The 7 Most Dangerous Airports In The World

Flying can be a scary experience at the best of times for some people, so if you are a little nervous you *might* want to take note of this list of the most dangerous airports in the world.

The list is composed data from a variety of sources including Soar flight training, Executive lounges and Beam aviation.  The best judge of how dangerous the airports rank are invariably the pilots themselves, who took into account runway length, visibility and weather conditions.

If you’re nervous about flying then it is probably a good idea to avoid the world’s most dangerous airports…

Look, we will say your chance of dying in a plane crash one is roughly one in 5 million. By comparison, the average person’s chances of dying simply walking down the street are about 1 in 500. You’ll be just fine.

1. Lukla, Nepal

Plane crashes here are a regular occurrence, as it has one of the shortest runways in the world. Add in the fact that it is at high altitude and there is absolutely no room for error on takeoff or landing.

2. Saba Island – Juancho-Iraquskin Airport

This is known as the shortest runway in the world, which instantly pops it into the most dangerous airports in the world list. The tiny Caribbean island often has strong winds, making the landing even tougher.

3. Courchevel, France

This airport serves the ski resort in the French Alps. The airfield has a very short runway of only 537 metres, with a gradient of 18.6% and to make matters worse there is no go-around procedure for landings, due to the surrounding mountainous terrain.

Recognised it? That is because they have filmed scenes from James Bond here.

4. Gustav III – St Bart’s

The tiny airstrip in the Caribbean is sandwiched between the local main road and the seaside. Watching planes land here is like a spectator sport, with many onlookers not sure how they all make it up and down safely.

5. Paro Airport, Bhutan

This Himalayan airport has a tricky approach that means only a small amount of pilots are certified to land there. Add in a short runway and it is as perilous as it gets in terms of landing an airplane.

6. Madeira Airport, Portugal

The runway has been extended in recent years, but as the video shows it was done so using stilts and swirling wings; a sheer cliff face leaves little room for error.

7. Princess Juliana International Airport, St. Maarten

One of the most spectacular airports in the world where you feel as if you can touch the landing planes. The airport was partially destroyed during the recent hurricane, but became quickly operational again to help with relief efforts.