Travel vlogger Alex Welder, who boasts over 40,000 followers on Instagram, has stirred up a heated conversation online with his latest scathing review of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The social media influencer, known for his candid travel insights, shared a clip detailing his frustrating experiences at the airport, dubbing it “Asia’s worst airport.”
In the video, Welder doesn’t hold back on his critique, saying, “Asia’s worst airport? Welcome to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport. I had the ‘pleasure’ of traveling through and transferring through this airport quite a few times and every single experience has been one to forget.” He goes on to list the numerous issues he encountered, including “overcrowding, congestion, inefficient check-in process, long queues, and excessive security procedures.”
Welder also took a swipe at the airport’s notorious history of corruption and theft. “The airport has a history of corruption case, scams, and theft of passengers’ belongings,” he noted, adding that he had personally experienced frequent flight delays. “One time, our plane even had to return because a toilet door didn’t open and work properly due to poor maintenance prior to the flight.”
Despite the harsh criticisms, Welder managed to find a silver lining, commenting that “the food options [are] still relatively decent, definitely better than the crap they serve in most European airports.” However, his overall assessment remains grim, with him urging followers to share their thoughts if they know of a worse airport.
In his now-viral Instagram post, which has garnered nearly 40,000 likes, Welder wrote, “NAIA Airport is notorious for delayed flights, scams, thefts by airport staff, and inefficient processes.” He also acknowledged the efforts to improve the airport, saying, “I read that the airport actually underwent drastic improvement the last couple of years, so I don’t want to imagine what the airport was like a couple of years ago.”
Welder’s post comes at a time when the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is undergoing significant changes. Earlier this month, the multibillion-peso NAIA privatization project officially took off. The San Miguel-led New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) took over operations of the airport on September 14, 2024, marking the beginning of a new era for the facility.
The privatization aims to modernize and expand NAIA to enhance passenger experience and accommodate increasing air traffic. San Miguel Corporation (SMC) plans to overhaul the airport’s infrastructure, including terminal upgrades and a more efficient passenger flow. As part of the long-term concession, SMC will manage and operate NAIA while ensuring the smooth transition of the current workforce.