MANILA, Philippines - After being dropped of the list of "world's worst airports," Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya said runway decongestion is his next target for the improvement of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
In a statement posted on government website Gov.ph, Abaya said he was thankful and relieved that NAIA finally got shed off the world's worst airport list. However, he admitted that there's still a lot of work needed for its full development.
“While we are pleased to hear that international travelers no longer rate NAIA among the world’s worst, there is obviously still a lot for us to do," he said.
"Having fully opened Terminal 3, and substantially refurbishing Terminal 1 after decades of neglect, our next focus is decongesting the runway,” added Abaya.
The statement also included a list of architectural improvements implemented in NAIA:
- More spacious and better-lit check-in and arrival lobbies
- New check-in counters, flight schedule display, and furniture
- Modern interior design for ceilings, floors, and other furnishings
- Better layout for passenger flow
- Reconfigured waiting areas and duty-free sections
- New and additional retail concessionaires to serve passengers
- Less queuing time with the integration of terminal fees into ticket costs
- Installation of new chillers to ensure consistent cooling systems
- Refurbished comfort rooms
- Faster processing time at immigration counters
NAIA has been dubbed as "world's worst airport" for three consecutive years (2011-2013). And despite being completely shed off from the worldwide list this year, it is still considered as one of the worst airports in Asia.
"The travelers remain annoyed by the poor customer service, the long queues, the sub-par food selection, the lack of restrooms and the crowded seating areas," the website says.
World's Worst Airports in Asia in 2015
- Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal
- Taskkent International Airport, Uzbekistan
- Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan
- Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam
- Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China
- Chennai (Madras) International Airport, India
- NAIA, Philippines
- Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport, Bangladesh
- Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka
The website ranked the airports through a survey asking travelers to rate their airport experiences "based on the services and facilities available within the terminal, cleanliness, customer service, comfort and their overall airport experience."