NAIA 5th MOST HATED AIRPORT IN THE WORLD / P-NOY OKAYS NAIA 1 FACELIFT
[Photo courtesy of Malaya business Insights - Anywhere to sleep? President Aquino makes a surprise check at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 amid a CNNGo.com report that the terminal is included in the Top 5 most hated airports. Aquino was accompanied by Transport Secretary Mar Roxas. PHOTO BY JAY CHUA]
MANILA, NOVEMBER 13, 2011 (STANDARD) CNNGo, the travel Web site of CNN, has named the Ninoy Aquino International Airport the fifth most hated airport in the world.
"Wear a helmet," advised Jordan Rane in The World's 10 Most Hated Airports posted Wednesday, noting that the ceiling at one terminal collapsed in 2006.
"Beleaguered by ground crew strikes, unkempt conditions, soup kitchen-style lines that feed into more lines and an overall sense of futility, NAIA brings the term 'Stuck in the 1970s' to a new level," CNNGo said.
The Web site also noted that all non-Philippine Airlines international flights were crammed into Terminal 1 despite serious overcapacity, while the newer and underused Terminal 3 was occupied by only a few minor carriers.
"A rash of bad press this year (including a 'Worst in the World' ribbon from Sleeping in Airports) was capped by a collapsed ceiling in T1 [Terminal 1], a paralyzing ground service strike at T2 [Terminal 2], and the usual charges of tampered luggage, filthy restrooms, seat shortages at gates, re-sealed water bottles sold in retail shops, and an Amazing Race-style check-in routine spiked with bureaucracy, broken escalators, lengthy dot-matrix passenger lists, and creative airport departure fees."
Earlier this month, airport officials announced that Terminal 1 would be refurbished next year at a cost of P1 billion to serve passengers better and remove its tag as "the worst airport in the world."
CNNGo's most hated airport was the Charles de Gaulle in Paris, with its "grimy washrooms with missing toilet seats," broken scanning machines, an overall lack of signs and gate information screens, and dismissive staff.
The others in CNNGo's list were the Los Angeles International Airport (No. 2); London Heathrow (No. 3); Toncontin International in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (No. 4); Jomo Kenyatta International in Nairobi (No. 6); John F. Kennedy International in New York (No. 7); Tribhuvan International in Kathmandu (No. 8); Perth Airport in Australia (No. 9); and Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International in Brazil (No. 10).
Meanwhile, Malacañang on Wednesday welcomed the offer of First Pacific Co. chief executive Manuel Pangilinan to bid for Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, saying the sale of the 30-year-old terminal was "seriously being considered."
"There is no definite time line yet, [but] we think it can happen within the term of the President [Benigno Aquino III]," Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang said.
"We always welcome private sector interest. It will be open to the bidding process." Joyce Pangco Pañares
[PHOTO - Toilet humor: President Benigno Aquino III, accompanied by Transport Secretary Manuel Roxas II [right], points to a portion of the ceiling in one of the comfort rooms at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City Thursday night. Mr. Aquino apparently was not amused by the recent reports naming Terminal 1 the world's worst airport by the Web site "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports" and the fifth most hated airport by CNNGo, the travel Web site of the international news network CNN, and has approved its structural and rehabilitation plan.]
President gives NAIA 1 facelift the green light by Joyce Pangco Pañares
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has approved a structural and interior rehabilitation plan for Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Mr. Aquino made a surprise inspection of Terminal 1 Thursday evening to see for himself how the rehabilitation plan would be implemented.
"The President approved in general the plans for rehabilitation and improvements for NAIA-1," presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
The plan, however, did not include talks on the possible privatization and transfer of the 30-year old airport.
Malacañan earlier welcomed the offer of First Pacific Co. chief executive Manuel Pangilinan to bid for NAIA 1, saying the sale of the airport was "seriously being considered."
Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang said the sale of the airport "can happen within the term of the President."
Pangilinan had said the Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. was "keen" on bidding for the airport, which Transport Secretary Manuel Roxas II said would generate as much as $2.5 billion in revenues.
Roxas said the proceeds from the privatization would allow the government to build a new international gateway in Clark, Pampanga.
The renowned industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue has submitted an unsolicited design proposal for the Clark gateway.
Terminal 1 was recently ranked the "world's worst airport" by "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports," an interactive Web site that gathers reports from various reviewers.
It was also ranked the "fifth most hated airport in the world" by CNNGo, the travel Web site of CNN, earlier this week.
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