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Travel site picks NAIA Asia’s worst airport, 5th worldwide


The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the primary gateway to the Philippines, was voted by online readers as Asia’s worst airport and one of the worst in the world for 2010, according to the website, “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports." The travel website ranked NAIA — particularly its Terminal 1 — as the fifth worst airport in the world preceded by two airports in Paris, one in Moscow, and another one in Los Angeles. In Asia, NAIA-Terminal 1 placed first, followed by New Delhi in India, Beijing in China, Bombay in India, Islamabad in Pakistan, Hanoi in Vietnam, Chennai in India, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Denpasar in Indonesia, the website said. The website, which travel agent Donna McSherry created in 1996, updates its ranked list of the world’s best and worst airports every year based on votes of its online readers. The NAIA’s poor 2010 ranking was based, among many others, on the “filthy toilets, bribery, [and] corruption" in the airport. One comment posted by “Brenty" said: “Think of a bombed out ruin and you’ll get some idea [how worse the airport is]… No seating once you get through Customs — maybe 40 seats for a thousand passengers." On the other hand, the website listed the following as “the best airports of 2010": Singapore’s Changi, Seoul’s Incheon, Hong Kong, Amsterdam’s Schiphol, and Munich. MIAA chief admits NAIA-1 neglected Interviewed by GMA News’ “State of the Nation" (SONA), Department of Tourism spokesman Benito Bengzon pointed out that air travelers are complaining only about the country’s oldest terminal facility. “Ang reklamo dito ang lumang terminal natin," he said, referring of NAIA-Terminal 1, which was established in 1981. The facility, which services 6 million passengers on an annual basis, hosts all international flights except those by the Philippine Airlines. Jose Angel Honrado, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager, acknowledged the deficiencies of NAIA-Terminal 1. “Aminin [na] natin na nagkulang na ng maintenance ang terminal in the last 28 years," he said. (Let’s admit it, the terminal’s maintenance has been neglected in the last 28 years.) GMA’s SONA report said that it seemed inconvenient for air passengers to “sleep on luggage carts at the departure lobby." Moving freely at NAIA-2 NAIA-Terminal 2 appears to be a different story, however. The SONA report said air travelers can “move freely" around the facility, which is the exclusive terminal of the Philippine Airlines. At NAIA-2, there are waiting lobbies both at the arrival and departure areas. There are cafes and restaurants scattered around the airport. There is also a small duty-free shopping center in the terminal’s north wing. NAIA-2, which started operating in 1999, services 9 million passengers per year, according to MIAA. Still, Ana Oposa, a frequent flyer of the Philippine Airlines, said she was dissatisfied with NAIA-2’s security measures. “I don’t even know if they know what they’re looking for… Sometimes they don’t even check [the baggage]," she said. Honrado picked up the cudgels and said, “Dahil ang [security] system natin ay makaluma, kelangan natin ng corresponding security check, para hindi naman tayo mahulog dun sa less secured airport." (Because our security system is obsolete, we need a corresponding security check, so we don’t fall into the category of less secured airport.) NAIA-3 'designed like a mall' In the next few years, Honrado said all international flights would be moving to NAIA-Terminal 3 amid legal battles involving the claim of its builder, the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCO), which is seeking a compensation claim against the government. NAIA-3, the newest and biggest terminal in the NAIA complex, services 13 million passengers annually. At the terminal, well-wishers are allowed to get into the departure lobby, unlike the other two terminal facilities, the SONA report said. The report also said NAIA-3’s architecture is modern and remains attractive. “Parang shopping mall ang disensyo ng Terminal 3," according to the report. (Terminal 3 is designed like a shopping mall.)—JV, GMA News