The article describes the most dangerous, unusual, impressive and amazing airports in the world, which should be visited by interested and inquisitive tourists. Many of them cause just a flurry of positive emotions, and some terrify, but they all definitely leave an indelible impression.

St. Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport

The airport is located on the island of St. Martin, where you can often meet influential businessmen and show business stars. “Princess Juliana” during the Second World War was an ordinary airstrip, but today it is one of the busiest international airports in the Caribbean. The length of the runway is minimal for large airliners and is just over 2000 meters.

Airplanes come in for landing in the immediate vicinity of the beach area. Vacationers quickly get used to hovering over their heads and strong gusts of wind, so they have fun and take selfies against the backdrop of planes landing. There is nothing surprising in the fact that this airport is considered one of the most dangerous in the world.

If you are already interested in all the most unusual, I also recommend viewing The most unusual hotels in the world and The most unusual beaches in the world.

Kai Tak Airport (Hong Kong International Airport)

The “heavenly haven” of Kai-Tak air transport in Hong Kong, due to the unusual approach pattern, has earned a place on the list of the most unusual and dangerous. If you watch the video, you will definitely not envy the passengers! I can imagine how breathtaking they were when the plane performed a 47-degree turn.

Needless to say, all this happened right above the residential areas? Planes literally swept past the balconies and windows of houses. Plus, high hills and frequent gusts of wind, the direction of which was constantly changing. Extreme landings at this airport were closed in the spring of 1998 for the happiness of passengers.

Paro Airport

Paro's “air harbor” is the only paved one in all of Bhutan. Fewer than ten pilots around the world are certified to land. This is not because the Kingdom is so greedy and not because there are so few talented aviators ready to fly long distances.

This is due to the fact that not every pilot will be able to go around the mountain and enter the landing course at a height equal to several tens of meters. Well, the plane landed, and then there is an equally extreme takeoff ahead. Just imagine, right on the course of the mountain, and around … that's right, also mountains five kilometers high.

North Front Airport

Unusual is the airport of the smallest peninsula of Gibraltar called North Front. The area of British overseas possessions is only 6.5 square kilometers, which made it possible to equip a single runway. However, it easily crosses the entire territory of the peninsula. Surprising is the fact that the airport is only half a kilometer from the center, and its runway intersects with the local highway, which leads to the borders of Spain. It turned out to be a kind of crossroads of air and ground transport routes. A rather risky decision, but not a single accident involving an aircraft and cars has been recorded.

Mariscal Sucre Airport (Quito Mariscal Sucre International)

One of the highest mountains in the world (almost three thousand meters above sea level) is the airport in Quito. The airport building is very modern and allows passengers to comfortably wait for their flight. The negative side of this air berth can be attributed to the really dangerous location of the runway for takeoffs and landings. It is located between active volcanoes, which, among other things, complicate the work of the pilot, throwing out clouds of ash.

It is also worth noting that even in sunny weather, only a highly qualified specialist can land a plane, because the quality of the runway is far from perfect. Now add to this, for example, a tropical downpour. Agree, the task has become much more complicated. In general, another airport takes pride of place in the list of not only unusual, but also dangerous.

Barra Airport

What is so remarkable about this airport that it was included in the list of the most unusual? The fact is that its runways, 800 meters long, are located right on the sea beach by all standards. Naturally, for passengers from the windows of the planes, a stunning view of the Scottish expanses opens up. It is noteworthy that it is precisely because of the location that the flight schedule is controlled not by a person, but by nature, because it has to be compiled taking into account the ebbs and flows.

During high tides, there is no need to talk about any landings or takeoffs. Night flights are also excluded, although, if an emergency situation requires it, they will be allowed to land an aircraft. At the same time, employees will have to do so much – place special ribbons along the coast that reflect light, illuminate the strip itself, moreover, with car headlights, well, and manage the process. In a word, Barra Airport is one of the most dangerous, but damn interesting.

Gisborne Airport

In the city of Gisborne, New Zealand, there is another unusual airport. Aircraft that make domestic flights and use the Gies Born airport runway are forced to wait in line in order to miss the train. Trains were also forced, according to the schedule, to give way. Amazing, isn't it? The fact is that the runway crosses the railway tracks.

