The 10 Most Dangerous Airports in the World

Fear of flying is definitely out of place here. I will show you the 10 most dangerous airports in the world - and yes, they are actually served! Some of them are even located in dream vacation destinations, such as in the Caribbean.

There are tourists who are incredibly excited about their upcoming well-deserved vacation - if it weren't for this flight. Yes, fear of flying can spoil the anticipation for some travelers. If you're among those passengers who don't particularly enjoy flying, then check out my tips against fear of flying or take a look at the most dangerous airports in the world! Here, one doesn't fear flying, but rather the landing! So lean back and enjoy your flight - unless your plane is heading to one of the most dangerous airports in the world.

Actually, no airport should have been built on Saba since there simply wasn't a suitable place for it. Every proposed location was initially considered too dangerous - until the mayor of St. Barth made a private landing on the mountain where the current Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport is located. Since that landing, the airport in Saba has been built there. According to the motto: If it works once, it should work in subsequent attempts. One could consider it lucky that no accident has happened here yet, as one side goes up a mountain and the other and at both ends of the runway directly into the sea. Thus, there is no way to simply roll the plane out in an emergency. The runway is officially one of the shortest in the world at around 400 meters.

As beautiful as the takeoff and landing strip of the Caribbean island of St. Barth may appear, the landing is anything but safe. Situated between mountains and the sea, it is only 640 meters long. But what wouldn't one do to reach one of the most beautiful and luxurious islands in the world! Travelers visiting this Caribbean island usually have enough money to hire a private and very experienced pilot. So they have been quite lucky.

At an elevation of 2,236 meters, it holds the title of Bhutan's only international airport. Since this airport is also located in a deep valley, landings and takeoffs are only possible in good weather.

Furthermore, only experienced pilots are allowed to land here, as the approach is considered very difficult. However, the runway here is now nearly 2 kilometers long; up until 1990, it was only 1.4 kilometers long.

So, anyone who goes swimming here definitely has strong nerves. We're talking about the beach right in front of the Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten. Most beach vacationers don't flinch when a huge plane lands; instead, they impatiently wait as it flies just ten meters overhead in its final approach, holding on to a fence to withstand the extreme winds created by the aircraft's engines. I think we can all agree that there are definitely safer places, right?

Even though the runway was significantly extended a few years ago, Toncontin Airport, the international airport in the capital of Honduras, remains one of the world's most challenging airports. It sits just 1,000 meters above sea level and is surrounded by high mountains. I can imagine that this airport is not exactly a favorite landing strip for many pilots, especially since you have to land here at a steeper angle than usual.

Okay, anyone brave enough to conquer Mount Everest probably won't find this airport too intimidating. For those wanting to visit this region, Tenzing Airport is the only way in. The runway is just 527 meters long, and at the end, it drops 600 meters straight down. Just thinking about it would make anyone feel a bit shaky, don't you think?

Let's put it this way, it's a bit tight in Gibraltar. The airport runway had to be built right next to Winston Churchill Avenue, the only road leading to Spain. This intersection is unique in the world.

Like a railroad crossing, the street is simply closed during takeoffs or landings. It's a bit strange, but I guess Gibraltar needs an airport, even if it is quite unusual, thought the locals.

A place that has been the setting for James Bond films twice must be quite special, right? And yes, this airport in the luxurious ski resort of Courchevel is indeed that. It is not only special and extraordinary but also dangerous. Anyone flying here needs strong nerves, as the runway at the Courchevel airport in the Rhône-Alpes region of France is very short and located 2,000 meters high.

For this airport on the flower island of Madeira, pilots require special training, as the landing here is quite complicated due to its immediate location on a steep cliff. Pilots must counteract downdrafts and make a sharp right turn while landing. For experienced pilots, this shouldn't be a problem, yet many passengers are often quite surprised when the plane approaches the runway here. Depending on the wind strength, it can get quite bumpy!

What's the scoop? Would you stay completely calm, or would you also feel a bit anxious about landing at one of these dangerous airports? It's always astonishing what our world has in store. Stay tuned, as I will be showing you the quirkiest, most spectacular, and beautiful, or even scariest places in the world in my travel magazine.