Congress's solution to flight delays caused by sequester-mandated budget cuts is going to cause pain in the long run.
To avoid further furloughing air traffic controllers, the FAA will be allowed to draw on funds that had been set aside to improve the nation's airports.
American airports aren't great to begin with, and now they won't be getting much better.
To give American travelers a look at what they're missing, we've put together a list of the world's best airports, based on the 2013 World Airport Awards, announced this month by leading airline reviewer Skytrax.
The awards, which include categories for best terminal, shopping, security, cleanliness, dining, and more, are determined by public opinion. More than 12 million people responded to this year's survey.
As President Obama noted in a press conference Tuesday, the highest ranked U.S. airport is Cincinnati at #30. Not very impressive.
10. London Heathrow Airport
Yearly passengers: 70 million
2012 rank: 11
Why it's awesome: Despite London Mayor Boris Johnson's concern that Heathrow gives visitors "a terrible impression of the UK," the overcrowded airport made it into Skytrax's top ten.
The third busiest airport in the world in 2012, it took home the awards for Best Airport Shopping and Best Airport Terminal, for T5, which opened in 2008 after a $6.2 billion, 19-year design and construction process.
Heathrow's Skytrax review includes four or five out of five star rankings for ease of use, flight information, public transport, security staff efficiency, and more.
Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figures are preliminary rankings for 2012 provided by Airports Council International.
9. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
Yearly passengers: 66.8 million
2012 rank: 14
Why it's awesome: Haneda moved up five places this year, partly thanks to how clean it is.
With a third, international terminal that opened in 2010, Haneda can accommodate 90 million passengers annually.
More construction is already in the works: The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced plans to expand the new terminal with eight more gates, more parking, and a hotel, by March 2014.
The airport won the Skytrax awards for Best Airport Terminal Cleanliness and World's Best Domestic Airport, and took second place for Best Airport Immigration Service.
Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figures are preliminary rankings for 2012 provided by Airports Council International.
8. Vancouver International Airport
Yearly passengers: 17.6 million
2012 rank: 8
Why it's awesome: The least busy airport in the Skytrax top ten, Vancouver International offers visitors a large collection of Pacific Northwest Coast Native art.
Skytrax named Vancouver International the Best Airport in North America for the fourth year in a row in 2013, a streak that justifies the $1.4 billion the airport spent on recent expansion.
Volunteers, known as Green Coat Ambassadors, work in the airport to help travelers get where they're going.
Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figures provided by Vancouver International Airport.
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