If asked to name the safest mode of transportation, most people would likely say airplanes. Experts argue that the odds of dying in a plane accident are less than one in a million. However, it’s inevitable to feel a surge of anxiety when encountering turbulence or experiencing a bumpy ride. But did you know that most airplane accidents occur not in the sky but during takeoff and landing at airports with dangerous runways? Let’s take a look at the top 10 most dangerous airports in the world that you might want to avoid on your next international trip.
Princess Juliana International Airport, Saint Martin
Princess Juliana Airport, located on the Saint Martin island of the Caribbean Sea, is often cited as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Initially built for military purposes in 1942, it was converted to a civilian airport in 1943. The runway of Princess Juliana International Airport is perilously close to the beach, leading to hair-raising situations during takeoff and landing.
Madeira Airport, Portugal
Built in 1964, Madeira Airport is known for frequent airplane accidents. The runway of Madeira Airport is not built on solid ground but is supported by pillars, like a bridge over the water, with a large parking lot beneath it. On the other side, there is a steep cliff, which has been the cause of frequent accident headlines. Due to the continuous accidents, Madeira Airport has extended the length of its runway.
Lukla Airport, Nepal
Lukla Airport in Nepal is a small airport tucked away between the peaks of the Himalayas. It’s famous as the starting point for many climbers ascending Everest. The short 1,509-foot runway was carved out of a mountainside and has a steep incline. Landing requires a high level of skill, letting only veteran pilots land here. The airport permits pilots with more than a year of domestic flight experience to land in Nepal.
Barra International Airport, UK
Barra Airport, located on the Isle of Barra in the UK, was named one of the most dangerous airports in the world in 2011. The reason for that is that the runway is a beach. Instead of being paved with solid asphalt, it’s a sandy runway without a single runway light to assist with takeoffs and landings. It’s said that when landings occur at night, car headlights are used to aid the aircraft landing.
Courchevel Airport, France
Courchevel Airport in France, located in the French Alps mountains, is the highest airport in Europe and one of the smallest in the world. As such, the landing spot cannot send any signals, and there are no lights, making the airport unusable on foggy days or when low clouds are present. Moreover, it has a dizzying incline of 18.5%, which means that only specially certified pilots can take off and land at Courchevel Airport.
Gustaf III Airport, Saint Barthélemy
Gustaf III Airport has a single 2,133-foot runway paved with a mixture of asphalt and concrete, and it draws considerable attention due to the unique steep descent required when landing. The track is so narrow that there is a risk of the aircraft hitting the adjacent mountain or the sea. Not only is it dangerous for aircraft itself, but it’s also hazardous for civilians on the ground. Signs warning beachgoers not to lie down near the landing area can be found everywhere.
McMurdo Station, Antarctica
McMurdo Station in Antarctica has three runways to supply necessary materials to researchers and explorers. While it might look quite good, the runways are ice, requiring high-level landing skills. Over the past 50 years, the surface of the runway has melted significantly due to a 2-degree increase in temperature and continues to melt gradually. The ice used as a runway could break at any time.
Hechi Airport, China
China’s Hechi Airport has a long 1.86-mile runway. Located at an altitude of 2,221 feet in a mountainous region, it experiences severe turbulence, and there’s not a single runway light to aid the aircraft’s takeoff and landing. While the airport can handle simultaneous takeoffs and landings of three aircraft per hour, it doesn’t have a control radar and control systems, leading most airlines to refuse to land there.
Toncontin International Airport, Honduras
Toncontin International Airport in Honduras is one of the airports pilots try to avoid due to its mountainous terrain and short runway. The runway is so short that in 2008, a plane landing at Toncontin International Airport ran out of the runway, resulting in five deaths and 65 injuries. Since then, the mountain in front of the runway was cut down, and the length of the runway was extended, but the airport still has a short runway, making it difficult to land.
North Front Airport
North Front Airport was established in 1939 as a military base and was used as an emergency landing site for the British Navy during World War II. However, it is now an airport used by civilians as well. The runway of this airport is slightly different from typical runways as a regular road intersects it. Therefore, when an aircraft is taking off or landing, the road is closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
By. Hye In Oh
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