20 of the Worst Airport Experiences You Can Have in the Whole World

There’s nothing worse than being stuck at the airport. Or is there? Well, there is: there’s nothing worse than being stuck at a terrible airport. The dirtiness, chaos, unfriendly staff and lack of facilities can quickly turn your trip in a nightmare that will make you wish you’d taken the train or a boat instead. Before you book your next flight, you might want to know which airports are some of the world’s worst so that you can rethink your route.

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Juba International Airport, Juba, South Sudan

Juba rates as the world’s worst airport, mainly since the primary terminal facilities are tents, according to a survey by Sleeping in Airports. It’s hot, dirty and crowded; there’s no electricity and you run the risk of falling through the rotting plywood floor. Then again, one of the most dangerous things you can do while travelling is to visit a country that is at war.

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Bangui M’Poko International Airport, Bangui, Central African Republic

The Economist says the fence around the Bangui airport has been stolen. This means that when planes come in to land, they have to watch out for people trying to cross the runway, making for a rough landing.

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Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines

A common scam at Manila Airport is known as “laglag bala,” which means “drop bullet,” according to The Economist. It involves officials planting bullets in your luggage and then demanding bribes so you won’t be arrested. Of course all around the world there are legitimate ways of getting flagged at customs too.

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Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

At Port Harcourt, the arrivals terminal is a tent and there is a lack of air conditioning and bathroom facilities. Worse, though, according to Sleeping in Airports, is the rampant corruption that means bribes are expected for just about anything.

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Heraklion International Airport, Heraklion, Greece

According to Sleeping in Airports, what makes Heraklion Airport on Crete one of the worst is that it’s generally overcrowded. Queues often stretch to outside the terminal and inside the bathrooms are dirty and there’s no air-conditioning. If you want to look good while you’re waiting outside in the sun, try these travel beauty hacks.

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Santorini Thira National Airport, Santorini, Greece

Santorini is one of the most popular Greek islands to visit but this means the airport is overcrowded. Sleeping in Airports says that disorganized check-in and security procedures also cause frequent flight delays. You might want to visit Santorini as part of a cruise instead, unless you prefer cruising off the beaten path.

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Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, Pyongyang, North Korea

A correspondent for The Economist says that the atmosphere at Pyongyang’s airport is totalitarian, reflecting the country’s government. At least the airport also has a chocolate-fondue fountain.

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King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Sleeping in Airports says that the main airport in Jeddah is dirty and gets very crowded during Hajj season. The staff are rude and incompetent and, as The Economist says, will subtly discriminate on the basis of class and caste. If you tend to be a nervous traveller, follow these tips to lower your anxiety.

Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida

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Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida

The Economist calls Miami the worst airport in the United States because of the endless queues at passport control. The variety of shops here is smaller than you’d expect too.

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Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Dar es Salaam’s airport doesn’t have many amenities to speak of. There are uncomfortable benches for passengers to wait on but, as Sleeping in Airports says, the bright side is that these benches don’t have armrests so you can catch some sleep.

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Rhodes International Airport, Rhodes, Greece

Like the airports on Crete and Santorini, Rhodes has long queues which may or may not lead to the correct check-in counter. According to Sleeping in Airports, the bathrooms are horrible too and there’s no air-conditioning. Amenities are limited.

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O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa

O.R. Tambo isn’t a bad airport if you can look past the surliness of the staff. However, as The Economist says, theft from luggage is very common and you may even get your bags slashed in the process. Limit your losses by buying your travel items at the dollar store.

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LaGuardia Airport, New York, New York

Travel+Leisure quotes a pilot as saying that LaGuardia is a complete pain from beginning to end. “The airport is packed. The food sucks and it’s insanely expensive. There’s people everywhere. It’s old.” It’s also the airport with the most flight delays in the United States.

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Simon Bolivar International Airport, Caracas, Venezuela

The Economist cites the incompetence at Caracas as one of the reasons for making this one of the world’s worst airports. You can also expect to have your carry-on searched in detail. Twice. That said, there are some items you should always have in your carry-on.

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Beauvais-Tille Airport, Beauvais, France

Beauvais-Tille serves several budget airlines flying to Paris and is located far outside the city. Amenities are basic but according the Sleeping in Airports, passengers’ main gripe is that the airport is closed at night so you can’t sleep in the terminal to catch that early flight. At least there are ways to fly in comfort on a budget.

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Luton Airport, London, United Kingdom

As The Economist says, “Going on holiday and returning to Luton is like having a wonderful dream and waking up to find yourself in a puddle under a railway bridge.” Seating is limited, queues are endless and the food is overpriced.

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Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, China

According to Sleeping in Airports, Guangzhou will greet you with overpriced food, limited seating and unfriendly staff. To use the Wi-Fi, you need to have a Chinese cellphone number.

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18 / 20

Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan’s main airport is far too small to accommodate the growing numbers of passengers travelling through. Sleeping in Airports says that the limited seating is uncomfortable to boot, services are lacking and you’ll have to contend with long wait times. Following these tips from airport workers may help make things run a little more smoothly, though.

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Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal

Sleeping in Airports says that the airport at Kathmandu is chaotic, with a lack of signage and flight information. The bathrooms are terrible and some officials will demand bribes.

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Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Ontario

Pearson is huge and generally pretty good but, according to Travel+Leisure, things fall apart as soon as there is a bit of wind or snow. This is when you can expect delays and cancelled flights. If you’re planning to fly to or from Toronto during the colder months, be sure to follow these expert flying tips for winter weather.

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