Business travelers from around the globe should have good reason to feel comfortable next time they make a touchdown in the Philippines as the country was recognized as one of the best airports in the world by a well-known travel website.
In its annual Business Travelers ranking for the World's Best Airports, Globehunter selected NAIA as the 44th best from among the 45 leading airports around the world. The country's main gateway was given 3 out of 5 Stars and earned a 63.9% On-Time arrival grade.
On the No. 1 spot is Japan's Narita International Airport, that had a perfect 5 of 5 Stars and 81.1% On-Time arrival performance.
Criteria
Globehunter based its rating on NAIA's total passenger volume, transit time private and public vehicles, destinations served, amenities, and local and international air companies operating in the airport.
The website showed that NAIA had 45,082,544 total passengers, while the Narita International Airport had 42,601,130. On second place was Los Angeles International Airport, with 3 stars, 73.9 grade, and 87,534,384 total passengers. Germany's Frankfurt Airport came in at 5th, with a 71.4 performance rating and 69,510,269 passengers.
According to Globehunter, "All over the world, airports are a hub for business travelers as they jet off across the globe." It added that "However, not all airports are created equal and some offer a far better experience for those who are flying for business."
From the number of lounges to price of parking, the United Kingdom-based flight expert said that it had evaluated some of the world's busiest airports and "compared the facilities and services they offer."
Piece of history
NAIA, formerly known and still popularly referred to as the Manila International Airport (MIA), is the main international gateway for travelers to the Philippines and serves as the main hub for flag-carrier Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, CebGo, and AirAsia Philippines.
Named after the late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., who was assassinated at the airport in 1983, NAIA had 6.79% increase in passenger volume last year.
Tight security
Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration Port Operations Division chief Grifton Medina said the Philippines remains as the only country in the Southeast Asian region with a Tier-1 Status given by the US State Department. Tier-1 means the highest level of security in terms of the country's ongoing drive against human trafficking and other forms of illegal travel.
Top 10
Here are 10 of the 45 airports that made it to Globehunter's Word's Best Airport for Business Travelers List for 2019:
1. Narita International Airport (Japan)
2. Los Angeles International Airport (United States)
3. Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
4. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands)
5. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (United States)
6. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (United States)
7. Munich Airport (Germany)
8. Madrid Barajas Airport (Spain)
9. Tokyo Haneda Airport (Japan)
10. Dubai International Airport (UAE)
