news
07-07-2015, 10:20 PM
by Laura Ratliff, Condé Nast Traveler (http://www.cntraveler.com/?mbid=synd_huffpo)
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy.jpg)
Sean Pavone/Alamy
Flying might be one of the safest modes of transportation, but you must admit--landing at one of these airports will make even the most confident flier grip the arm rest.
1. Courchevel Airport
Located in the chic French ski town of Courchevel, this airport has an uphill runway that measures just 1,722 feet. On the other side of the runway? A vertical drop--off the side of an Alp. (Don't worry though; only private planes make landings at CVF, so unless you're a member of the ultra-luxe jet set, it's doubtful you'll be flying here anytime soon.)
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306218-9193591-153da9a056dec627b149f5c46_courchevelfranceairportp eterbarrittalamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306218-9193591-153da9a056dec627b149f5c46_courchevelfranceairportp eterbarrittalamy.jpg)
Peter Barritt/Alamy
2. Princess Juliana International Airport
St. Maarten's short runway means that planes fly extremely low over the adjacent Maho Beach as they descend. The noise and wind is so scary that adrenaline junkies make a point of lining up at the fence adjacent to Runway 10 to see if they can withstand it. It's not a particularly safe thing to try.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy.jpg)
Sean Pavone/Alamy
3. Madeira Airport
Madeira Island's Funchal Airport has water on one side and hills on the other, making for a difficult approach. In 2000, the airport's runway was extended even further into Atlantic Ocean in order to accommodate larger jets.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306284-8634645-353da9a096dec627b149f5c6a_funchalairportwernerotto alamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306284-8634645-353da9a096dec627b149f5c6a_funchalairportwernerotto alamy.jpg)
Werner Otto/Alamy
4. Barra Airport
Barra Airport holds the title as the only airport in the world where planes land on the beach. The airport disappears once the tide comes in from Traigh Mhòr bay, and given that it's naturally lit, car headlights provide additionally lighting in the case of decreased visibility.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306319-8717642-453da9a0b6dec627b149f5c7c_barraairportscotlandmich aelroperalamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306319-8717642-453da9a0b6dec627b149f5c7c_barraairportscotlandmich aelroperalamy.jpg)
Michael Roper/Alamy
5. Tenzing-Hillary Airport
At the southern end of Lukla's 1,500-foot airstrip, the ground drops 2,000 feet into a valley. Accidents are, unfortunately, common here with four crashes within the past five years.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306364-1166577-553da9a0ddcd5888e145bf82f_luklanepalairportandrewb ainalamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306364-1166577-553da9a0ddcd5888e145bf82f_luklanepalairportandrewb ainalamy.jpg)
Andrew Bain/Alamy
See the rest of The Scariest Airports to Fly Into on CNTraveler.com (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-02-11/photos-scariest-airport-landings-and-runways/6?mbid=synd_huffpo)
More from Condé Nast Traveler:
50 of America's Greatest Hits: The Best Thing To Do In Every State (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-27/things-to-do-in-america-all-50-us-states?mbid=synd_huffpo)
15 Places You Won't Believe Exist (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-08-05/15-places-you-won-t-believe-exist?mbid=synd_huffpo)
The Best Cities on Earth (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-20/top-25-cities-in-the-world-readers-choice-awards-2014?mbid=synd_huffpo)
Private Islands That Cost Less Than an NYC Apartment (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-05-15/private-islands-that-cost-less-than-a-nyc-apartment?mbid=synd_huffpo)
10 Most Underrated American Cities (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-11/10-underrated-american-cities?mbid=synd_huffpo) -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=terms.html/) It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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More... (http://feeds.huffingtonpost.com/c/35496/f/677045/s/47ebfa8e/sc/10/l/0L0Shuffingtonpost0N0Cconde0Enast0Etraveler0Cthe0E scariest0Eairports0Eto0Ib0I77480A50A0Bhtml/story01.htm)
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy.jpg)
Sean Pavone/Alamy
Flying might be one of the safest modes of transportation, but you must admit--landing at one of these airports will make even the most confident flier grip the arm rest.