Matekane Air Strip

Is it possible to combine a landing strip and a sheer cliff? In the amazing and incomprehensible Africa, you can realize the most daring fantasies. A striking example of this is the landing strip of Matekane in Lesotho. If you are lucky enough to buy tickets for one of the flights, then believe me, you will never experience such emotions again.

The fact is that the length of the runway is only 400 meters. Is the tension rising? Fine! Pilots literally have to make a fall from a cliff together with passengers, because this is the only way to gain the required height. Paradox.

Funchal Madeira Airport

Portugal also distinguished itself by its non-standard solution and approach to construction. Funchal Airport is located in the Madeira area, the landing strip of which is located right on the edge of the cliff and is supported by 180 reinforced concrete pillars. Well, what else could you think of?

The island has a mountainous landscape and is surrounded by the waters of the sea, there is nothing left but to carve out a small flat area and supplement it with columns that rise directly above the water. A stunning picture appears before the passengers when the plane flies right into the mountains and at the last second turns right onto the runway. For this engineering solution, the airport was awarded a prestigious award.

Tegucigalpa Toncontin International Airport

Another airport, due to its location in a mountainous and hilly area and a short runway, has earned the status of one of the most dangerous and unusual in the world. A difficult approach requires skill from pilots, since the turn has to be performed at a fairly low and therefore dangerous height.

Tenzing-Hillary Airport

The airport was named after the first daredevils who managed to conquer the impregnable Mount Everest and reach its summit. It is one of the busiest in Nepal and regularly hosts flights with brave passengers who also dream of climbing to the top of the mountain. What is so remarkable about the airport? The fact that it is very dangerous, because even some experienced pilots could not avoid a sad fate.

Strong gusty winds, cloudiness and a runway that ends in a cliff – all this causes mixed feelings for those who have to land or take off.

Kansai Airport (Kansai International)

In the central part of Japan, there is an artificial island called Kansai, which is connected to the coast by more than four kilometers of track. In 1994, the official opening of the airport took place on the island. It's hard to imagine, but its construction cost $15 billion. Now imagine how much it costs airlines to land at these airports! Let's not torment – each Boeing gives about 7,500 dollars.

In fact, such investments in construction are related to the fact that it took a lot of money and effort to combat the subsidence of Konsai Island. His level went down all the time. Many already legitimately considered the idea of building an airport a failure, but flooding had slowed down. Today, the airport is functioning and impressing tourists.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport

This airport is undoubtedly the main air gateway to Malaysia and has three terminals. The ultra-modern building features breathtaking design and style. The huge space of the passenger hall is covered by a spectacular dome. There is nothing surprising in the fact that he was awarded the title of the most environmentally friendly airport in the world, and his five-level terminal (Main) is the best in the world.

Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport

This unusual airport is located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean. The runway of the Juancho E. Yrausquin International Airport is located on the border of the island and is the shortest in the world. It seems that a little more and the plane can fall off the cliff, and there it will be met by the boundless expanses of the ocean. For this, he is ranked among the most dangerous in the world. In general, the airport is for experienced pilots, small planes and brave tourists.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Perhaps the most politicized airport is considered to be the air pier of the city of Washington in the United States of America. Its location is in the Strategic Buildings of America area. In short, Reagan Airport is surrounded by the Pentagon, the Central Intelligence Agency and the White House. In general, pilots have to use their skill in maneuvering to avoid strategically important objects, otherwise big trouble can arise. How do you like these neighbors?

Courchevel Airport (Courchevel)

Courchevel Airport is located on the slopes of the Alps in France, and its runway is 520 meters long, and also has the largest slope in relation to the horizon, more than eighteen percent. But you must admit, the area is indescribable.

Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport

In the heart of the town of Innsbruck are the runways of Kranebitten Airport. From all sides, the air harbor is surrounded by residential buildings and city buildings. The town itself is surrounded by high mountainous terrain, well, with such parameters, how not to include it in our list?