Flyers Choose World’s Best, Worst Airports

The best airports in the world are found in Asia, while the worst are located mostly in the developing world. And Paris.

Those are the overall conclusions from the 2015 edition of Sleeping In Airports’ best and worst airports lists, as voted by globetrotters around the world.

On the list of the world’s top airports are the usual suspects, with the perennial favourite, Singapore’s Changi Airport taking the top spot, followed by Incheon airport in Seoul, and Tokyo Haneda in Japan.

In fact, the top five airports listed all hail from Asia, with Taipei and Hong Kong also represented and Kuala Lumpur the other Asian airport at No. 9. European hubs round out the top 10 list.

The only North American airport to crack the list is Vancouver International Airport.

Meanwhile, the other end of the list represents a major departure from the world’s most luxurious airports.

There are no indoor jungles, aquariums, IMAX theatres, spas and luxury boutiques at Port Harcourt International Airport in Nigeria, for example, which nabbed the dubious title of world’s worst airport.

Travellers arriving or transiting through the Nigerian hub are warned to expect virtually no seating for resting their feet, no air-conditioning to cool them down in the stifling heat, and a tent that doubles as the arrivals hall.

While the list of the top 10 worst airports is largely filled with no surprises – most are from developing countries including Nepal, Uzbekistan, Haiti and Afghanistan – there is one conspicuous hub that may seem out of place at first glance.

But according to flyers, the amenities and staff at Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport are bad enough to crack the top 10 list.

“Located in what is plausibly a sparsely furnished converted factory with pre-fabricated ‘temporary’ 10-year-old extensions, BVA was voted this year to be the worst airport in Europe,” reads an explanation on the Sleeping In Airports site.

“Grievances from voters are detailed and far-reaching, but generally revolve around the absence of chairs, kind staff, sufficient toilets and hygienic standards.”

Top 10 airports:

1. Singapore Changi International Airport, Singapore (SIN)
2. Seoul Incheon International Airport, South Korea (ICN)
3. Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Japan (HND)
4. Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan (TPE)
5. Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong (HKG)
6. Munich International Airport, Germany (MUC)
7. Helsinki Airport, Finland (HEL)
8. Vancouver International Airport, Canada (YVR)
9. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia (KUL)
10. Zurich Kloten International Airport, Switzerland (ZRH)

Top 10 worst airports in the world:

1. Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria (PHC)
2. Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia (JED)
3. Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal (KTM)
4. Tashkent International Airport, Uzbekistan (TAS)
5. Caracas Simon Bolivar International Airport, Venezuela (CCS)
6. Port au Prince Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Haiti (PAP)
7. Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan (KBL)
8. Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam (SGN)
9. Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan (ISB)
10. Paris Beauvais-Tille International Airport outside Paris, France (BVA)