When planning a vacation, travelers consider several aspects, including flights, accommodations, and more. Everything is down to the smallest details, including airport amenities. They have, however, never investigated the airport’s importance. Some airports require pilots to have certain training or licenses before they may land easily.
Despite this, navigating cliffs, small runways, and wind shears is still no easy task. When flying in turbulent air, travelers often find themselves clenching their fists tightly and experiencing gastrointestinal distress. Airports like these are the most life-threatening places on Earth. The breathtaking scenery more than compensates for the terrifying takeoffs and landings.
Most Dangerous Airports in the World
The following list comprises the top 9 world’s most dangerous airports of all time:
1. Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal
At an elevation of 9,383 feet above sea level, enclosed by a steep landscape, lies Nepal’s Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport. The airport, which Sir Edmund Hillary oversaw in its 1964 construction, gives visitors easy access to Mount Everest’s base camp.
In January 2008, the Lukla airport was given a new name Tenzing-Hillary Airport in memory of the first two individuals to successfully climb Mount Everest. The airport is used by many tourists who come to see Mount Everest.
Its 1,729-foot runway is on the small side compared to the typical 7,000- to 10,000-foot runways, and it perches precariously on the brink of a cliff, flanked by a stone wall and a 2,000-foot plunge.
The Lukla airport lacks contemporary air traffic control capabilities, has limited power, and has extremely short runways for landing and takeoff. The pilot must land in a steep area while facing strong winds and dwindling visibility.
Since mountain weather is so uncertain, aircraft only take off in the morning. Unanticipated snowfall or fog often forces airlines to cancel flights.
The surrounding area is only suitable for smaller aircraft and helicopters, and pilots are required to undergo extensive training. It includes a minimum of one year of flying in Nepal in similar circumstances, as well as 10 consecutive flights to Lukla accompanied by a licensed instructor.
Still, there have been aviation disasters there in the past. Three individuals lost their lives in 2019 when an aircraft crashed into a helicopter after veering off the runway. When an aircraft attempted to land here in 2008, 18 people lost their lives. There have been further events.
2. Barra International Airport, Scotland
Located in Scotland, along the bay of Traigh Mhòr beach, the Barra International Airport sits on the northernmost point of the Barra Island. The airport is unique among other airports worldwide as it utilizes a sandy beach as its airstrip. Certainly, the only airport of all time to use the shoreline as its runway where this hazardous facility has a short track.
Pilots need to be on the lookout for unpredictable climate and tidal situations since the airport’s runways are only five feet above sea level and disappear entirely during a strong tide.
Framed with wooden markers, this beach has three airstrips. Only one of the three airstrips is in operation at any one moment. Depending on the direction of the wind, the operating runway is selected. During tide times, all runways of this airport are completely submerged, rendering them useless. The runway is marked out using the lights of cars to ensure secure travel of the passengers.
3. Princess Juliana International Airport, Sint Maarten
The Princess Juliana International Airport is a major regional hub and the oldest airport in Sint Maarten. The airport is located 15 km northwest of St. Maarten’s city, Philipsburg. The majority of its yearly passengers are from the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas. The number of passengers accounts for nearly 1.8 million annually. It generates 60% of St. Maarten’s GDP, making it the economic engine that promotes growth.
Although beneficial for the economy, the airport is risky in its own way. The airport boundaries are located on a beach. There are mountains on the other end of the runway. Citizens on the beach may feel the high wind and sand every time a plane lands since the approach of the aircraft is at an extremely low height.
Many warning signs are there since an aircraft’s jet blast might knock the viewers down or send them flying a few feet, inflicting serious damage. A real-life incident took place in 2017. A jet engine exploded and claimed a woman’s life. Along with other visitors, she was standing near the runway to enjoy the view while the airplane was getting ready to take off.
Despite the risks, Princess Juliana Airport continues to be a popular destination for tourists. Landing a jet so near to people and with the mountain in the background makes this airport one of the most dangerous in the world.
4. Courchevel Altiport, France
The Courchevel airport started operations in 1962. A major ski resort (Chalet Le Moulin) in Courchevel is served by the airport, which is located 90 miles (140 km) east of Lyon, France.
Courchevel Airport, in the French Alps, has a short runway of 1,762 feet (537 meters) with an 18% uphill inclination to aid aircraft in descending for landings.
Notable tiny planes and helicopters are the only ones allowed to operate on the short runway. It has the tallest tarmacked runway in Europe and is the shortest runway worldwide. Landing in low-visibility situations is also not feasible due to the track’s lack of lighting equipment and poor indicator landing system.
Take-off and landing procedures are among the Courchevel airport’s most difficult features. Due to its high height and strategic placement, the airport is subject to severe weather. Special requirements, such as completing a test given by a mountain aviation trainer, and maintaining the rating by flying once every 6 months, are necessary for pilots at this airport.
5. Paro Airport, Bhutan
Paro Airport, located at a height of 7,364 feet in the beautiful Himalayas, is the only entry to Bhutan. To prevent the rough terrain, flights are limited to daylight hours, and only seventeen pilots with specific training are authorized to fly over the small valleys and steep peaks. A landing is the beginning of this magnificent flight across the sky.
