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Which airports have the shortest runways?

Ever been scared because you thought that your plane was going to overrun the runway? In this article, you will discover the shortest runways in commercial airports.

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1. Westray airport

Westray airport is situated in the northern islands of Scotland, in the UK. It is home to the world’s shortest flight, which has a run-time of just 53 seconds and runs between the Islands of Westray and Papa-Westray. This beautifully situated airport has a runway length of just 291 metres and is placed right next to the north Atlantic ocean.

Credit: Wikiwand.com
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2. Juancho E Yrausquin Airport

This airport is located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean. Because it is in the middle of the ocean, there is no wind protection for planes approaching the airport, and if you overrun, I’m afraid you’ll be going swimming. This airport’s runway stands at 400 metres long (1300 feet) and is predominantly served by DHC-6 Twin otter aircraft due to their ability to handle short runways.

Credit: twitter.com
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3. Tenzing – Hillary airport

This famously dangerous airport is located in Lukla, Nepal and is the go-to airport for climbers wanting to climb Mt. Everest. It has a runway length of 456 metres and is often named “The world’s most dangerous airport.” Like Saba, it is predominantly served by Twin Otters and has its runway on a slope to increase the likelihood that planes don’t overrun the airport. If you crash on this one, your plane goes straight into the mountain. This airport has a difficult approach due to the need to navigate through the Himalayas to reach the destination.

Credit: Forbes.com
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4. Helgoland airport

This airport, which is situated on the german island of Düne, has a runway length of around 480 metres. Due to its small size, it is operated by small, commuter aircraft. There is only a single airline that operates flights to Helgoland, and that is OFD Ostfriesischer-Flug-Dienst, a regional airline based in the region. As it is on an island, if you overrun this airport your plane will end up on a golden, sandy beach.

Credit: en.wikipedia.org
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Sources

  • wikipedia.com (also cover image)
  • samchui.com
  • forbes.com
  • airportcodes.io
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