NAIA still 8th worst airport in Asia, says travel site

MANILA, Philippines — From the world’s worst, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has somewhat improved but is still the 8th among Asia’s terrible 10.

The 2015 list of worst Asian airports released over the weekend in the “Guide to Sleeping in Airports” website saw the Port Harcourt International Airport in Nigeria taking over the world’s worst title that the NAIA consistently held from 2011 to 2013.

Based on the review of travellers surveyed by the website, which offers tips to budget-minded flyers, what has kept the NAIA in the list is the challenge posed by moving between terminals.

The guide cited an observation by one traveller on the scarcity of shuttle buses, which were stuck in hour-long traffic between terminals, and the unavailability of taxis causing long passenger queues.

The website said “Rehabilitation efforts have helped decongest and clean up terminal 1, and the introduction of things like the Wings Transit Lounge in Terminal 3 have helped make things more comfortable, albeit for a price.”

“That said, things like leaking ceilings in Terminal 1 and collapsing floors in Terminal 2 show there is still room for improvement,” it pointed out.

“Passengers remain annoyed by the poor customer service, the long queues, the sub-par food selection, the lack of restrooms and the crowded seating areas. There is definitely a long way to go but we’re thrilled to see improvements come along bit by bit,” it concluded.

The survey, which is based on the “overall airport experience,” including the friendliness of airport workers, terminal facilities and services, cleanliness, and comfort, of travellers listed the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal as Asia’s worst.

The airport was described to resemble “a bus station” and was said to have restrooms in a poor state. But the website cited recent events that could have affected the facility such as the earthquake that devastated the country in April.

Other airports in the website’s worst 10 list include the Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan; the Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan; the Ho Chi Minh City Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Vietnam; the Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Pakistan; the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China; the Chennai (Madras) international Airport in India; the Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh; and the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport in Sri Lanka.

Taking over NAIA’s status as the world’s worst, Port Harcourt International Airport, the survey result alleged “should also win the the title of most corrupt airport in the world.”

It claimed, “The terminal’s unpleasant and unhelpful staff help to earn it this trifecta of atrocious awards. With virtually no seating, broken air-conditioning and a tent for an Arrivals Hall, it was a struggle for many voters to pass the minimum required amount of time here.”

It did cite as good news recent renovations undertaken on the terminal.

Ranked as the best airport in Asia and in the world is the Changi International Airport in Singapore.

The Guide to Sleeping in Airports started in 1996 and is the brainchild of Donna McSherry. It was previously titled the “Budget Traveller’s Guide to Sleeping in Airports,” and was initially made up of McSherry’s airport sleeping tips and reviews on the airports in Dublin, Frankfurt, and Geneva.

The website started to grow when other travellers started contributing their reviews as well as useful and practical information on the world’s airports.  SFM