NAIA bags title of ‘Worst Airport in Asia’ for 2012

Pinoy pride fans, rejoice! The Philippines can add another achievement to its ever growing list! Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 has brushed off competition to once again bag the title of “Worst Airport”! This makes it two (2) years in a row! PINOY PRIDE YEAH! Let’s go for three-peat in 2013!

The difference, though, between last year and this year is that “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports”, the website who ran the survey, is that they divided the worst airport categories by region. So in effect, the title of ‘Worst Airport in the World’ didn’t exist this year; NAIA is now just the “Worst Airport in Asia”. BOO! We were cheated! We used to be worst in the world, now we’re just worst in Asia! Give us back our “World’s Worst Airport” title, you racist basterds!

It doesn’t matter though, whether it’s in Asia, or the world, basta Pinoy da best! Let’s all cheer, scream, march out on the streets, and start opening those bottles of San Miguel Beer!

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NB: the above paragraphs are sarcastic in tone. I have to explain it to Pinoys who are satirically and sarcastically challenged.

So what exactly did travelers complain about this year? According to the website:

Traveller Complaints: (Anything and everything) Poor Transit Facilities • Queues • Bribery • Crowded • Insufficient Seating • Delays receiving bags on belt • Poor quality restaurants • Taxi Scams

“at this airport you have to have your itinerary to enter the terminal. i forgot it that day and so the police said if i give him 10 USD he’ll let me in.” – beaniebaby

Pretty much what they complained about last year. Even the dirty toilets are still an issue.

Even how government officials replied is pretty much the same, too. NAIA Terminal 1 manager Dante Basanta was quoted as saying, “It’s unfair for them to say that we have the world’s worst airport because we’ve already implemented several improvements at the terminal for the past several months.” And according to presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, “Tuloy-tuloy po ang gagawin nating renovation po dito sa NAIA 1 and syempre we are always cognizant of the concerns of travelers and certainly we’ll take this to (heart) (The renovations are ongoing at NAIA 1 and of course we are always cognizant of the concerns of travelers…). For my last example, Consuelo Bungag, media affairs chief of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), chimed in, “That’s their opinion. From our end, we know we are doing our best to improve both the facilities and services here at the airport.”

In other words, “We’re working on it; cut us some slack“ and “Screw the surveys, they’re not reflecting our reality, ah basta!”

Now comes the question which authorities in charge will, I think, be hard-pressed and stymied in answering: Where are the results?

It makes you wonder: how serious is our government in their efforts to promote tourism if they can’t even fix the airport?! Now that the airport has been cited two (2) years in a row, do they actually think they can say that their efforts have been successful?! Can they say through their teeth that, indeed, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” if the first impression that our potential guests get is an awful one?

It’s simple, really. First impressions last. How tourists find your airport will inescapably leave a lasting impression on them. It is the first, and most important step, in making them feel welcome to your country. If you want them to stay, you better make their experience through it as pleasant, smooth and efficient as possible. How hard is that to understand?

Case in point: when I went to Thailand this year, Suvarnabhumi Airport was a great example of this policy in motion. The inside was really clean, getting through immigration was a walk in the park, and the design of the airport allowed for smooth flow of traffic. Plus, the seats are good enough to sleep in even for the most weary traveler. Apparently, the Immigration Division of Thailand has a 3S policy in place: Service mind, security, and standard.

“The purpose of the 3S policy is to improve the quality of our services. We want to give our guests a good impression by making sure that our officers are offering services from the heart (Service Mind) to create security for the country and its people (Security), under the correct rules and regulations (Standard).”
“‘3S’ makes sure that our officers are friendly to the people no matter what nationality they are. The officers must remember to smile. They must be willing to do whatever task is necessary and not choose to do only do the tasks they want. They must offer a service that satisfies people’s needs and makes people comfortable in their dealings with the police,”

Of course, this concept is most likely to be lost on Filipinos, who would rather do with pwede-na-iyan, bahala na, ningas-kugon, and avoidance of responsibility.

There are Pinoys out there who claim to have been to other continents and cry foul; there are other airports in Asia and the world worse than ours. Well, to me, that is a sign of escapist thinking. Someone is worse off than you, so no need to change your current situation. They should get the following message through their thick skulls: It doesn’t matter if you’re the world’s worst or not. What matters is that you’ve been told that your house is dirty. Stop whining and let’s clean up!

Let’s not make the simple complicated, folks. If we’re really resolved to show tourists why it’s more fun in the Philippines, let’s at least give them the proper introduction and welcome. It starts the minute they land.

