Each year, the Airfarewatchdog team looks into some of the scariest airports known to mankind (okay, so they're not truly scary—if an airport was actually dangerous, pilots wouldn't land there—but these will definitely give you a thrill).
It's been two years since we put out an international list (in case you missed it, you can read it here), but our research led us to some additional airports that definitely deserve to be on there.
So, as a follow-up, here are 10 more of the world's most thrilling airports.
Sea Ice Runway, Antarctica
Sea Ice Runway in Antarctica is unpaved, and there's a chance the ice could crack under the weight of an airplane—which is downright terrifying. In fact, a few years ago, the runway was melting, so flights scheduled to land there were cancelled or rerouted.
Now, pilots are advised to avoid landing too heavily and to try not to sink more than 10 inches into the ice. With a vehicle as big and heavy as an airplane, that seems like a tough challenge for any pilot!
Gibraltar Airport (or North Front Airport), Gibraltar
You might feel like you're at a railroad crossing when traveling through Gibraltar Airport. The peninsula's only runway is perpendicular to a major highway leading into Spain. Thin, flimsy barriers block off traffic when an airplane is moving through, but we still think it's pretty sketchy!
In fact, our sister site SmarterTravel said, "You may be thankful if your plane gets diverted to a nearby airport due to weather, though you'll still have to brave the runway when you walk over it to get from Spain to the British overseas territory."
Madeira Airport, Portugal
Don't be alarmed if you feel the plane take a sharp right turn as you approach Madeira Airport. This airport's runway is extremely short. When the plane starts landing, it swoops through high mountains and strong turbulence and over the ocean.
According to Pyrex on the World's Top 10 Scariest Airports forum on Airliners.net, "It is a scary ride, exactly as described (depending on the direction of the wind, of course). And those mountain rollers make for some bumpy landings." The pilot must aim straight for the mountains and take a last-minute sharp turn.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
