Worst aiport for aviators.

[phineas]

I’m new to this so please be gentle. I’ve probably been to 20 international airports in my life if I were to rank them best to worst Heathrow, from a passenger perspective, would be in the top quarter. From an aviators point of view which are the worst? There must be some unpleasant and aggressive ATC, incompetent ATC, bizarre local regulations, dangerous approaches etc.

[HeathrowAirport]

In my Oppinion Heathrow is not the worste it does more with less than any other airport, I think saying its the worste just defies the object that thousands do everyday.

Remember Heathrow is changing and getting better not worse.

[Wannabe Flyer]

From a passenger perspective I look for the following at any airport

1) Ease of movement within the airport
2) Spare time activities/dining/shopping
3) Clean Toilets
4) Good and speedy immigration
5) Good ground connections
6) Baggage handling
7) Baggage carts that dont have minds of thier own

(Above in no particular order)

My favourites

1) Hong Kong
2) Bangkok
3) Singapore
4) Amsterdam (love the housefly in the urinal, you should see first time flyers aiming high!!)
5) Newark

Recent disappointments

1) Amman
2) Dubai (more to do with that they have made them selves out to be larger than life and they are not)
3) Sanya

Flying thru LHR is a pain as a passenger, especially post 9/11. Have successfully avoided over the years with with all the new non stop flights and different services now availiable. Still miss the charm of flying in the late 80's and early 90's where smiles were all over the place.

Just my 2 cents as a passenger.

[Akrapovic]

I find Italian airports can be a bit of a nightmare.

Pisa is renowned for changing the runway at a moment's notice, and normally for no apparent reason. They have no ATIS, and won't broadcast to all on frequency that the runway has changed. WHat normally happens is, you'll get the weather from the tower, brief and do performance for one runway, then when you call for taxi, they'll send you to the other runway like nothing's happened . . . very frustrating.

Rome Ciampino have a habit of doing the same, even with a decent tailwind, which leaves you stuck on the ground while you wait for a gap to go off the 'safer' end. On top of this, ground rattle off taxi instructions like you've flown out of the place all your life, which usually ends up with me saying '' . . .didn't get any of that, repeat pls'' (more than once aswell!!).

[Dit]

Personally, I dislike:

Dublin airport, mainly due to the number of cul-de-sacs, leading to sitting waiting to get in/our of where you want to be. I also found the rapid-fire taxi instructions amazingly difficult to understand and remember when I first went there. It also grings to a halt during LVPs.
Rome Ciampino, can never make a 25 min turnaround there!
Trapani, unbelievably relaxed ATC, too relaxed in my opinion, especially when you're not familiar with the aiport.
I do like

Gatwick, which I think is a very well run, busy, compliacted airport, much like Dublin should be.
Manchester, as above.
Rome Ciampino, lovely views of the city on the ILS, just wish I had more time to look!
Marseille, as above
Almost everywhere in Scandanavia, Germany and Poland, as they're very efficient on the ground, very friendly too.

[dubh12000]

Hate: Dublin, Birmingham, Malpensa (I think it's the decor!) and JFK

Love: Zurich, Newark, Schipol (suprisingly)