64 Replies to “NAIA bags title of ‘Worst Airport in Asia’ for 2012”

  1. The Ninoy AQUINO International Airport is a reflection of the typical Pinoy: Manila-centric, filled with an obsession for money taken the wrong way, abusive to guests, abhorrent sanitation, unwilling to change unless pushed (and even when pushed, changes painfully slowly).

    It doesn’t take that much to invest in upgrading an airport, given President BS AQUINO’s humongous pork barrel. Unless of course he has some sort of personal grudge against Clark’s DMIA named after his predecessor’s daddy.

    1. You’d think that with his damn surname on the airport that the president would put renovation as a priority.

      What a big facepalm.

        1. Gloria this and gloria that, yan lang ba ang alam mong ipost? Wala na sigurong maisip ang boss mong si carandang kaya nagiging sirang plaka ka na.

    2. Aside from the tourist, consider as well our returning OFWs. God knows how much they had to endure whilst away from their families just to earn decent money and this is how we welcome them? Sub-standard airport and consecutive hassles from landing to exiting NAIA.

    3. siguro pwd sabihen yan noong PANAHON NI GLORIA. pero PANAHON NA NI NOYNOY NGAYON at unti unti nang nakakamove on ang Pilipinas mula sa kapabayaan na idinulot nya

      1. Yep panahon rin ni NOYNOY na nangyari itong “worst airport in the world and now worst airport in asia. Wala ka lang ma post na bago kaya balik nanaman sa sisihan kay gloria. Yan lang ba ang kaya mong gawin,bobo?

      2. We never moved on. If we moved on, then stop blaming the past administration for their blunders.

        You are indeed a magnet for EMBARRASSMENT.

    4. He allegedly does have a sort of personal grudge against his predecessor. It’s called “Don’t touch my hacienda!”

      Coming from home travels abroad is always a reverse culture shock for me, because of the airport.

  2. Hanggang ngayon dama pa rin ng kababayaan ang pinsala na dala ng nakaraang administrasyon. Nandyan pa rin ang mga magnanakaw at mga nangongotong sa BI at iba pa. Hayaan nyo, sa basbas ng ating pangulong Aquino maayos muli ang NAIA na kung si Gloria ay nanakawin lang.

    Abaya sees completion of NAIA 1 rehab by 2014 abscbnnews

    1. Hey vincensus ignoramus. “Murdering” the past admin again? What’s with the basbas crap are you talking about? Is your aquino a god? And from that report of your BS news is nothing but wishful thinking.

        1. Bayan patroller is already running out of propaganda to post here. He/she hasn’t got a snowball chance of convincing us. The troll is getting desperate in it’s posts.

        2. Like her idol BS Aquino. Uttering anything original would make them turn to stone. So just keep repeating same mantra. Some pinoys will still believe.

    2. Mas malala talaga si AbNoy kaysa sa lahat na mga dating administrasyon. Pati pagiisip ng mga yellow supporters nako-corrupt!

      Kay AbNoy talaga mararanasan ang pinaka maruming pamumulitika!

      1. bobo mas malala noong panahon ni gloria, marami syang pinapatay at marami rin siyang ninakaw. Ngayon masama ang sambayanan dahil nakakulong na sya. Nabayaran nya lang ang iba kaya nakahospital arrest sya

        1. What a dumbass you are. Show proof of your allegations then…oh wait.. There isn’t any! You really need to learn new tricks moron since it’s not very effective.

        2. Right and nobody got killed during Noynoy’s term nor he didn’t steal (pork barrel, Hacienda Luisita, etc.) Bravo for your sheer idiocy and ignorance. Sorry if I’m not drinking the Yellow Kool Aide like you do.

          So inaamin mo na MASAMA ang sambayanan? Totoo nga. Masama nga ang sambayanan dahil ang mga masasamang tao ay yjng may ‘angry mob’ mindset. Thank you for your revelation that you’re…

          EEEEEEEEVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!

          XDXDXDXD

    3. “Abaya sees completion of NAIA 1 rehab by 2014 abscbnnews”

      Its only the last quarter of 2012. Are they making anew airport. As far as I see it, this is just a statement which they can just say, “hey, we are doing something, but actually not our best”. Its only rehab, you can hire a good firm and they can do it in a few months. I speak of experience as I have first hand experience doing some rehab works in a semicon factory where an airplane crashed way back 2005. Wala lang talaga silang masabing matino.

