South Sudan takes tentative step forward as former rebel leader becomes VP
South Sudan’s new Vice President Riek Machar, center-left, walked with President Salva Kiir, center-right, after being sworn in at the presidential palace in Juba.
Juba, South Sudan — Peace doves that had remained in their cages for more than a week were released Tuesday, as South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar set foot in Juba for the first time in more than two years. Mr. Machar was then whisked to meet President Salva Kiir – until recently his opponent in the country’s bitter civil war – and was inaugurated as first vice president.
Machar’s return is crucial for ending the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced 2.3 million since it began in 2013, just two and a half years after South Sudan gained independence in 2011. He had been expected in Juba last Monday, but disputes over the number of troops he was traveling with and the types of weapons they were allowed to carry delayed his arrival.
The eight-day wait tested the patience of many, and is a fraught beginning to this new chapter in South Sudan’s history.
For South Sudanese, the daily delays were a stressful teaser. Some doubted Machar would return at all. For the international community, they represented the intransigence of both sides, calling into question the millions of dollars and years of diplomacy spent trying to achieve peace.
“What is surprising for me is not that the implementation of the peace process has stalled, but that anyone is surprised that it has stalled. There is very little good faith on the two sides and certainly very little trust in each other” said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council, in an interview on the organization’s website.
Five years ago, the international community was eager to assist the newly independent South Sudan. But today, diplomats have become fed up with both sides.
South Sudan is experiencing a crippling economic crisis, and one of the first tasks of the unity government will be negotiating a financial rescue package from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Diplomats talk of a “new normal” in relationships to the government, where donors scale back financial assistance and offer aid only with conditions, such as increasing funding to health and education services.
Some say that the current peace deal doesn’t address the drivers of the conflict.
“Forming a government with the same actors responsible for the collapse of the economy and atrocities holds open the possibility that grand corruption will return to its pre-war patterns,” says John Prendergast, founding director of the Enough Project.
Indeed, the task for Kiir and Machar will be to manage not only their fraught relationship, but the extremists in each of their camps who have an interest in stopping the deal. Yet on Tuesday, those partisans did not make an appearance.
Instead, President Kiir apologized to the people of South Sudan and the international community.
“We acknowledge there are unresolved indues related to the [peace] agreement, but I promise we will resolve those issues amicably,” Kiir said, looking out from under his signature cowboy hat.
The cowboy hat has become a staple of Kiir’s wardrobe, after he first received it as a gift from President George W. Bush. In 2005, Mr. Bush was instrumental in securing the independence of South Sudan.
Perhaps a signal that the support of the international community is more important than individual grudges, Machar made a notable fashion choice as he arrived in Juba.
Like Kiir, he sported what appeared to be an American cowboy hat — perhaps an ode to the international support that South Sudan needs now more than ever.
Presidential Disaster Declaration Issued For Houston
Residents are helped into a dump truck as they evacuate their apartment complex.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office today confirmed that President Obama has approved the governor’s request for a federal disaster declaration for Fayette, Grimes, Harris and Parker counties. The action paves the way for federal recovery assistance to begin flowing into the Houston area.
“I hope this leads to help for all of our residents who were impacted by the flooding, including our most vulnerable residents in the 17 apartment complexes in the Greenspoint area,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Many of these families have lost everything and they do not have the financial means to recover. They have a whole host of needs that include housing, transportation and more. I urge the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be flexible in its decision making regarding assistance for these residents.”
More than 1900 apartment units were damaged in the 17 complexes in Greenspoint. Approximately 200 of these units took in as much as six feet of water. In addition, hundreds of single-family homes in Houston along White Oak and Brays Bayous also suffered extensive damage.
Houston residents and business owners who sustained losses in Harris County can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or by a web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov.
The City of Houston has established a website to help residents navigate the disaster recovery process, which includes the latest information from FEMA, as well as ways to receive and give help following the flooding. Visit houstonrecovers.org for more information.
S.Africa’s ANC opens treason case against leftist leader Malema
The move follows an interview Malema gave to Al-Jazeera television Sunday in which he said that if the government used violence to suppress protest “we will remove this government through the barrel of a gun”.
Cape Town (AFP) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has brought a case of treason against opposition leader Julius Malema after he threatened a violent overthrow of the government, the party’s spokesman said Monday.
The move follows an interview Malema gave to Al-Jazeera television Sunday in which he said that if the government used violence to suppress protest “we will remove this government through the barrel of a gun”.
ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa announced on Twitter that the party had gone to police to lay a charge of treason against Malema, leader of the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
“The ANC has just opened a case of high treason against EFF and its leader Julius Malema in his personal capacity with Hillbrow police station,” Kodwa confirmed to News24.
Earlier, the ANC released a statement saying Malema’s remarks “are a call to violence, inflammatory, treasonable and seditious”.
In the interview, Malema said: “We will run out of patience very soon and we will remove this government through a barrel of a gun”.
The EFF has been demanding the ouster of President Jacob Zuma for several months, accusing him of corruption.
EFF deputies regularly disrupt parliamentary sessions, sometimes shouting anti-Zuma slogans.
Last year, EFF MPs were expelled from the assembly by security guards after fights broke out.
“We are a very peaceful organisation, we fight our battles through peaceful means, through the courts, through parliament, through mass mobilisation, we do that peacefully,” Malema told Al-Jazeera.
“But at times the government has attempted to respond to such with violence, they beat us up in parliament… They sent soldiers to places like Alexandra (township) where people are protesting.”
The EFF leader, 35, was expelled from the ruling ANC in 2012 when he was head of the party’s youth wing.
He founded the radical leftist EFF a year later which entered parliament with 25 deputies after May 2014 elections, becoming the third largest party.
Things are so bleak in the oil industry that an offshore-drilling company got a 90% discount on a $700 million rig
If you want a perfect encapsulation of just how bad it is for the energy industry, we’ve got a story for you. Ocean Rig, an offshore oil-drilling company, just got an incredible “going out of business” deal on a deep-ocean drillship. According to maritime-industry blog gCaptain, Ocean Rig got a sixth-generation drillship that was worth up to an estimated $700 million in 2011 for just $65 million.
So Ocean Rig just got a 90.7% discount on a massive piece of equipment. As gCaptain noted, Ocean Rig bought four of a similar type of rig from builder Samsung Heavy Industries in 2008 for $800 million each. The price for a barrel of crude at the time was as high as $140 — crude is now just above $40. This isn’t necessarily surprising. In an age when energy companies are becoming increasingly cost-conscious, offshore drilling is one of the most expensive types of drilling.
The seller of the rig, Brazilian firm Schahin Group, also tells a part of the energy industry story. The company is one of an ever increasing group of oil firms to go into bankruptcy and have to liquidate assets to survive. So pretty much the read here is that the sale is a great deal for Ocean Rig, and another terrible sign for the industry.
The US has deployed 2 F-22 fighter jets to Russia’s backyard
The US has deployed two of its most advanced fighter jets to Romania in order to better keep an eye on Russian activity in the Black Sea, the Air Force Times reports.
The two F-22 Raptors are part of a supporting US force that has been deployed to NATO member Romania. The aircraft are there as part of a mission intended to “bolster the security of NATO allies and partners in Europe,” according to a US Air Force press release.
The F-22, the first truly operational fifth-generation fighter in the world, will be used to further increase interoperability between the US and fellow NATO nations as well as signal to Russia that the US will stand with NATO against any Russian aggression.
“These aircraft have the ability to project air dominance quickly, at great distances, to defeat any possible threat,” US Lt. Gen. Timothy Ray said of the F-22 deployment in Romania at a press conference.
The deployment comes soon after Russian military aircraft repeatedly buzzed a US naval ship that was in international waters in the Baltic Sea.
In response to that incident, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the ship would have been justified in shooting down the Russian aircraft.
The US decision to place the F-22s in Europe also comes on the heels of dire predictions concerning NATO readiness to defend the Baltics in the event of a Russian invasion of the NATO member states.
In February, the think tank RAND published a report estimating that, at current defense levels, Russia would be able to occupy the Baltics in just two days.
The F-22 deployment is not the only indication of US concern over a Russian drive to become a global power. In response to concerns that Russia has increased its submarine activity to Cold War levels, the US is will reopen a submarine-hunting base in Iceland because of Russia’s increase naval activity in the North Atlantic.
Who gets Prince’s money? Jehovah’s Witnesses could gain from the Singer’s estate
One of the smallest faiths in the U.S., known for its conservative values and talking about the end of days, could gain a massive fortune after the death of one of its most prominent members.
Prince, the gender-bending singer famous for his sensual music and theatrics, was a devout member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. While it is unclear whether he arranged a will, Prince has few living family members, leaving many to speculate that he may have left some of his estate to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The singer was worth at least $300 million, according to the online site Celebrity Net Worth, and his estate will continue getting money from royalties after his death.
