Oh I do so love that excuse, did you even watch all of the 99 version? There's not that much filler and the 2011 has those dumb as recap episodes which are just as bad or worse than a filler. 99 version had a total of 5 filler episodes, 2011 had 2 recap episodes so really 99 only had 3 more "wasted" episodes than 2011.
And it's odd how everyone who says 2011 stayed on the manga better ignores the fact the 2011 version omitted those first moments in the manga when Gon met Kite, learned of his father, got his father's hunter license from Kite and was inspired to start his journey. For a scene that is essentially the catalyst to the whole story it seems odd to be left out, so the 99 was actually more to the manga in that regard as they included that scene.