The Worst Airport?

I saw an article in Business Insider about bad airports. Here is some of their discussion:

New York’s LaGuardia Airport has a reputation for being one of the worst airports in the US. A 2017 study of more than 34,000 travelers by J.D. Power found that respondents were less satisfied with their experiences at LaGuardia than at any other large or medium airport in North America.

While renovations to the airport’s terminals, parking system, and drop-off and pick-up areas are underway, the airport is cramped, poorly-lit, and dirty in its current state.

I would agree, though some other airports, both inside and out of the country would qualify. My choices would be Bogota, Columbia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Katmandu, Nepal.

So, what makes a bad airport? For me, it would be sanitary conditions, food options, comfortable waiting areas, and an absence of chaos.

But my memories of being at LaG are good, despite being a bad airport. For one, most take offs or landing take the plane over the Statue of Liberty, always a great sight in NYC. And aside from some business trips, I also made it over to the U.S. Open Tennis tournament at Flushing, where I had a wonderful experience. I also got to play at Bethpage Golf Club (Black) on Long Island.

Any airport with low ceilings, dim lighting, and crowded walkways and waiting areas can be depressing. There are numerous ones in the US and around the world.

By comparing LaG to newer, better planned airports, anybody can figure out why it is ranked so poorly. Looking at both San Francisco and Chicago’s O’Hare, both are spacious, with great food options, CLEAN, and well-lighted. And plenty of seats. How difficult is it to place some seats in the waiting areas?

My new favorite airport? Haneda in Tokyo. Here is why: The more than 75 million travelers who pass through each year enjoy clean and comfortable terminals, top-notch service, and user-friendly facilities. Highlights include a half-size replica of the 1911 Nihonbashi bridge, shopping and dining in the historically inspired Edo Alley, an outdoor deck illuminated by 4,000 LED lights at night, capsule hotel rooms for a nap, and rentable mini robot guides that speak Japanese, Cantonese, and English. Passengers also can make use of free showers, pay and free lounges, massage chairs, and a spa.

Maybe your worst airport is your own nightmare. I also experienced the airport from hell in a little safari town in Africa. You may recall, it was this short little French couple, and their short little kids. They bobbed their heads side to side like the French like to do, all at the same time, and spoke quite loudly. It took two airports to finally rid ourselves of them!!!!