Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat rank low among Asian airports, but CAAV rejects assessment
Vietnam’s two major airports of Tan Son Nhat in HCM City and Noi Bai in Hanoi are among the worst in Asia, according to the results of a poll on a website specializing in assessment of airports.
Lack of facilities is a disadvantage of the Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: Allvietnam
The Guide to Sleeping in Airports has published the list of the worst airports in Asia in 2014 based on votes from visitors all over the world. The evaluation criteria are based on experience of visitors for convenience, comfort, hygiene and the quality of customer service at airports.
Of the 10 worst airports in Asia, Vietnam has two representatives - Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat. The air is always hot, passengers move in chaos and an unsanitary environment were factors that contributed to its ranking as the fifth worst airport in Asia.
Located in the tropical area with humid air, the air conditioners at the Noi Bai Airport are not enough to satisfy visitors. The increasing number of passengers makes this worse. The lack of facilities such as a currency exchange stall and luggage trolleys are also disadvantages, according to comments on Sleeping in Airports site.
Last year, Noi Bai was named on the list of poorly judged airports and this year Vietnam has another name on the list, Tan Son Nhat Airport, which ranked eighth.
Although this airport is regarded as better than Noi Bai, the facilities at Tan Son Nhat Airport are evaluated as only average, while hygiene is seen as unstable. In addition, the problem of air conditioning and unstable wifi are disadvantages at Tan Son Nhat.
The worst airport in Asia in 2014 is the international airport of Islamabad Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, according to the report.
The list of 10 worst airports in Asia in 2014:
1. Islamabad Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan (ISB)
2. Kathmandu Tribhuvan, Nepal (KTM)
3. Ninoy Aquino, the Philippines (MNL)
4. Tashkent, Uzbekistan (TAS)
5. Noi Bai, Vietnam (HAN)
6. Baiyun, Guangzhou, China (CAN)
7. Phnom Penh, Cambodia (PNH)
8. Tan Son Nhat, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (SGN)
9. Dhaka Shahjalal, Bangladesh (DAC)
10. Chennai, India (MAA)
The Guide to Sleeping in Airports (full name is Budget Traveller's Guide to Sleeping in Airports) was established in 1994 with the aim of guiding young tourists on how to travel in the most economical way. The method is based on evaluation, votes and comments of all global travelers. The statistical results of this site have been cited by many international wires.
CAAV denies the results
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) said that the poll results on Sleeping in Airports does not fully and objectively reflect service quality at the two Vietnamese airports.
CAAV representatives said that this site is not run by a professional organization on air services so the poll results are inaccurate.
The CAAV said that the aviation industry of Vietnam has made great efforts to improve and enhance the quality of services at the two airports. The relevant state agencies and the airports have invested in infrastructure, equipment, technical facilities, service standards and raised the awareness and attitude of aviation staff.
However, the CAAV still considers the above assessment as important information to have solutions to further improve the quality of services at Vietnamese airports, including Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat.
