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MANILA, Philippines - The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 1 landed as the world's second worst airport on a travel article by online editor Jason Clampet of Frommers.com for USA Today, a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company.
Frommers is one of the leading brands for travel guides in the world, publishing books and magazines and running an online edition that provides information on air fare, hotels, and other tourism information.
For many travelers, an airport terminal provides the first impression — and the final word — about a destination. It's also a place where travelers spend much time, particularly waiting for departing or connecting flights.
With that in mind, Frommers.com provided USA TODAY with its choices for best and worst airport terminals.
The world's 10 best and worst airport terminals, as ranked by Frommers.com, based on the four C's - comfort, conveniences, cleanliness and customer service - are:
Best:
1) Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) Hajj Terminal, 2) Leifur Eriksson Air Terminal, Keflavik, Iceland, 3) Seoul (South Korea) Incheon Airport, 4) Wellington (New Zealand) "Rock" Terminal, 5) New York JFK Airport Terminal 5, 6) Singapore Changi International Airport Terminal 3, 7) Marrakech (Morocco) Menara Airport Terminal 1, 8) Madrid (Spain) Barajas Terminal 4, 9) Carrasco International Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay, 10) Bilbao (Spain) Airport Main Terminal
Worst:
1) New York JFK Airport Terminal 3, 2) Manila (Philippines) Airport Terminal 1, 3) Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Terminal B/C, 4) Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi, Kenya) 5) Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, Terminal 3, 6) Amman (Jordan) Queen Alia Airport, 7) New York LaGuardia Airport Terminal 5, 8) Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport, 9) Paris' Beauvais Airport, 10) Chicago Midway Airport
The article described the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, "as very dated with little in the way of appealing dining or shopping options."
“There is also a small domestic terminal. International-arrival formalities are usually handled fairly quickly even if the queue for immigration can appear to be a bit of a free-for-all. As in most Filipino airports, you may be asked to show your boarding pass or other ID to prove that the bags you take from the airport are in fact your own. When returning to the airport on your departure out of the country, be aware that security guards will want to see a copy of your ticket (or e-ticket printout) before allowing you into the terminal”.
In October last year, travel website sleeping in airports.com ranks NAIA as world’s worst airport based on poll votes and user reviews for reasons such as safety concerns, lack of comfortable seating, rude staff, hostile security, poor facilities, few services to pass the time, bribery and being kicked out or other hassles of being in the airport.
And in November 2011, CNNGo.com, rated NAIA as 5th world’s worst airports in terms of passengers observation on smelliest toilets, the longest queues, the rudest staff and dysfunctional airport terminal facilities.
Nevertheless, in November 2011, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Mar Roxas, said that the team from Changi Airport had offered to give their services to determine how to improve the functional design and systems improvement of NAIA 1.
A budget of P1 billion for NAIA 1’s refurbishment has been allocated, the government said. The improvement includes structural work, aesthetic/interior designs and the construction of a rapid exit taxiway (RET) that will relieve runway congestion and cut delays of aircraft queuing for take-off and touchdown for incoming flights.
“The rehabilitation project starts middle of January 2012 and the funds will come from realignments from the DOTC and from corporate funds of the MIAA [Manila International Airport Authority],” Roxas said.
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