Using the ‘daylight-only’ method between the eighteen thousand-foot peaks, across the long, twisting valley, and onto the 7,431-foot runway that is visible only minutes before touchdown is only accessible to pilots with special certification.
For good reason, not many pilots have the necessary certifications to land at this airport. To start with, aircraft can’t use radar to find their way into the airport. Due to this, the pilot must fly manually only, using landing methods developed by expert pilots and aircraft engineers. These instruct the pilots how fast they need to be going and how high they need to be at several prominent checkpoints on the way into Paro.
Paro Airport is now served by only two airlines, Bhutan Airlines (privately owned) and Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines (state-owned), both of which operate on Airbus A319s.
6. Madeira Airport, Airport
The Portuguese island of Madeira is home to Madeira Airport, which is close to Funchal. The airport’s location atop a cliff meant that there was no flat area to expand the runway onto. Because of this, the addition was supported by pillars.
The airport’s tiny runway—only 1600 meters in length—was at first a source of concern due to its perceived lack of safety. The runway was set to be extended shortly after the 1977 tragedy involving TAP Portugal Flight 425, which was the worst airline disaster in Portugal at that time.
To land their aircraft at this airport, pilots need to have particular training and certifications. Windy days are a draw for the many commercial and private planes that use the airport because of how popular it is.
No matter the season, numerous planes are forced to re-approach or detour to another airport due to heavy wind gusts. Videos of the airport’s frequent go-arounds and choppy landings are uploaded on YouTube and they all are viral.
The airport’s remarkable contemporary architectural achievements have garnered several accolades, despite the challenging circumstances. The structure was honored with the ‘Outstanding Structure Award’ in 2004 by the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.
7. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba has the world’s shortest runway. It covers the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba and is barely 400 meters long, sitting at an elevation of 18 meters. Because of its closure to jet traffic and all other types of aircraft, this airport can only accept STOL aircraft for landing. Even the 1933 original “King Kong” film took advantage of the little runway.
Moreover, it is bordered by cliffs on one end and the coast on the other. Even smaller planes have a hard time landing here, but larger ones definitely can’t.
The runway is surrounded by mountains on one side and is dangerously near the Caribbean seas on the other; a single mistake on the part of the pilot might send the jet tumbling into the ocean.
8. Gibraltar Airport, Gibraltar
The 5,500-foot (1,676-meter) runway at this 1939 airfield is flanked by water, forcing pilots to swiftly apply the brakes upon landing. Plus, there’s a major roadway that gets closed every time an airplane lands, which further complicates matters.
The Aviation Safety Network reports that, despite the apparent danger, the airport has maintained an impressively low landing accident rate since August 1951.
A road crosses the runway at Gibraltar Airport, which is an unusual feature. The Main Street of Gibraltar, as reported in a number of online sources, is not this route. Well in advance of any landing or departure, the road is blocked off and all vehicle and pedestrian traffic is halted.
Under normal circumstances, airplanes are not likely to come across runway traffic. For more than a decade, plans to build a tunnel in place of this route have remained dormant.
The plane’s ability to land at Gibraltar Airport is highly dependent on factors such as low visibility and crosswinds. Before being transferred to Gibraltar Airport by bus, any aircraft that encounters limited visibility before landing is redirected to Malaga Airport.
9. São Paulo Congonhas Airport, Brazil
São Paulo Airport, sometimes known as Congonhas Airport, is located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The airport, constructed in 1936, has been engulfed by the expansion of São Paulo. What this implies is that planes are essentially flying over roofs along their route to the runway.
Rain poses another significant threat at this airport due to the runway’s configuration. There have been many mishaps caused by the airport’s slick runways. Rainwater can no longer cause damage because of the newly constructed runways. The new runways are grooved to soak up any rain that may fall.
Numerous city structures are in close proximity to the airport. Because of the wet and slick runway conditions, pilots must use extreme caution while touching down. A plane disaster in July 2007 took place that killed all 187 passengers and 12 ground crew members at the airport.
The airport has recently installed an Engineering Material Arresting System (EMAS) to stop planes from racing the runway and drainage channels in the runway surface to make it less slippery.
Conclusion
Pilots often don’t get simple landings at airports. Some need certain certifications and training. Navigating wind shears, small runways, and cliffs is still an accomplishment. When flying in turbulent air, travelers often find themselves clenching their fists tightly and experiencing gastrointestinal distress.
However, it may be difficult to put a number on how many characteristics, such as a very short runway or hilly terrain, impact the airports that are deemed the most hazardous on a global scale.
Among the considerations mentioned earlier, the layout and geography of an airport have a significant impact on the level of risk associated with operating an aircraft. Pilots are kept informed of all airfield and surrounding activity by most passenger airports’ extensive infrastructure, which includes visual aids and warnings.
FAQs
Which Country Has The Windiest Airport?
Wellington, New Zealand, is the world’s windiest airport followed by Sapporo (Japan). Wellington’s EDR is 16.318 (highest average turbulence measure).
Which Airport Has The Most Traffic?
‘Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport’ has the most traffic as of 2024. The airport serves approximately 10 million passengers per year.
Which Country Has The Most International Airports?
As of June 2024, the USA has approximately 10 thousand international airports.