NAIA no longer world’s worst airports, survey shows

Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Wikipedia photo

MANILA — While the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) did not exactly make it out of the world’s worst airports list, its rankings lowered from being first for the past three years to fourth place this year.

According to the popular website The Guide to Sleeping in Airports (www.sleepinginairports.net), NAIA saw a slight “improvement” in its ranking as a result of increased positive votes for its Terminal 3.

To recall, full airline operations at NAIA Terminal 3 began August with most of the airport renovation works already completed. Five foreign airlines from Terminal 1 were also transferred to Terminal 3.

These upgrades were all mentioned in the site as reasons for the airport’s improved rankings.

The site also cited another improvement wherein terminal fees were set to be included on international tickets starting October to further decongest the terminal.

NAIA ranks as fourth worst airport after Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal, Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia, and Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Pakistan as third, second and first worst airport, respectively.

Among the other airports on the “worst list” include New York City LaGuardia International Airport in USA, Berlin Tegel International Airport in Germany, Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport in Italy, Frankfurt Hahn International Airport in Germany, Paris Beauvais-Tille International Airport in France, Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan as 10th to 5th worst airports.

The website mentioned how NAIA has shown effort to lose its title of being the “laggard of Asia” (as one survey respondent put it) by finally beginning rehabilitation of NAIA Terminal 1 this year.

However, travelers who took the survey still complained of overcrowding, lengthy queues, limited seating, unfriendly immigration/customs officers and smelly toilets.

Another traveler grievance was the air-conditioning system when it was broken down.

The site, however, was looking forward for improvements in Terminal 1 to be complete by 2015.

Sleeping in Airports’ lists of worst and best airports are based on online surveys conducted by travelers from all over the world. They have been rating airports since 1996.

Rating depends on their “sleep-ability” factor, the services, amenities and features offered to layover passengers.

Those taking the survey were asked to consider the four C’s of airport travel: comfort, conveniences, cleanliness and customer service, the site said.