There are only about 8.2 million active Jehovah’s Witnesses, in a little more than 118,000 congregations around the world, and the church spent $236 million in 2015, according to the 2016 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which annually chronicles the organization’s activities. The church has no paid clergy, and its website touts a modest lifestyle — most of the money was spent on caring for leaders, missionaries and traveling overseers around the world.
No matter what happens with Prince’s estate, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are poised to acquire a significant fortune sooner rather than later. The church plans to sell its property in the Brooklyn borough of New York for as much as $1 billion as part of its plan to move its world headquarters to Warwick, New York, the New York Times reported this year. Church representatives declined to be interviewed for this article, but if the group were to become a beneficiary of Prince’s estate, the money would be added to the amount to be gained through the property sale and potentially change the organization’s annual budget in a drastic way.
The Obamas’ U.K. visit in photos
President Barack Obama and first lady #Michelle Obama spent Friday in London, United Kingdom, meeting with Queen Elizabeth and dining at #Kensington Palace with the royal family. It’s Day 2 of a four-day stay in the U.K., where Obama has made his case for the U.S. and U.K. to maintain their “special relationship,” and against British withdrawal from the European Union.
Princess #Kate Middleton talks with first lady Michelle Obama in Kensington Palace, London, prior to a private dinner hosted by Prince William and Kate on April 22.President Barack Obama steps off Air Force One at Stansted Airport in London on April 21.#President Obama shakes hands with British Prime Minister #David Cameron at the conclusion of a joint news conference at 10 #Downing Street in London on April 22.President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are greeted by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle on April 22.Members of the royal family welcome the Obamas to Kensington Palace on April 22.Britain’s Prince William talks with President Obama as Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama talk while Prince Harry looks on at Kensington Palace in London on April 22.President Barack Obama, Prince William and First Lady Michelle Obama play with Prince George at Kensington Palace in London on April 22.Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama walk from Downing Street to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on April 22.Royal Guardsman look out from the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle on April 22.The president’s convoy sits outside Windsor Castle on April 22.
Nigeria’s Information Minister says Government is working to resolve issue of Fulani Herdsmen
Nigerian information minister Lai Mohammed said the government is working to resolve clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farming communities in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s government is “working very silently” to resolve ongoing clashes between herdsmen and farmers that have killed hundreds in 2016, according to its information minister.
The conflict between the roaming pastoralists, who mainly come from the Fulani ethnic group, and settled farming communities has ramped up in recent months. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari ordered an inquiry into clashes that resulted in hundreds of deaths between Fulani herdsmen and farmers armed with guns and machetes in February in Nigeria’s central Benue state.
A series of reports in 2015 by humanitarian agency Mercy Corps estimated that the four states most affected by the violence—Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Nassarawa—stand to gain up to a total of $13.7 billion annually if the conflict is reduced to near-zero.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said on Sunday at a prayer service in the southwest Ogun state that the government was aware of the problem and was taking steps to address it.
“These communal clashes are very delicate issues, very emotional and what the government is doing is working very silently to ensure that people who used to live together before without any conflict will go back to that. In [a] few weeks from now, we will begin to see the result of that,” said Mohammed, according to Nigeria’s Premium Times.
The herdsmen-farmer conflict is just one of several security issues the Nigerian government is trying to deal with. The jihadi group Boko Haram—which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in March 2015—is continuing a bloody insurgency in the northeast that began in 2009 and has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 2 million.
Militants have also upped attacks on oil pipelines in 2016, contributing to a grinding fuel shortage and recalling the Niger Delta militancy of the mid-2000s, which saw armed groups patrolling the Delta’s creeks and kidnapping oil workers. Additionally, pro-Biafran protesters have continued to clash with Nigerian security forces in the country’s southeast.
The Fulani is an ethnic group spread across West Africa that constitutes one of the main ethnicities in Nigeria. The Fulani controlled the Sokoto caliphate, one of Africa’s major 19th-century empires, until it was overthrown by the British in the early 1900s. The herdsmen-farmer conflict has often been characterized as an ethnic war between the roaming Fulani and settled ethnic groups, including the Hausa and Christian communities, but the authors of the Mercy Corps reports argue that the conflict is primarily a war over scant resources.
