Poor attitudes and dirty environments: The world's 10 worst airports according to travelers

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Looking at airports that consistently rank on the "World's Best Airports" list over the years, they are usually favored by travelers for their excellent service, comfortable and bright environments, and well-equipped rest and entertainment facilities. But for every good, there’s bad — a well-known American mediaWall St. Cheat Sheetrecently released a list of the world’s 10 worst airports, and many major ones made the cut.

▲1. Philippines Manila – Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport handles over 32 million passengers annually, but it is only designed to accommodate 6 million. As a result, the airport is often overcrowded. Add to that poor staff attitudes and long queues, and it’s no wonder many travelers have a negative impression of this airport.

▲2. France Paris – Charles de Gaulle Airport. (Photo / courtesy of Visual China Group / Reuters)

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With very few seats, chaotic disorganization, and extremely poor service attitudes, Wall St. Cheat Sheet ranked this, Europe’s second-largest airport, as the second worst in the world. The article specifically mentioned that airport staff are unwilling to speak English to travelers—even when they seem to understand what you’re saying.

▲3. United States Los Angeles – Los Angeles International Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

As the sixth busiest airport in the world and the third largest in the United States, handling over 60 million passengers annually, one might expect decent services and facilities. However, poor problem-solving skills among staff, a chaotic environment, insufficient seating, restaurants, and shops have tarnished its reputation. Even Skytrax, known as the "Oscars of the aviation industry," gave it a low score of 4.3.

▲4. Italy – Bergamo Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

A filthy environment and extremely unfriendly service led Wall St. Cheat Sheet to advise travelers not to expect much from this airport. The "Sleeping in Airports" guide noted that airport security is very unwelcoming, and the hygiene conditions are poor—especially the bathrooms, which are extremely dirty. According to the 2013 Sleeping in Airports rankings, Bergamo Airport was voted the second worst in the world.

Some travelers also said that due to language barriers, it’s difficult to communicate with airport staff when seeking help. The airport is noisy and dirty, and if you have to spend the night there because of a flight, don’t expect a good sleep—the security personnel will come and wake you up.

▲5. United States New York – LaGuardia Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

As New York’s third most important airport, LaGuardia doesn’t have a good reputation. Many travelers complain about the lack of convenient transportation—the only public transit connection is a city bus, making getting around difficult. Other issues like cramped check-in counters, poor cell phone reception, and paid Wi-Fi have also contributed to its negative image.

▲6. Switzerland Zurich – Zurich International Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

Zurich International Airport offers comfortable resting areas, a variety of restaurants and shops for passing time and relaxation, and should normally not make such a list—if you can overlook the poor attitude of the airport staff.

Many travelers said that while the airport is beautiful, the bad service from ground staff ruins the experience. What may seem like small details to the staff can leave a bad first impression on travelers passing through briefly.

7. Chad – N'Djamena International Airport.

If you ask frequent travelers to Africa about N'Djamena International Airport, you might get more negative reviews than positive ones. Some said the staff seem hostile, the airport is littered with trash, and they’ve even seen people washing their feet in toilet water. The poor conditions make it hard for travelers to feel positive about the place.

▲8. Russia Moscow – Sheremetyevo International Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

If you’ve had the chance to visit this airport, you might understand why it’s on this list. Aside from poor service, the confusing signage often leaves travelers lost. Some suggest that if you’re traveling to Moscow, consider using Domodedovo International Airport instead—it has a better reputation and is more conveniently located for reaching the city.

▲9. United States Arkansas – Little Rock National Airport (also known as Clinton National Airport). (Photo / from Wikipedia)

According to readers of the popular travel website Travel + Leisure, this is probably the worst airport in the United States. Not only are the check-in queues long, flights are often delayed, and the limited dining and shopping options make waiting for a flight boring—thankfully, there is free Wi-Fi available.

▲10. India Kolkata – Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

According to a survey by the Sleeping in Airports guide, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is widely regarded as the worst airport in the world. The site also warns travelers that if you have to spend the night there, don’t expect a good sleep—the airport is crowded, noisy, and the seats are uncomfortable. Long queues for security checks also add to the frustration.