Let’s face it: all airports are pretty dismal.

They’re not exactly designed to be easy on the eyes. If we had to pick any overarching design plan, we’d guess airports were designed to aggravate, infuriate, and empty traveler’s wallets.

However, of all the terrible airports in the world, we’ve selected a few lucky candidates for our first ever “Worst Airports in the World” awards.

We can’t wait to hear the acceptance speeches.

Most Dangerous: Baghdad Airport and the Lukla Airstrip

Which is more dangerous: landing under threat of missiles, or an agonizingly short uphill airstrip in the mountains of Nepal?

It depends on who you ask.

Baghdad’s dangerous reputation started somewhat recently due to the war zone implemented in the last few years. The road leading from the airport was not-so-affectionately nicknamed “RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade) Alley” because of the seemingly constant insurgent attacks launched there. Travelers were in fear of attack as soon as the plane landed – that is, assuming the plane landed at all. Missiles are an ever-present threat. Officials have launched campaigns and funding to deter Baghdad’s reputation as the most dangerous airport in the world – though with the increased safety precautions, flying in and out tends to come with extreme waiting times.

Lukla, on the other hand, has always been a hair-raising experience. For Mount Everest hopefuls and veterans, Lukla is generally the only way to reach the mountain. As if the prospect of landing on a 2,000-foot hill wasn’t unnerving enough, dangerous weather and unsafe flying conditions abound. Crashes and incidents are hardly uncommon.

Most Hated: London’s Heathrow and Chicago’s O’Hare

A 2007 TripAdvisor poll asked 2500 travellers to rate their absolute least favorite airport. Travellers rated the respective airports on how easy they were to navigate, how clean the restrooms were, and how frustrating and/or lacking the parking facilities were. The unlucky winners? Heathrow and O’Hare tied for the top spot.

Worst Place to Get Stuck: Charles de Gaulle

As beautiful as Paris is, the Parisians sure have a terrible airport. Travelers overwhelmingly vote Charles de Gaulle as SleepinginAirports.net’s “Worst Airport in the World” every year. What makes ol’ Charlie so terrible? Frequent encounters of mentally unstable homeless people don’t make for pleasant evenings spent at Charles de Gaulle. Add in limited restaurants, dirty facilities, and a lack of seating, and this airport does not make for a pleasant layover, delay, or (we shudder to even think it) cancellation.

Most Bizarre: Mineralnye Vody

Really, Mineralnye Vody? Daggers and swords for sale at your shops? Feral cats roaming the airport? Disgustingly dirty facilities? A giant map of the Soviet Union still hanging on your walls?

Welcome to the most bizarre airport you’ll ever lay eyes on. Travellers must pass through several security checkpoints just to get to Mineralnye Vody, and once there, they can buy their own swords (in addition to decorative drinking horns and copies of the Kama Sutra).


It’s Time for Your Nominations

So, readers, who wins your own personal “Worst Airport of the Year” award? JFK? LAX? The local airstrip that wakes you up at 5:00 AM every Saturday? Share your Worst Airport Awards nominations with the world.

Image Source: Formal Fallacy @ Dublin (Victor) via Flickr