1. Courchevel Airport
Located in the chic French ski town of Courchevel, this airport has an uphill runway that measures just 1,722 feet. On the other side of the runway? A vertical drop--off the side of an Alp. (Don't worry though; only private planes make landings at CVF, so unless you're a member of the ultra-luxe jet set, it's doubtful you'll be flying here anytime soon.)
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306218-9193591-153da9a056dec627b149f5c46_courchevelfranceairportp eterbarrittalamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306218-9193591-153da9a056dec627b149f5c46_courchevelfranceairportp eterbarrittalamy.jpg)
Peter Barritt/Alamy
2. Princess Juliana International Airport
St. Maarten's short runway means that planes fly extremely low over the adjacent Maho Beach as they descend. The noise and wind is so scary that adrenaline junkies make a point of lining up at the fence adjacent to Runway 10 to see if they can withstand it. It's not a particularly safe thing to try.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306235-9197940-253da9a076dec627b149f5c58_saintmaartenseanpavoneal amy.jpg)
Sean Pavone/Alamy
3. Madeira Airport
Madeira Island's Funchal Airport has water on one side and hills on the other, making for a difficult approach. In 2000, the airport's runway was extended even further into Atlantic Ocean in order to accommodate larger jets.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306284-8634645-353da9a096dec627b149f5c6a_funchalairportwernerotto alamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306284-8634645-353da9a096dec627b149f5c6a_funchalairportwernerotto alamy.jpg)
Werner Otto/Alamy
4. Barra Airport
Barra Airport holds the title as the only airport in the world where planes land on the beach. The airport disappears once the tide comes in from Traigh Mhòr bay, and given that it's naturally lit, car headlights provide additionally lighting in the case of decreased visibility.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306319-8717642-453da9a0b6dec627b149f5c7c_barraairportscotlandmich aelroperalamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306319-8717642-453da9a0b6dec627b149f5c7c_barraairportscotlandmich aelroperalamy.jpg)
Michael Roper/Alamy
5. Tenzing-Hillary Airport
At the southern end of Lukla's 1,500-foot airstrip, the ground drops 2,000 feet into a valley. Accidents are, unfortunately, common here with four crashes within the past five years.
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306364-1166577-553da9a0ddcd5888e145bf82f_luklanepalairportandrewb ainalamy-thumb.jpg (http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-07-07-1436306364-1166577-553da9a0ddcd5888e145bf82f_luklanepalairportandrewb ainalamy.jpg)
Andrew Bain/Alamy
See the rest of The Scariest Airports to Fly Into on CNTraveler.com (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-02-11/photos-scariest-airport-landings-and-runways/6?mbid=synd_huffpo)
More from Condé Nast Traveler:
50 of America's Greatest Hits: The Best Thing To Do In Every State (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-27/things-to-do-in-america-all-50-us-states?mbid=synd_huffpo)
15 Places You Won't Believe Exist (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-08-05/15-places-you-won-t-believe-exist?mbid=synd_huffpo)
The Best Cities on Earth (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-20/top-25-cities-in-the-world-readers-choice-awards-2014?mbid=synd_huffpo)
Private Islands That Cost Less Than an NYC Apartment (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-05-15/private-islands-that-cost-less-than-a-nyc-apartment?mbid=synd_huffpo)
10 Most Underrated American Cities (http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-11/10-underrated-american-cities?mbid=synd_huffpo) -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=terms.html/) It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194401616/u/0/f/677045/c/35496/s/47ebfa8e/sc/10/rc/1/rc.img (http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194401616/u/0/f/677045/c/35496/s/47ebfa8e/sc/10/rc/1/rc.htm)
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More... (http://feeds.huffingtonpost.com/c/35496/f/677045/s/47ebfa8e/sc/10/l/0L0Shuffingtonpost0N0Cconde0Enast0Etraveler0Cthe0E scariest0Eairports0Eto0Ib0I77480A50A0Bhtml/story01.htm)