Airports - we love to hate them even though they are a necessary evil, especially if you want to travel out of an island nation like New Zealand. But what makes airports so terrible, and what would make for awesome airport experiences? Leif Pettersen of Lonely Planet decided to investigate.

'Even a casual observer with no idea of what it's like designing, building and running an airport can immediately blurt out a list of glaring airport flaws and ways to improve the experience. I know, because I asked this exact question on social media and rarely have I been inundated by such a flood of fuming responses.

Alas, it appears to me that when airports are designed, architects have a short list of priorities: accommodate planes that need huge parking places, leave space for shopping, toss in a useless design element to impress fellow architects, and perhaps sprinkle in questionable art exhibits. Other considerations, duly listed below, are apparently an afterthought, with certain unnamed airports covering nearly the entire Fail Bingo Card.'

What makes airports terrible or brilliant? Which ones do you love or hate? Leave your comment below ...

What makes a terrible airport:

• Expensive or difficult to access
• Multiple layers of security
• Not enough power outlets
• No food or drink vendors after security
• Terrible and expensive food options and/or no food sold at night
• Not enough seats
• Taking a ten-minute shuttle ride from the gate to the plane
• Inescapable CNN at nightclub volumes
• Crappy signage

Leif's airport wishlist:

• Free WiFi at turbo speed
• Water fountains, coffee and ice machines every 50 feet
• Showers that aren't outrageously priced
• Dedicated napping areas
• A local history and culture centre (with food court)
• Free taco and ice cream buffet
• Always happy hour
• Sun deck
• A 15-minute shoulder massage and a cupcake for every two hours your departure is delayed
• Slides (instead of moving walkways)
• Do away with the planes altogether, and install a human pneumatic tube system

This is an extract from a full article that appeared on Lonely Planet. Read the full article there. Photo via Getty Images.