Beyoncé burns Jay Z in new video and album
Beyoncé burns Jay Z in new video and album Beyonce dropped the new album and hour long video for “Lemonade” on Saturday.
By Hardeep Phull | New York Post |
Bey’s back, and if you think the “Formation” video caused a stir, then check out “Lemonade.”
Her long-awaited sixth album, “Lemonade,” was announced to the world on Saturday night via an hour-long video companion, which premiered on HBO. The central theme was her strained relationship with husband Jay.
A number of songs, including “Pray You Catch Me” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” alluded heavily to the rapper’s long-rumored infidelity. The video segment to “Hold Up” left even less to the imagination, as Bey is filmed cheerily walking down a street, using a baseball bat to smash up everything in sight. Too subtle? Well, try the next scene, in which she drives a monster truck over a row of cars, completely obliterating them.
The track “Sorry” even goes as far as throwing in names. Beyoncé wistfully sings, “He only want me when I’m not there/He better call Becky with the good hair.” Whether Becky is a fictional name or not, it seems we finally know what Jay’s 2014 showdown with Solange Knowles in a Standard Hotel elevator was all about.
Just as the HBO video seemed destined to end in divorce papers, the album’s narrative actually took a turn towards reconciliation, especially on the raw piano ballad “Sandcastles.” It featured accompanying footage of a reunited Jay and Bey tenderly holding and caressing each other.
The visual album also made a point of addressing the other main man in her life – father Matthew Knowles. The bluesy “Daddy Lessons” didn’t shy away from his own infidelity and his emotional mistreatment of Beyoncé’s mother, Tina. But the singer also paid homage to her father’s wisdom, included were scenes from a touching home video with Knowles and a pre-teen Beyoncé.
“Lemonade” also featured a string of cameo appearances from celebrities, including Zendaya, Amandla Stenberg, Quevenzhané Wallis and a twerking Serena Williams.
The album and its visual companion are streaming exclusively on the Jay Z-backed streaming service TIDAL, which describes “Lemonade” as a “conceptual project based on every woman’s journey of self-knowledge and healing.”
Here’s 18 Lemonade Lyrics That Seem to Confirm Jay Z Cheated on Beyoncé
As Beyoncé’s Lemonade special unfolded on HBO Saturday night, it became clear that Beyoncé was mad at someone. A lot of people thought it might be Jay Z, and that the special would end with the couple announcing their divorce. Spoiler alert — they reconciled by the end, but it’s clear there was some drama along the way. While some viewers thought Bey’s lyrics were directed at her father, Mathew Knowles, others thought they served to confirm rumors that Jay cheated on Beyoncé at some point (never forget the elevator). Below, 18 lyrics that seem to support the latter theory.
1. You can taste the dishonesty / It’s on your breath as you pass it off so cavalier. (“Pray You Catch Me”)
2. Can’t you see there’s no other man above you / What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you. (“Hold Up”)
3. Something don’t feel right because it ain’t right, especially coming up after midnight / I smell your secrets and I’m not too perfect to ever feel this worthless / How did it come down to this, going through your call list? / I don’t wanna lose my pride but I’ma fuck me up a bitch. (“Hold Up”)
4. What’s worse, looking jealous or crazy? Jealous or crazy? / More like walked all over lately, walked all over lately, I’d rather be crazy. (“Hold Up”)
5. It’s such a shame, you let this good love go to waste. (“Hold Up”)
6. Who the fuck do you think I am? You ain’t married to no average bitch, boy. (“Don’t Hurt Yourself”)
7. I am the dragon breathing fire / Beautiful man, I’m the lion / Beautiful man, I know you’re lying. (“Don’t Hurt Yourself”)
8. I smell that fragrance on your Louis V, boy / Just give my fat ass a big kiss, boy / Tonight I’m fucking up all your shit, boy. (“Don’t Hurt Yourself”)
9. This is your final warning / You know I give you life / If you try this shit again you gon’ lose your wife. (“Don’t Hurt Yourself”)
10. Looking at my watch, he shoulda been home / Today I regret the night I put that ring on / He always got them fucking excuses. (“Sorry”)
11. He only want me when I’m not on there / He better call Becky with the good hair. (“Sorry”)
12. My daddy warned me about men like you / He said, “Baby girl, he’s playing you.” (“Daddy Lessons”)
13. I’ve always been committed, I’ve been focused / I always paid attention, been devoted, tell me what did I do wrong? (“Love Drought”)
14. Ten times out of nine, I know you’re lying / But nine times outta ten, I know you’re trying. (“Love Drought”)
15. Are you aware you’re my lifeline, are you trying to kill me? / If I wasn’t me, would you still feel me? / Like on my worst day? Or am I not thirsty enough? (“Love Drought”)
16. Pictures snatched out the frame / Bitch, I scratched out your name and your face / What is it about you that I can’t erase, baby? (“Sandcastles”)
17. We built sandcastles that washed away / I made you cry when I walked away / And although I promised that I couldn’t stay, baby / Every promise don’t work out that way. (“Sandcastles”)
