Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and Murtala Muhammed
International Airport (MMIA), Lagos have been rated among the worst 20
airports.
This is outcome of a survey by renowned aviation organization, Sleep in Airport (sleepinairports.net).
The website ranked Lagos the fifth worst airport in the world, while Port Harcourt was ranked the third worst airport globally.
The criteria used included comfort (gate seating and availability
of rest zones), services, facilities and things to do, food options,
immigration/security, customer service, cleanliness, navigation and ease
of transit and sleepability.
The website explained that the airports that appeared on the list
of worst airports in the world are those that have the capacity to truly
offend travellers.
“Within these terminals, there appears to be a general
disinterest in a positive traveller experience. In some cases,
passengers are made to stand or sit on the floor as they await their
flights. In others, the bathrooms don’t have water, toilet paper, or any
semblance of cleanliness,” it said.
“In some cases, the physical structure of the airport is fine,
but the personnel are the problem. Got a problem? Don’t expect much in
terms of customer service at these airports.
“If you find yourself travelling through one of these 20
terminals, brace yourself. You’ll want to give yourself just enough time
to get in and get out. A minute more and you’ll be unhappy and
uncomfortable – a minute less, and you risk missing your flight”, it added.
In order of ranking, the worst five airports in the world comprised
Juba International Airport, South Sudan (JUB), Jeddah King Abdulaziz
International Airport, Saudi Arabia (JED), Port Harcourt International
Airport, Nigeria (PHC), Crete Heraklion International Airport, Greece
(HER) and Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Nigeria (LOS).
Others are Santorini Thira National Airport, Greece (JTR), Dar es
Salaam Julius Nyerere International Airport, Tanzania (DAR), Rhodes
International Airport, Greece (RHO), Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport,
France (BVA), Tashkent International Airport, Uzbekistan (TAS) and
London Luton International Airport, England (LTN).
Others on the list were Rome Ciampino International Airport, Italy
(CIA), Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal (KTM), New York
City LaGuardia, USA (LGA), Chania International Airport, Greece (CHQ),
Caracas Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela (CCS), Guangzhou
Baiyun International Airport, China (CAN), Cluj International Airport,
Romania (CLJ), Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan
(ISB), and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopia (ADD).
On Port Harcourt airport, the website said for this year’s survey,
respondents indicated that aggressive corruption was the biggest
problem, with airport officials and staff allegedly demanding bribes for
pretty much everything.
Other complaints included lack of bathroom facilities, lack of air
conditioning, horrible baggage handling, and the tent that serves as the
arrival terminal.
Port Harcourt airport last year was ranked the worst airport in the world by the same website.
On Lagos airport, the website said for many voters, there appears
to be no discernible difference in the operations and facilities of the
Lagos International Airport, but travellers also complained of massive
corruption at the airport.
Others were filthy bathrooms, limited seating, archaic check-in
procedures, sporadic air conditioning, and lousy customer service.