Airplanes, which offer comfortable transportation by shortening the journey time, are still considered the safest means of transportation in the world. Airports, on the other hand, are places that host a plane and a passenger just before and after their journey. Some of these airports stand out with their size, some with their scenery and some with their interesting features. Here are the most interesting airports still in use in the world.
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1 - Kansai International Airport / Japan
Since there was not a large area to build an airport in Japan, the Japanese built the airport on an artificial island with a length of 4 km and a width of 2.5 km. The construction of this airport, located off the coast of Osaka Bay, began in 1987 and was completed in 3 years. The area, which was put into use in 1994, cost 20 billion dollars in total. However, this was not all, this airport, which was built by creating an artificial island, was connected to the mainland by a 3-kilometer bridge in 1990. The cost of this bridge is 1 billion dollars. For American engineers, this airport is considered one of the monuments of the millennium.2 - Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport / USA
This airport, which looks like an ordinary airport, is what makes it interesting. Before becoming an airport, the land was used as a cemetery, and during World War II the land was converted into an airport. When the decision was made to transform it into an airport, all the graves here were moved to other places, except for a couple. The owners of this couple, whose graves were not moved, are Catherine and Richard Dotson, who died in the 1880s. In fact, the tombstones of the couple are placed on the landing strip of the planes.3 - Gibraltar International Airport / Spain
Located in the Strait of Gibraltar, Gibraltar International Airport is an airport affiliated with the United Kingdom. The owner of the airport, located in the city of Gibraltar, is the British Ministry of Defense. The interesting feature of Gibraltar International Airport, which was established for the use of the Royal Air Force, is; The main road connecting Spain is also used as a landing strip. When the planes descend towards the runway, all vehicles on the highway are held for 10 minutes.4 - Gisborne Airport / New Zealand
Railroad and trains pass right in the middle of the runway at this airport in Gisborne, New Zealand.5 - Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport / Saba Island
Saba Island in the Caribbean is home to the world's shortest airstrip. With a total area of only 13 square kilometers, the only airport of the island, Juancho E. Yrausquin, occupies a large part of the island. The airport, with both ends of the runway by the sea, is considered the shortest take-off and landing runway in the world, and only pilots who can fly under difficult conditions can come to the airport.6 - Princess Juliana International Airport / Sint Maarten
Also known as Sint Maarten International Airport, this airport is located in the Dutch part of Saint Martin Island. Princess Juliana, one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean, is also among the most dangerous airports in the world. The reason it's considered dangerous is because it's very close to your own busiest beach. It is also a great luck that no accident has happened so far at this airport, where planes land by passing just a few meters above the people sunbathing on the beach. Since the landing/take-off runway of this airport, which can be used by specially certified pilots, is very short, the wheels of the aircraft must touch the ground as soon as possible. That's why pilots take a low flight before the beach even approaches.7 - Qamdo Bamda Airport / China
Located in Tibet, China, Qamdo Bamda Airport is one of the airports located at the highest points in the world. Since the airport is at such a high altitude, it is very difficult for planes to land and take off from the runway here. Because the air, which is very thin compared to the air at sea level at 14,219 feet, makes landings on the runways extra difficult. The length of this airport runway in Tibet is exactly 3.4 miles because landing from such a height is difficult.8 - Madeira Airport / Portugal
This airport in the Portuguese city of Madeira has one of the toughest airport runways in Europe. It is challenging because pilots have to advance by catching the fine line between the ocean and the mountain chain. Madeira's runway is short, but also at a very windy spot. That's why pilots always have to make a sharp right turn with their plane at the last second. Due to the short runway, 131 people lost their lives at the airport, where there was a catastrophic plane crash in 1977. After this accident, it was decided to extend the runway by adding a few more columns.9 - Vancouver International Airport / Canada
Located in Richmond, this airport is Canada's second busiest airport. What makes this place interesting is not the runway, but the two large aquariums inside the airport.10 - Barra Airport / Scotland
'If you can see the feet of the seagulls walking on it, the landing is free.' What makes this airport in Scotland different from other airports is that the planes land on the sand, not on a certain runway. Yes, you heard right, about 2500 planes arrive at this airport throughout the year, and the incoming planes land and take off from the beach. The planes arriving at this airport, which is the only commercial beach airport in the world, adjust their landing and take-off according to the tidal currents of the sea. At the airport, which has 3 runways marked with signs, all runways are closed twice a day.