SmarterTravel Releases List of World's Scariest Airports
SmarterTravel has released the following list of the World's Scariest Airports for take-off and landing. Highlights of these airports include limited visibility landings, inconveniently placed volcanoes, and runways formed when the tide goes out. The photograph above shows a sign warning beachgoers at the Barra Airport in Scotland.
Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel, says, "Naturally there are numerous safety regulations in place to ensure these commercial airports remain perfectly safe. However, in my personal experience and from talking with several pilots we interviewed, these airports top the list of scariest take-offs and landings with mountains that appear out of nowhere, volcanoes and very low visibility - among others. If you're looking for a rush, you are sure to get one."
Here is SmarterTravel's picks for the World's Scariest Airports:
Barra Airport, Barra, Scotland: It's always a beach landing and runways form when the tide goes out.
Gibraltar Airport, Gibraltar: The main road to Spain intersects the runway.
Toncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras: A 45-degree bank and quick drop in altitude.
Nantucket Memorial Airport, Nantucket, Massachusetts: Fog often forces pilots to rely solely on instruments.
Paro Airport, Paro, Bhutan: Mountainous terrain means every flight is an aeronautical feat.
Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia: Located on a flattened mountaintop, so overshooting the runway means dropping over a cliff.
La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala City, Guatemala: A startling approach weaves through volcanoes and mountains.
LaGuardia Airport, New York City, New York: Crowded airspace (JFK/Newark are nearby) and main runways extend over water.
Wellington International Airport, Wellington, New Zealand: Windy and the northern approach threads local hills and trolley lines.
John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana, California: Noise ordinances force pilots to quickly reduce throttle on takeoff.
You can see photographs of the scariest airports here.