  3. Now this is one I am completely qualified to speak about.N.A.I.A.Terminal 1 is a disgrace.A complete cesspool and it has NO EXCUSES for its on-going DISGUSTING TOILETS,you can not call them CR’s coz there is a stench that could kill you.How can a country that charges exhorbitant airport fees justify not having toilet seats,toilet paper,liquid soap dispensers and FINALLY,TA-DA…working hand blow-driers? ALSO NEEDED immediately,someone to dis-infect the place constantly?
    Now that is just the toilets,parking is a nightmare,even getting there is a hassle,having guards ask for bribes,tips or any other hand-out should be STOPPED immediately as well.It gives the wrong impression to visitors.Cops asking for money,oh great…ever see ‘LOcked up abroad’,no thanks! Then there is the crap food,filthy foors and these are all things that could be fixed in less than 72 hrs.,BUT NO!!! The people who run the airport ust do not care about it and should be fired,shit…I could do the above mentioned improvements myself,a wholer airport staff cant?Sorry aint buyin it,and people will stay away.
    If the Philippines wants people to visit the country,ONCE,and go home and tell everyone to STAY AWAY,because the airport is a cesspool…keep it up.
    There is no excuse for this to keep happening,if it was an airport named after my father…I would fix it myself if I had to,or rename it because it is a disgrace to the guy they named it after.I am glad it is not named after my Dad.

      1. tumutupad sa pangako, o tumutuwad sa pango?

        Ano ba talaga? Dalawang taon na, di pa rin nakuhang ayusin ng BOBO mong presidente ang paliparan natin. Akala ko gusto niyang palawakin ang turismo sa Pilipinas?

      2. A common jest amongst pinoys during the 90’s was about panot. “Uy ang lapad ng paliparan sa noo”
        He probably thinks that airports, like his degenerating forehead, just miraculously sprout out from nothingness and does not need maintenance and proper housekeeping.
        They arguably can talk the talk but absolutely cannot walk the walk. Oh dear.

      3. Anong sagot mo ngayon Bayan PaTROLLer? Iiwas ka ba sa aming mga pagsubok o magpopost ka nanaman ng walang kwentang propaganda??

  4. Some toilets are dirty and clogged. Some don’t have toilet papers. A Flipina-American, who came to the Philippines, some months ago; lost her bag and money; when her bag was scanned by the security people. When they looked at the security video. The portion where her bag was lost in the video was cut. The security video was not working, during that time. Someone turned it off.

    1. You know,that is one thing I do not get about the fils.The nationalistic sentiment is evident and strong. ‘puso ang pilipino,puso panalo’,and you treat each other like shit.Rob,cheat and steal from each other.It reminds me of ‘da bruthass’ in the states.’Yo homey,whatchew be doin wit dat?You best gimmee dat or me n’s my nina put a hole in ya ass anna make youz be leekin!for reals’.
      Seriously,doing that to a returning OFW is flippin despicable.
      And being like ‘da bruthass’ in the states is butt-ugly and class-less.
      and it starts when a visitor gets off the plane.
      Ten days ago in Manila the idiot PNP at the airport reports my partners fire-arm was taken to the wrong terminal.A few peso’s later and it was ‘re-routed’ and miraculously ‘found’ in 5 minutes.Right,.45 colt revolver just ‘reappears’.Its a miracle,praise the Lord.AHAAAHAH!

      1. ako nga rin naiinis dyan sa mga kapabayaan na iniwan ni gloria sa atin. Akalain mo kapag gusto makatakas agad wheelchair ang gamit?

        1. @bayanpaTROLLer/fishball
          Still not related, why don’t you try GROWING a brain you stupid retarded troll?

        2. Haha, you’re so funny. It’s sooooo funny to play the blame game that makes you so stupid.

          Bayan patroller is a propagator of red herring. In short, THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE! XD

    1. LAWLS you’re actually a GIRLY MAN everytime you make a comment. Gloria this, Gloria that. 😛

      You whine about putting away one corrupt politician and not realizing the full lengths of the corruption. But what do I expect from a ignorant Pinoy pleb like you to know?

  5. Ya know what’s funny. ALL of bayan paTROLLer’s comments are all CRAP and no substance. 100% PURE PROPAGANDA.

    It’s time to clean the mess…

    1. You know what, the next time bayan patroller/fishball/vincensus ignoramus trolls again, I feel like I wanna humiliate him/her by making a video about emo pnoytards like him/her in a “Leave Britney alone” style, upload it on Youtube and show it not here on GRP but also on AP and SG.

  6. The real reason I feel the airport is the worst is the constant money collection windows as your leaving there are 3, OFW tax, airport tax, Philippine Immigrant tax and upon return what a mess of people to deal with and why? Clear these opportunist out of the airport parking lot that includes the venders, provide real honest double checked transportation including buses and the whole family won’t have to suffer picking you up.

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