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This article was first published 10 years ago

World's scariest airport runways revealed!

Last updated on: October 25, 2013 21:51 IST

Image: U.S Airforce's Starlifter on Sea Ice Runway
Photographs: Pbkiwi/Wikipedia Commons

From sea ice runways to dropping down from a mountain cliff to do the take off, a travel deal website has revealed world's top ten scariest runways.

According to Airfarewatchdog.com, Antartica's Sea Ice Runway leads the scary list with the runway being unpaved and prone to cracks.

A few years ago, this runway melted leading to flight cancellations and pilots have been warned to avoid landing 'too heavily' and try not to sink more than 25 centimetres into the ice, news.com.au reports.

2. Gibraltar Airport, Gibraltar

Image: An Iberia aircraft comes in to land during a test at an airport in Gibraltar
Photographs: Anton Meres/Reuters

Gibraltar Airport comes close second for being beside a major highway that leads into Spain.

3. Madeira Airport, Portugal

Image: Tourists take photos of forest and bush fires on the mountains on the Portuguese island of Madeira island while waiting for the local airport to re-open July 19, 2012.
Photographs: Duarte Sa/Reuters

Portugal's Madeira Airport which has such a short runway, that it forces planes to take a last-minute sharp turn over the high mountains ranks third in this list.

4. Ketchikan International Airport, Alaska, United States


Photographs: Jsayre64/Wikimedia Commons

Pouring rain, wind and a short runway close to mountains make Ketchikan International Airport in Alaska, US, a wild ride as the fourth scariest runway.

5. Qamdo Bamda, Tibet

Image: Qamdo Bamda, Tibet

The fifth scariest runway is of Tibet's Qamdo Bamda Airport, which is located more than 4200 meters above the sea level.

6. Narsarauq Airport, Greenland


Photographs: Algkalv/Wikimedia Commons

Greenland's Narsarauq Airport at number 6, makes the ride thrilling with 90-degree turns through a fjord with the risk of icebergs nearby.

7. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba Island


Photographs: Pia L/Wikimedia Commons

At number 7 is Saba Island's Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport runway, only experienced pilots can dare to fly with high winds and surrounding mountains.

8. Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong

Image: Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport is seen in this recent aerial view
Photographs: Ho New/Reuters

Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport dons the eighth position for being so terrifying that it was closed in 1998, as the planes were forced to fly very low over Hong Kong in order to reach the landing strip and take a sharp turn to end up on the runway.

Tags: Hong Kong

9. Eagle County Regional Airport Vail, Colorado, United States


Photographs: David Benbennick/Wikimedia Commons

Poor weather, high approach and high surrounding terrain make Eagle County Regional Airport Vail in Colorado, US, a challenging runway ride. This airport ranks at number 9 as the world's scariest airport runway.

10. Matekane Air Strip, Lesotho


Photographs: Tom Claytor/Wikimedia Commons

Finally, we have Matekane Air Strip in Lesotho which is located at the end of a mountainside gully, and instead of taking off in the air like normal flights, planes do the daredevil drop down the side of a cliff until they start flying.

Source: ANI