Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal By Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal   Just last week, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was once again included in a list of top airports worldwide. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for the world’s best airports, but rather, for “The World’s Most Frustrating Airports Around the World.” The list came out in Matador Network, a travel website which regularly features articles on destination for travelers. It also publishes a review of airports (best, worst, best for a long layover, etc.), places of leisure, hotels, trains, and several other topics, which are very helpful for those who love to travel and explore the world. Just last May 18, 2018, the website came out with another list of the top 7 airports in the world which are very frustrating for travelers to pass through. According to the site, the list covers “airports around the world (which) suffer from design flaws so glaringly problematic you’d think they were created for some patience-testing prank show. Long distances between terminals, confusing layouts, and overcrowding due to poor planning are common complaints when it comes to the most frustrating airports in the world.” The list includes perennial offenders from Europe and the Americas. Of the top seven listed, only one airport is from Asia. Unsurprisingly, it’s our very own Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila which made it to the list. We not only made it to the top seven, but even made a podium finish, landing third from the top. Those who made it to the not-so-distinguished list are as follows: 1st placer: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Paris, France, with about 69.5 million passengers in 2017. 2nd placer: LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York, USA, with about 29.7 million passengers. LaGuardia is one of two international airports in the New York. The other airport is the JFK airport which handled about 59 million passengers last year. The total of the two airports comes to about 90 million passengers in 2017. 3rd placer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Manila, Philippines, where 42 million passengers passed through last year. 4th placer: Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Frankfurt, Germany which had 64 million passengers in 2017. 5th Placer: São Paulo-Congonhas Airport (CGH), São Paulo, Brazil, had 21 million passengers. The other international airport in Sao Paulo is the Guarulhos International Airport, which handled about 37 million. The total of the two airports comes to about 58 million passengers in 2017. 6th placer: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, USA, which processed 89 million passengers last year. 7th placer: Heathrow Airport (LHR), London, UK, which had about 78 million passengers just last year. Looking at the list, one can argue that even those from highly developed countries suffer the same fate as the Philippines which has considerably less funding and infrastructure support. But we also have a substantially lesser number of incoming arrivals. So what gives? I passed through NAIA 2 last weekend upon returning from Tokyo, and I was expecting long lines again in getting through immigration and baggage claim. I was surprised when we were directed to pass though the baggage claim for domestic flights instead of the international flights area. We were informed that the immigration area and baggage claim area for international flights were undergoing renovation. So currently, immigration in NAIA 2 is at the side of the baggage claim area for domestic flights. There were only a handful of immigration officers who were manning the booths. I think there could have been more immigration officials, but there was no more space to put booths. As for the luggage claim, ALL Philippine Airlines flights that taxi in NAIA 2 have to claim their luggage from just one conveyor belt. I hope this is just temporary, and the renovation for the arrival area of international flights is completed as soon as possible. I am certainly not alone in expressing incessant and frustrating complaints when flying through the Manila airports, but there must be a way to solve these never ending and seemingly unsolvable problems. The Philippines has made it to so many lists that criticisms are often credited to bashers, haters, and the disgruntled, but there is something to be said about those who spend precious time ranting or coming up with credible and questionable list of sorts. People are still hoping the issues raised on NAIA are finally addressed. Whether it’s leaky bathrooms, long lines, laglag-bala, our airports have made such a distinct and disturbing impression that our inclusion in the world’s worst lists is a given, almost inevitable.   https://www.facebook.com/GoyYLarrazabal/ https://www.facebook.com/LarrazabalLawOffice/ https://twitter.com/GoyYLarrazabal