The world's most dangerous airport: without nerves of steel, pilots shouldn't even try to land here

The British territory located in the south of Spain has been of key strategic importance in the past. It is therefore not surprising that the British built an airport here. Today, however, Gibraltar does not play such an important role from a military point of view, however, air traffic is very active at this location. The airport is characterised by unusual and challenging conditions for pilots for several reasons.

One of the main reasons is the well-known crossing of the runway with the main road. Cars waiting for planes to take off or land, as well as situations where they wait at a level crossing, became a thing of the past after the tunnel opened, however, pedestrians continue to cross the track. Even if compliance is carefully monitored, it still poses a significant risk.

But the biggest problem is intense turbulence and wind gusts caused by the proximity of the oceans and the nature of the rocky coastline. Especially in the winter months, frequent landings are common.

The airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Maarten is one of the most iconic in the world. Start of the runway is located right by the beach, offering a unique experience for all aircraft fans. The feeling of huge planes flying literally a few meters above your head is truly unforgettable. After all, social networks are full of pictures from Saint Maarten.

A major challenge for pilots is that the runway at the local airport is only approximately 2,300 metres long. For heavy transport aircraft such as the Boeing 747, this is almost the minimum length they may need. Pilots therefore have no room for error. By comparison, the main runway at Prague's Václav Havel Airport is over 3,700 metres long. But the airport is not just a danger to pilots. Some beachgoers ignore the warning signs and watch the planes from too close a distance. There have already been incidents where these careless scouts have suffered fatal injuries after being hit by jet exhaust fumes.

Nepal, as a country located in the Himalayas, is not an ideal place to build airports. Most tourists who want to visit Mount Everest have to prepare for a somewhat adrenaline landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. This airport is located at an altitude of 2845 metres above sea level and is surrounded by mountainous terrain.

Its the runway is only 527 metres longwhich means that only relatively small propeller-driven aircraft can land here. Even for their pilots, landing is a real challenge. Interestingly, the landing is uphill and the take-off is downhill, as the runway is inclined by 12 per cent. It is also important to remember that re-landing is not possible at this airport as there is a high cliff beyond the end of the runway.

The island of St Barts is located in the French Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean and is almost next door to the aforementioned Saint Maarten. Luxury vacationers and lovers of the beautiful Caribbean beaches flock here as well. The local airport has a runway only 640 metres long and ends right on the beach.

Like most other airports in our selection, only pilots with special permission and training can land here. The most challenging part of the landing is the very steep descentbecause planes must first fly over the top of the mountain and then descend to the runway. The planes that take off fly directly over the tourists relaxing on the beach.

While the title of the world's most dangerous airport is attributed to several airports, the most talked about recently is Paro airport in Bhutan. This small kingdom, located between Nepal, Tibet and India, faces significant challenges in airport construction, particularly due to its proximity to the Himalayas.

It is not hard to understand why landing in Bhutan is so difficult. Paro airport is located in a valley surrounded by several high mountains with strong winds. Tourists arriving in Bhutan can only be transported to Paro airport fifty specially trained pilots. Landing is only permitted during daylight hours and in conditions that allow visual orientation. This adventure is well worth it though, if you manage to sit on the right side of the plane, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of majestic Mount Everest as you land.