Lisbon Portela Airport has been ranked the world's worst airport. Photo / Humphrey Muleba, Unsplash
Lisbon Portela Airport has been ranked the world's worst airport. Photo / Humphrey Muleba, Unsplash
Auckland airport ground to a halt yesterday for emergency repairs to the runway.
Holiday makers using the Waitangi public holiday to get out of the city for a long weekend had plans thrown into disarray as the airport stopped flights for an hour.
One woman had a 90-minute trip turn into an eight-hour odyssey, and at least seven planes were diverted as far away as Christchurch.
As the second time the runway has been closed for emergency repairs in as many weeks, the esteem with which AKL is held is sinking for many Kiwis and international travellers.
But how do you measure the worst, or indeed best, airports in the world?
The ongoing construction works are a feature of AKL airport. Photo / File
For the past six years, passenger advocates Airhelp has been releasing an annual airport rankings list. Comparing travel hubs on passenger reviews, services and on-time performance, the list names and shames the worst performing runways.
With an average score of 7.58 out of 10, Auckland was number 60 on the list. Or, dead average in the 132 airports surveyed.
Compared to Lisbon's Portela Airport - the worst performing airport with just 4.7 out of 10 for on-time performance – AKL's record is shining. Even after factoring in the constant roadworks and semblance to New Zealand's most visited construction site.
However, there are many flaws in Airhelp's rankings which might let the worst offending airports get away. The rankings disproportionately feature busier airports, with quieter airfields flying under the radar.
Juba International, in South Sudan, has improved in the rankings since opening a new terminal. Photo / Chetan Sharma
Sleeping in Airports is a website that began out of necessity. Like an airport survival guide, the rankings compare the best and worst airports while factoring in a 9-hour delay.
While planes are moving, travellers are overlooking a travel hub's other shortcomings. However, Sleeping in Airports might be a truer review of a travel hub's passenger friendliness.
Near the bottom of this year's list was Juba, South Sudan, summarising: given the "airport's location in a war zone, travellers shouldn't expect much in the way of comfort or services." Although, having opened a new terminal last year, it has actually gained in the SIA rankings.
Another contender for world's worst airport is LOS, in Nigeria.
Lagos Murtala Mahammed International is Nigeria's most profitable airport. However, you'd be forgiven for not realising. SIA reviewers complained of dirty floors, smelly bathrooms, broken escalators, attempted extortion - calling it "an embarrassment to the country" and the "worst airport on the continent". This is not one for an airport layover.
Auckland Airport is New Zealand's busiest transport hub. Photo / File
The main complaints that affect an airport's rating include lack of amenities, poor transport connections or downright misnomers:
Passengers booking flights into "London" Stansted, or "Stockholm" Skavsta are regularly shocked to find their bus connection is longer than the initial flight.
In spite of its semblance to a building site, AKL, on general, doesn't attract such negative sentiments by SIA reviewers. Although passengers have noticed the ongoing expansion does mean it gets "kinda noisy at the times" this is not the airport's biggest detractor.
The "biggest minus" for Auckland Airport is the limited 2-hours of free Wi-Fi. It's amazing what passengers will put up with, given access to free internet.
"Two desks operating for about four flights. Don't know if it was trainee day, or passengers who have no clue, one couple kept a check in desk blocked for 40 minutes. Boarding area seems to be pretty much running at full capacity and not even in peak season yet." - James McAndrew-Smith, Flight Radar
Henri Coanda International, Romania - 60.3%
"Hands down the worst airport I've been in. Lack of places to sit in the airport lobby, crowded, very dirty ( actually saw a colony of ants feeding from bread leftovers, extremely overpriced food ( triple prices) . . ." - Clocky, Flight Radar
Eindhoven Airport, The Netherlands - 59.2% "We were fed through the typical queuing barriers which was absolutely fine, but a real lack of any organisation once the line ended. Anybody could, and did, go anywhere. I've never encountered pushing and shoving like it. Would be very reluctant to fly through the airport, opting instead to take the train to AMS." - Gavin Leadbetter, Flight Radar
"Departures and arrivals are put together. Immigration forgot to stamp one of the passports and we had to go back and give it to them. Everything is old and if ou are travelling in first or business, you won't feel any of the luxury." - Ahmad, Flight Radar
Lisbon Portela Airport, Portugal - 57.7%
"Possibility one of the worst airports I travel to regularly. Even though it is fairly new, it already feels dated. Inside terminal 1, even though wifi is offered, you can't use it. Data connection on your phone is mostly non-existent, and making voice calls can be a pain as well. As a business traveller it is the worst spot to wrap up some work. The terminal buildings and gates are hot, even when it is cold outside. And the restroom facilities are appalling." - Arvid Bux, Flight Radar
