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Why Naia’s worst airport

I was not surprised when Naia Terminal 1 was voted the world’s worst airport this year. The “Guide to Sleeping in Airports” said it well when it enumerated the reasons why it was labeled the world’s worst.

One’s impression of a country begins at the airport. It’s the first place you see in a country. Sad to say, there is nothing really attractive in our airport, aside from being overcrowded, filthy and lacking in space. Ours is one which you will not be proud of. Not at par even with our Asian neighbors. Other modern airports, with their wide array of services, do not even require their departing passengers to pay terminal fee and travel tax.

With thousands of passengers leaving daily for abroad and being asked to pay a required amount for travel tax and terminal fee, why is it that our Manila airport, which has domestic and international flight services, cannot be what other modern airports are now, squeaky clean and orderly? It is not even bright at night.

One who has been abroad will surely notice that there is much to be done and improved in our airport. Local passengers who have been to it will inevitably compare it with other airports. Admittedly, ours is not really at par with others in terms of facilities and services.

Once you arrive at our airport there is always a feeling that your baggage will get lost. Security concerns seem to be a perennial problem. I had a terrible experience myself when I received my baggage with its lock mysteriously missing. That only meant there was an attempt to open it and steal what was inside my baggage. My travel companion had the same experience.

—JERRY R. OBLEPIAS,

Earth St. ADB Subd.,

Barangay del Remedio,

San Pablo City, Laguna


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Tags: airports , Naia Terminal 1 , travel tax , “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports”

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  • vicky w

    As much I would like to see airports all decked out, poverty, hunger, pollution > the airport.

  • Anonymous

    Not only is the NAIA airport dirty, it’s also  reputed to be coddling dirty hands of inside syndicates of luggage pilferers.

     My friend from NZ had a long stop-over in Singapore so her bags were shipped directly to Manila. And that’s the “Rob” because while her baggage was idle before her arrival, one of her bags was so neatly slashed that she didn’t notice this until she arrived home in Cavite. Poor girl who came only for a short emergency vacation to attend to an ailing mother, lost all her pasalubong of watches and other valuables she had been keeping for years, priced more than 100,000 pesos. Of course she lost all her energy and interest in commuting back to NAIA just to report her unfortunate incident.”Wala naman pong mangyayari dun at magagawa and mga pulis at NAIA authorities” was her lament.  In addition, she lost all her respect for her fellow Pinoy NAIA personnel who are so heartless to victimize their own visiting Kababayan.

    There are no CCTV cameras in the luggage depot to discourage and catch such luggage pilferers. Authorities do not want to install such cameras because these officials are in cahoots with the thieves- that’s the whole truth that makes NAIA stinks inside and out. Mine is only a small voice but hopefully the media will bring this shameful fact to the attention of our tourism officials and Pnoy if only to help cleanse our national airport.

  • Anonymous

    There probably wouldn’t be a single balikbayan who would say NAIA isn’t so bad.  We’re in the 21st century with countries competing from one another in attracting tourist and visitors for their spending money, alas, PHL is stuck a century behind modern airports in its asian neighbors.  What do they do now?  Private sector can do a better job of managing businesses; why not lease airport operation to private businesses (say 25 years)?  I’m sure that if it’s a private business, the bad things about employees hassling for money, slashing/missing bags etc. would stop.   It’s a shame and one could only wish that all tourist/balikbayans fly via PAL so they land on its nice new airport.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-Zahl/1670371040 Steven Zahl

    HK charges only P670 for Airport Terminal Fee.

    Singapore CHANGI charges just P717.

    NAIA charges P750 for the LOUSY SERVICE.

    Plus P1680 Travel Tax HK and SG people do not have to pay.

    STYLE BULOK Pilipinas.



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