Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the country’s main global gateway, is the ninth worst airport in Asia, according to a recent survey.
An organisation, Sleeping in Airports, conducted the survey titled ‘Worst Airports of 2014’ which also branded Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport as the worst one in Asia.
“Our survey results are dependent entirely on travelers’ feedback,” said the organisation urging all travellers to participate in the next ‘Best & Worst Airports’ survey by telling about their travellers airport experiences.
“Everywhere smells, very rude immigration police and airport staff, corrupt people, and insects everywhere,” the survey quoted a traveler who had experience with Shahjalal International Airport.
This airport is known to be dated, slow-moving, insect-filled and short on amenities, said the survey report.
“If travelling through Dhaka’s international airport, you’d be wise to beeline it to the upstairs floor that is often devoid of the crowds and chaos that characterise the main floor,” it said.
Having raved about the pure excellence of some airports in Asia, the 10 airports that make it onto the worst airports list bring all back to reality.
Those represented on this list show up because of their consistent uncleanliness, their counter-intuitive layout and absolute lack of amenities.
Long queues, the solicitation of bribes and the lack of air-conditioning in tropical climates further upsets and enrages travellers in the region.
Commenting about the worst Asian airport – Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan (ISB), it said this airport is like as a central prison. “Many of touts and taxi drivers loot people at airport and outside.”
Islamabad’s international airport climbed to the number one spot this year, displacing Manila, which previously had a stronghold on the position.
Likened to a central prison, ISB is criticised for the crowds (and absence of crowd control), the pervasive corruption, the aggressive-yet-inconsistent security checks, and the overall lack of cleanliness and technology.
Travellers have also complained about the airport’s inability to handle passengers for over a decade – and thankfully, it seems the end of ISB is near.
A new airport is slated to be completed for mid-2016, which should dramatically improve air travel to the city. Visit our Islamabad Airport Guide for more information.
Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), however, said it does not recognise a survey conducted by a website, which recently declared Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport as the worst in the world.
Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal (KTM) has been considered as the second worst airport in Asia. “Just make very sure that you never need to use the washrooms in this airport,” said a traveler.
Nepal’s only international airport was eloquently described to resemble a “bus station in an impoverished neighbourhood”.
The airport’s cleanliness is a chief concern for those travelling through, with many remarking on the sorry state of the bathrooms, and the absolute lack of soap.
Other travellers take issue with the lack of air-conditioning and a filthy smoking room.
Generally, travellers discourage sleeping here in part because of the sad state of the airport, and also because it goes against local norms.
With plenty of security officials wandering about, sleeping here is generally not a hugely pleasant experience.
This all said, some slack is given to Nepal given that it lacks with wealth of some of its Asian neighbours. Visit our Kathmandu Airport Guide for more information.
Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippines (MNL) is the third worst airport in Asia, said the survey.
“Terminal 1 is a dirty, crowded, noisy, extremely hot airport. Nowhere close to enough seats for even half the people waiting to sit,” said a traveler.
Tashkent International Airport, Uzbekistan (TAS). Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam (HAN), Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China (CAN), Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodia (PNH), Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam (SGN) and Chennai International Airport, India (MAA) are also in the list of 10 worst airports in Asia.
Source: Prothom Alo