The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 was voted the world’s worst airport for 2011 by readers of "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports," a site that reviews the quality and facilities of the world’s airports.
Its primary audience seems to be budget travelers who see sleeping in airports as one way to save money during their journeys.
Among the array of problems cited by international passengers who managed to survive the airport were theft, bribery, and the absence of toilet seats and running water in the bathrooms.
One reader had this experience:
"A big bucket with a dipper was by the front door (of the restroom) and about four attendants hassled me for a tip. When I asked a security guard where the smoking area was he told me to follow him... and he took me outside where he then insisted on a bribe before he let me back into the terminal."
NAIA does have a recently opened Terminal 3 with better facilities, but "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports" reminded readers that it was deemed "structurally flawed."
NAIA-1’s ratings worsened from the site’s 2010 assessment that it was the world’s 5th worst airport and the worst only in Asia.
“Earlier this year, some bad press regarding the state of the airport made airport officials promise to clean its Terminal 1 toilets and provide running water and soap. Imagine... they actually had to ‘promise’ to offer this!" the site said.
“The Guide to Sleeping in Airports" also pointed out physical hazards that recently plagued NAIA-1, including the collapse of its Bay 7 ceiling in May.
A special report on GMA News TV's "State of the Nation" (SONA) newscast also notes the airport’s defects.
Among the array of problems cited by international passengers who managed to survive the airport were theft, bribery, and the absence of toilet seats and running water in the bathrooms.
One reader had this experience:
"A big bucket with a dipper was by the front door (of the restroom) and about four attendants hassled me for a tip. When I asked a security guard where the smoking area was he told me to follow him... and he took me outside where he then insisted on a bribe before he let me back into the terminal."
NAIA does have a recently opened Terminal 3 with better facilities, but "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports" reminded readers that it was deemed "structurally flawed."
NAIA-1’s ratings worsened from the site’s 2010 assessment that it was the world’s 5th worst airport and the worst only in Asia.
“Earlier this year, some bad press regarding the state of the airport made airport officials promise to clean its Terminal 1 toilets and provide running water and soap. Imagine... they actually had to ‘promise’ to offer this!" the site said.
“The Guide to Sleeping in Airports" also pointed out physical hazards that recently plagued NAIA-1, including the collapse of its Bay 7 ceiling in May.
A special report on GMA News TV's "State of the Nation" (SONA) newscast also notes the airport’s defects.
The basic design of its facilities poses risks. According to passenger Tiffycality, “Their arrival ramp is not user friendly because it slopes downward!! If you happen to be pushing your loads of baggages through this ramp watch out or your baggage might get to the bottom of the ramp before you!!"
The woes of NAIA-1 go beyond poor facilities, the site pointed out.
"The amount of corruption and bribery is just mind-blowing," says Shizumasa.
“Airport taxes are collected," the site explained, “but the money does not seem to go towards the betterment of the airport. Document holders have been told their papers are not correct, but a fee of x amount should clear up the matter."
The site seems to share the same conclusion as this reader: "The worst airport on the planet. It has to be experienced to be believed."
The woes of NAIA-1 go beyond poor facilities, the site pointed out.
"The amount of corruption and bribery is just mind-blowing," says Shizumasa.
“Airport taxes are collected," the site explained, “but the money does not seem to go towards the betterment of the airport. Document holders have been told their papers are not correct, but a fee of x amount should clear up the matter."
The site seems to share the same conclusion as this reader: "The worst airport on the planet. It has to be experienced to be believed."
Blogger: Manila 'a dump'
NAIA’s poor ranking received media attention at a time when a blog calling Manila “a dump" was going viral in the Philippines.
The brutally negative review of Manila came from Englishman Geoffrey James Quartermain Bastin, who claimed he has worked “on-and-off" in the Philippines since 1991 and tagged Manila as the “disgrace of Southeast Asia."
The effects of such negative publicity on Philippine tourism remain to be seen, amid Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez’s campaign for Filipinos to sell the Philippine brandthrough social media.
Earlier, Jimenez said the Philippines is not difficult to sell. “This is the most beautiful country in the world. One of the ten most beautiful countries in the world. There is no reason we won’t succeed," he noted. — With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS/HS, GMA News
The brutally negative review of Manila came from Englishman Geoffrey James Quartermain Bastin, who claimed he has worked “on-and-off" in the Philippines since 1991 and tagged Manila as the “disgrace of Southeast Asia."
The effects of such negative publicity on Philippine tourism remain to be seen, amid Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez’s campaign for Filipinos to sell the Philippine brandthrough social media.
Earlier, Jimenez said the Philippines is not difficult to sell. “This is the most beautiful country in the world. One of the ten most beautiful countries in the world. There is no reason we won’t succeed," he noted. — With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS/HS, GMA News
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