18. Found the truth beneath your lies / And true love never has to hide. (“All Night”)
10 of the Worst Airports in the World
Long security lines. Rude ticket agents. Cars packed like sardines in the departures and arrivals lanes. Spotty Wi-Fi at best. No matter where you’ve traveled, you’ve likely encountered one or all of these not-so-glamorous aspects of flying. It’s great to be able to climb onto a vehicle that can cross oceans within hours, but enduring airport headaches is the price we pay for it. One usually effective way of avoiding airport stress is by flying on a private jet. And while you may think that luxury is reserved simply for the mega rich and powerful, I’m here to tell you that that is not the case. Jettly is an app that allows you to find on-demand private jet flights to take you to your desired location, and you might want to give them a chance if you want to avoid the usual tribulations of a normal airport experience.
At a few rare destinations, like Singapore’s Changi International Airport, layovers and flight delays are inconveniences to celebrate. Who wouldn’t mind a few extra hours in an airport with a sauna, spa, koi pond, and free movie theater? In most cases, you deal with the normal grievances and make it to your flight, forgetting the lousy but typical experience at the gate. But in some instances, the airport truly detracts from your trip and makes the entire experience something Dante would use for inspiration.
Each year, SleepingInAirports releases its list of worst airports, based on reviews from the past 12 months. This year, more than 26,000 responses were included, and ranked airports based on the overall experience, cleanliness, services available, customer service, comfort, and “sleepability” (for the site’s namesake). The average ratings are used to come up with the list.
The good news? If you only take domestic flights in the United States, you’ll skip the horrors of using the world’s worst airports. The bad news? They span the rest of the globe. If you’re traveling for business or leisure, do what you can to stay away from these airports. And if you must fly from or to them, know what’s in store once you arrive.
10 of the Worst Airports in the World
Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria
Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Ara
Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal
Tashkent International Airport, Uzbekistan
Caracas Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela
Port au Prince Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Haiti
Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan
Ho Chi Minh City Tân S?n Nh?t International Airport, Vietnam
Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan
Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport, Paris, France
Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria
Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria
There’s almost no seating in this facility, and a tent serves as an arrivals hall. You also won’t find any air conditioning. Recent renovations do mean that some areas will have actual walls and windows, but the unhelpful staff is what earns Port Harcourt the No. 1 worst airport in the world this year.
“This has to be the most corrupt airport in the world. ‘Bring money’ as they say in PH. It’s a standing joke,” one respondent attested.
In the days following SleepingInAirport’s results, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the country’s House of Representatives both took action. The FAAN contested the rating, saying much of the airport was still under construction. But the country has poured 400 billion naira (about $2 billion USD) into improving airport infrastructure across the nation, including at Port Harcourt. The abysmal ranking prompted an investigation to see if the money has been used properly to update facilities. Time will tell if it’s enough to remove Port Harcourt from the list in 2016.
Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia
From the reviews, this airport is almost out-of-control chaos. There’s smoking in non-smoking areas, odors seeping from the bathrooms, and immigration officers who could very likely be checking their phones instead of your passport, delaying lines in extreme fashion. In fact, many travelers strongly suggested avoiding this airport at all costs.
A new airport is in the works, set to open in mid-2016. Provided there are some staffing changes when the switch happens, there’s a potential for improvement.
Regardless, be cautious about how long your layovers are. Many travelers on TripAdvisor have reported having issues with flights scheduled with stopovers of 20 or 30 hours. Though often an airline mistake, travelers pay the price, since Saudi officials won’t allow layovers longer than 12-18 hours. Not that you’d want to stay in the airport for that long anyway, but it’s worth noting.
Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal
Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal
The airport’s domestic terminal is more like a bus station, several respondents said, and it has garnered at least part of its reputation for it’s horrendous bathroom conditions. “I had purposely dehydrated myself, so I wouldn’t have to use the restroom there,” said one traveler, apparently having learned from legend or unfortunate previous experience.
