Heathrow has been voted the worst international airport for passport queues and baggage problems, a survey of air travellers said on Friday.
New York's JFK and Los Angeles International airports were ranked second and third worst in the survey by online travel and social network WAYN.com (Where Are You Now?).
The survey asked 2250 passengers about passport control, baggage handling, customs and security at major international airports.
Heathrow, the world's busiest air hub, was voted the worst for long passport queues followed by the two American airports, the poll said.
The three were also seen as having the longest wait time for collecting baggage and were considered the most likely to damage luggage, the poll said.
However New York and Heathrow were also regarded as the best airports for security, with British travellers putting Heathrow at number one.
Bangkok, Amsterdam and Rome were considered to have the least-thorough security, the poll said.
"Our survey results may be pretty damning in terms of Heathrow's reputation for passenger service but I guess all travellers would agree security is much more important," said WAYN joint founder and joint chief executive Jerome Touze.
"In this respect Heathrow can be proud to be considered among the best in the world," he said.
Heathrow's passport control officers were also considered the friendliest after Australia's followed by Canada, although British travellers put Heathrow first, the survey said.
US immigration officials were given the unwanted tag of being the rudest, followed by India and Russia.
"Our survey would suggest that the US customs and immigration need address their attitude towards visitors, simplify the form filling, generally be a lot more welcoming and better reflect the personality of the American people," Touze said.
Travellers wanting the shortest queuing times should head for Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Changi in Singapore or Frankfurt.
AFP
