Low flyers: The top 10 worst airports in the world and Europe

Pakistan’s Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport is number one in the 2014 list.

17:21 22 October 2014

The world’s 10 worst airports have been revealed with Pakistan’s Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport holding the dubious honour of the top spot.

Travel website sleepingairports.net unveiled its annual list based on tourist ratings of airports’ facilities, comfort, cleanliness, and customer service. While one airport was described as a “prison”, another was labeled a “human sauna.”

Among those that made it on the top 10 list are New York’s LaGuardia and Paris Beauvais-Tille Airports.

Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport was described as “cramped, rundown, debatably clean, and not particularly friendly, this airport does little more than load and unload passengers in a cargo-like fashion.”

Travellers repeatedly take issue with the long security lines, drab décor, poor restaurant selection, lackluster cleanliness and notoriously unhelpful staff.

Meanwhile, Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport is at number four this year after three consecutive years on the top spot due to air conditioning problems and overcrowding.

The world’s top 10 list did not include any UK airports but London’s Luton International edged into eighth place of the European version.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport was likened to “a central prison.” One tourist added: “Many of the touts and taxi drivers loot people at the airport and outside.”

The world’s top 10 worst airports:


1. Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan

2. Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia

3. Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal

4. Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippines

5. Tashkent International Airport, Uzbekistan

6. Paris Beauvais-Tille International Airport, France

7. Frankfurt Hahn International Airport, Germany

8. Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport, Italy

9. Berlin Tegel International Airport, Germany

10. New York City LaGuardia International Airport, USA


Europe’s top 10 worst airports:

1. Paris Beauvais-Tille International Airport, France

2. Frankfurt Hahn International Airport, Germany

3. Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport, Italy

4. Berlin Tegel International Airport, Germany

5. Rome Ciampino International Airport, Italy

6. Barcelona Girona-Costa Brava International Airport, Spain

7. Paris Orly International Airport, France

8. London Luton International Airport, England

9. Warsaw-Modlin Mazovia International Airport, Poland

10. Rome Fiumicino International Airport, Italy


Source: The Guide to Sleeping in Airports