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Worst Airports
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This just in! London's Heathrow Airport and Chicago's O'Hare International have been named the worst airports in the world.Well, technically, 2,500 travelers asked by TripAdvisor to rate 36 international airports responded by voting Heathrow and O'Hare as their "least favorite" based upon ease of navigation, bathroom cleanliness, and parking facilities. Frankly, it's a rather misleading survey since there are far, far worse airports out there than the 36 measured. But, with that caveat in mind, here the ten "least favorite" airports according to TripAdvisor.
- London, Heathrow Airport / Chicago, O'Hare International
- New York, JFK
- Atlanta, Hartsfield International
- Los Angeles International
- Miami International
- New York, La Guardia
- Paris, Charles de Gaulle
- Dallas Fort Worth
- Newark Liberty International
- London Gatwick
Gallery: The Coolest Airports in the World
Filed under: Airports
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
aaritter Jun 22nd 2009 9:35AM
Newark Liberty International (the airport I have been through twice in the past week) is hands down the worst airport I have ever been to. The facilities, ease of navigation, access to wireless internet... no matter what you're looking at, this airport is awful.
D.A. Nov 2nd 2007 8:23AM
I refer to Chicago's O'Hare as O"Horror. The absolute worst airport on earth...with New York's Kennedy airport nipping at Chicago's heels. Anytime I flew out of O'Hare, my flight was delayed, and there was no place to sit in the terminal. I stood, or sat on the floor in their busy corridors, waiting for hours, only to get on board my flight, and wait another couple of hours before take off. On one such occasion, we boarded the plane after a 2 hour delay, and as soon as they closed the door, we were informed that we had a three hour delay, and waited inside the hot stuffy crowded aircraft. At the end of that wait, the pilot informed us that all flights going into Newark were canceled for the rest of the night.
James Hunton Nov 2nd 2007 8:49AM
It has to be JFK, without a doubt the worst airport in the world. Anything, I mean anything, that can go wrong at an airport will go wrong at JFK. Dirty, uncomfortable terminals, inadequate seating, dirty rest rooms, rude employees, lack of eating facilities, inconvenient connection between terminals, you name it. Oh, did I mention the inordinate wating time to take off once leaving the gate? Always! I would seriously consider not flying in order to avoid that airport.
pathfinda Nov 2nd 2007 9:40AM
..the reason I always fly out of Midway....
Janelle Nov 2nd 2007 11:40AM
Foreign Policy has their own list of the worst airports as well some of which are a bit more scary, in my opinion: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4032
Norville Nov 2nd 2007 11:47AM
I used to (and still occasionally) fly out of Atlanta Hartsfieldn and DFW ... they are far from the bottom of the list and sometimes can even be enjoyable (well Atlanta, that is).
Rachel Nov 2nd 2007 1:51PM
I guess it's not too surprising that the airports that made the list are also some of the most heavily traveled.
stefano Nov 2nd 2007 2:13PM
Paris, Charles de Gaulle without a doubt, is the most confusing airport I have ever been.
http://www.webyaa.com/category/travel
bob Nov 2nd 2007 5:51PM
It seems Neil Woodburn and Gadling have never been anywhere. An article with the title of "The WORLD'S" worst airports: should include MANY OTHER PLACES than just the US and London.
It's instructive to note you include mostly creature comforts. What about SAFETY, does that not count? Try Guatemala's Airport, like landing on a carrier. There are several hundred international airports like this, just as bad or worse.
bob Nov 2nd 2007 5:53PM
It seems Neil Woodburn and Gadling have never been anywhere. An
article with the title of "The WORLD'S" worst airports: shouldinclude MANY OTHER PLACES than just the US and London.
It's instructive to note you include mostly creature comforts. What about SAFETY, does that not count? Try Guatemala's Airport, like landing on a carrier. There are several hundred international airports like this, just as bad or worse.
Ursula Nov 3rd 2007 2:20PM
I was at JFK to transfer from one flight to another. My flight was delayed over 2 hours, and it was the "international" terminal, it was the grossest thing i have ever seen in my entire life. The bathroom was full of broken stalls, and toilets covered by grabage bags! One sink worked and there was no soap or paper towels that i can remember. Mind you ther were at least 200 of us in this terminal. Gatwick and Heathrow i find to be pleasent, with okay bathrooms, etc, but you have to walk so far to your boarding gate, which i think is the worst. Some of these airports are just so huge that you can barely nagivate through them!
barbara lee Nov 3rd 2007 2:24PM
give atlanta a break!!!!! I have flown from there for 35 years......it is big, but great!!!!! considering the the number of people using this airport, it is efficient and well organized!!!!
afdbgasdf Nov 3rd 2007 2:34PM
they forgot Lambert St. Louis International, w/o a doubt waaaay worse than any of these...
Charles Allen Nov 3rd 2007 2:44PM
LaGuardia Airport is the worst airport running. It's small, cramped, dirty and dark compared to most modern airports. Worst of all, between the bad traffic in and out and the delays, I suggest that no one ever flies in or out of it. If possible, go to JFK. JFK is not as bad as people think. LaGuardia needs to to torn down and remodeled.
NYGabriel Nov 3rd 2007 2:52PM
Each othe airports you mentioned have SEVERAL terminals. LGA - The US Air terminal is big and spacious. JFK - American (8,9). Jet Blue (6) and Air France (1) are REALLY nice terminals.
Does delays make an airport the WORST or does amenities or does safety. None of the airports listed were unsafe and isn't that the most important thing in flying?
B. Ishler Nov 3rd 2007 2:58PM
I can deal with Atlanta domestic flights, but recently returning from on an international flight I found a very rude TSA agent on the security check between the international and domestic terminals. My horror story is the Venice airport where even if you arrive 2 hours in advance, the windows are not open for check in until one hour in advance and then everyone mobs the window with no organization. We barely made our flight even though we had arrived in plenty of time. It was awful.
Catherine Nov 3rd 2007 3:13PM
Great-- we are flying from O'Hare to Heathrow in two weeks!!! I personally LOVE O-Hare- can't figure out what all the complaints are about. Maybe since I've traveled all over the world and have been in some pretty scary, disgusting places (like Miami!!!), and O'Hare is my home base, I'm prejudiced, but it embodies the excitement of travel and the comfort of returning home. GO BEARS!!!!
FemFlyer Nov 3rd 2007 3:22PM
Although several of the airports mentioned in the article are quite difficult, I find it's all the new restrictions which make things so difficult for the average traveler. Sure, overbooking, increased number of flights, with no new runways, and all those sorts of things, don't make the process any easier, but the new standard, of HAVING to arrive 2 hrs before your flight, to check in, go through Security, then just SIT...and wait, and wait, and wait...sometimes to discover your flight is overbooked, and you may be asked to give up your seat. Doesn't much matter where you are at a time like that...it's enough to make the Pope swear...all the frustration.
Gerard Kennedy Nov 3rd 2007 3:31PM
Dublin in Ireland has got to be the worst airport in the western world. It was designed to handle 5M passengers a year and now handles 15M. It is straight out of the 1970's. There has been no development in years while the government, the labor unions and other vested intresteds argue among themselves. It is awful. Awful, awful, awful!!!
Frank Nov 3rd 2007 3:37PM
ROME FIUMICINO IT THE WORST. DIRTY AND NEVER
ON TIME. ON AUGUST 25,07 I WAIT 4 HOURS TO
RETRIEVE MY LUGGAGE. NO AIR CONDITION AND
RUBBISH ALL OVER THE PLACE.
NEVER AGAIN FLY IN TO FIUMICINO.