignets, and more Roman mosaics than I've seen in any country including Italy. And our ship wasn't the only cruise ship in the harbor.
"omakase-style gastronomy in" Huh, that felt a wee bit sarcastic... *cough*
That was my first impression on seeing the pic of the lounge, looks like a furniture store.
When an airline is implementing things so poorly you have to wonder how adept they are at maintaining the aircraft.
My first thought with that photo was “that could be any airport in the Caribbean !”
Sounds like my two years in Baghdad.
But that's just to get onto the airport grounds to go to work.
So the 3 officers were Bush Cheney and Powell?
All 3 were looking for WMDs?
They don't want any misunderstandings that you might have had at CAI ;-)