The Nepalese airport was on the list last year, too, but didn’t have much of a fair chance to improve conditions this year. Among other struggles, the earthquake that hit in March damaged the runway and further delayed plans to open a new domestic terminal, originally scheduled for a 2013 opening. If you’re flying into the airport for the first time, one experienced traveler offers this blog post about navigating the airport as easily as possible.
Tashkent International Airport, Uzbekistan
Once you get to your gate, you’ll likely be ok in this airport, which serves as the main gateway to Central Asia. Getting there, however, is pretty much the entire battle. Tashkent is known for its lines at every stage of check-in and security, and there’s little presence of crowd control. “Travelers should be prepared to quite literally defend their spot in the mob from pushy passengers,” SleepingInAirports wrote.
That crowd control is an ongoing problem, with alarming reviews dating back several years on other sites like TripAdvisor. If you must use this airport, be prepared to be a defensive passenger.
Caracas Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela
SleepingInAirports dubs this stop as “chaotic, uncomfortable, and dull.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement for a layover. You’re not likely to find an open chair, the bathrooms are dirty, and you won’t find much quality food. If you do need to use this airport and you’ll be there for more than a quick layover, respondents suggest shelling out the extra cash for a day pass to one of the airport’s two lounges, where free Wi-Fi eases the pain.
Though the reviews on SkyTrax are older, many reviewers also complained of long customs lines, often exacerbated by double security checks and other disorganization.
Port au Prince Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Haiti
Renovations are apparently on the way, but that didn’t stop travelers in Haiti’s capital city from complaining about the filthy bathrooms, stifling heat, and untrustworthy staff. Voters recommend bringing your own snacks, and keeping all valuables with you. In addition, be prepared to deal with overly aggressive baggage porters once you arrive.
Reviews on the airport’s Facebook page reveal similar complaints. “While it is centuries ahead of where it was 5 years ago, it is still very 3rd world. The press of people can be very intimidating for the the uninitiated. The services are limited and expensive and the choices are severely limited,” one reviewer noted.
Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan
Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan
Given the country’s ongoing turmoil, it’s not surprising that the airport isn’t exactly brimming with plush seats and luxurious amenities. SleepingInAirports says its international terminal has improved over the past few years, but the domestic terminal is rife with complaints. Overall cleanliness, staff courtesy, and a general lack of comfort were all points of concern for survey respondents. “Kabul International Airport has NO Facility at all. Adding it will be an improvement,” said one survey respondent.
Ho Chi Minh City Tân S?n Nh?t International Airport, Vietnam
You’ll find typical markers of terrible airports at Ho Chi Minh’s location, including disgusting bathrooms, poor Wi-Fi connections, and few (but pricey) restaurants to choose from. But the main cause for the airport’s poor rating is a growing number of allegations about corruption, particularly in customs. Many customs officers ask for bribes to make the process faster, and people who didn’t pay up immediately faced huge delays and often problems with their paperwork, SleepingInAirports said.
“The only way this airport can improve is to get rid of all the bribery, you have to pay just to get out of the airport,” one traveler said.
SkyTrax, another review site, had some positive reviews but also complaints of difficulty finding transportation from the airport and, again, long lines through customs.
Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan
Islamabad’s airport was named the worst one in 2014, so earning the No. 9 spot in 2015 is a pseudo-victory, if baby steps are the key to success. In the past year the airport upgraded bathrooms, opened a new lounge, and increased the number of ticket counters for travelers. A new terminal, slated for completion by the end of 2016, is expected to further improve conditions. Still, cleanliness is still a persisting issue, and the airport continues to have a reputation for rampant corruption.
Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport, Paris, France
Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport, Paris, France
The airport built “temporary” extensions on to make up for the crowds, but those were constructed 10 years ago, with no signs of more permanent structures to come. For now, you’re stuck with the warehouse ambiance. SleepingInAirports says this airport was voted the worst in all of Europe, at least in part for a lack of chairs, courteous staff, and cleanliness.
As the Telegraph points out, the airport’s location is also a problem. It claims to serve the capital city, (“Paris” is even in the name), but is actually about two hours from the city’s center by car. Also, good luck gaining access to free Wi-Fi.
“If the 7th Circle of Hell were a place on earth, it would be ‘Paris’ Beauvais-Tille,” one disgruntled traveler commented on SleepingInAirport’s survey.
