[Travel] Unusual airports

[Guinness Boy]

Not been through for a few years but it was the only airport I have flown through that had its own duty free 'Adult' shop selling a full range of toys, outfits, DVDs etc. Must make life interesting if things shift in the overhead locker when a giant dildo falls out on someone's head!



When I was flying into Denver last year, I was looking at the Sky Map thinking, we look a lot lower than 8000ft - forgetting that the city is at 5280ft. Not quite as bad as Quito but you do notice how much thinner the air is.



But no instructions for France which also shares the Airport. Not a great airport if you need anything to eat before your flight home. I often fly into Zurich and until recently, it was well known amongst cabin crew for having one of the bumpiest runways in Europe. If you end up in the satellite terminal, there is a transit to the man terminal which plays cow noises as you travel.

 

[Katy11]

Tomteland airport in Sweden was odd, all the staff dress as Elves. Can't find a picture though. Arriving at La Paz at midnight is hard on the bladder.

*Runs off to book a ticket to Tomteland*......

 

[Juan Albion]

In the 1970s we once flew Dan Dare from a grass airfield somewhere in Kent. Possibly Maidstone or even Biggin Hill. Tally Ho and chocks away!

Might it have been Lympne? I remember seeing my mum off from there to France (Beauvais I think) in the 60s. It was indeed very unusual.

 

[Juan Albion]

Just landed at Rio Hato in Panama again. Six minutes from plane seat to getting through immigration, customs and out of the airport. Love that airport. This is their busy day, too, as they are having TWO flights landing, both from Toronto.

 

[fork me]

Limiting this to airport I've been through, Sarajevo was up there. It's small and efficient (from stepping off the plane to sitting in my pre-booked taxi took less than 15 minutes!) but the landing can be hairy.

Sarajevo is in the middle of a ring of mountains and low cloud is common. When I flew in you could just see the tips of mountains poking above the clouds, like islands in a lake, the plane dived into the cloads and then you couldn't see anything until just before you hit the tarmac. Very steep descent.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Lukla in Nepal - where you fly in to from Katmandu on the way up to Everest basecamp. Frightening. On the edge of a cliff and then a big slope to sliw the planes down, and when you're taking off sgain, it is launching off over a cluff edge.

As we were waiting in a quiet corner of Katmandu airport to take off, the bloke who was refuelling the plane had a fag in his hand.

 

[surrey jim]

In the early 90s took off from Biggin Hill in a Gulfstream (or Learjet) on way to Westchester, NY. Had to land at St John's, Newfoundland, on way to refuel as jet couldn't take enough fuel for the trip East to West (ok from NY to UK). St John's in winter had 1.5 meters of snow each side of the runway.

If this thread started off as a bit of a 'look where Ive been on an exotic holiday', you have blown it out the water with the private jet travel


My nomination would be Jardines del Rey Airport in Cuba. Whilst I didn't expect to find much at the airport I at least expected it to be able to accommodate a planes worth of people! One of the few places in the world where a packet of 200 cigs or a litre of rum would be around the same price as a chocolate bar!
Looking at photos online it appears to have been rebuilt following a hurricane after I was there

 

[raymondo]

If this thread started off as a bit of a 'look where Ive been on an exotic holiday', you have blown it out the water with the private jet travel


My nomination would be Jardines del Rey Airport in Cuba. Whilst I didn't expect to find much at the airport I at least expected it to be able to accommodate a planes worth of people! One of the few places in the world where a packet of 200 cigs or a litre of rum would be around the same price as a chocolate bar!
Looking at photos online it appears to have been rebuilt following a hurricane after I was there

Well, Jim, yes...I did go off topic a bit...I just wanted to join in the chat! I was working [not holidaying!] - even had to work on the flight as I recall. Those heady [and PITA] corporate days are long gone now. Ahhh...Cuba: good that you have been there, interesting country. Cheers!

 

[BigBod]

Ascension Island...flew out of there in 1982 to come home...also made a few visits when we sailed back n forth from the Falklands during the war. Had to destroy all confidential waste and used their incinerator to do so..

The airport is called Wideawake....IIRC

 

[Sussex Nomad]

This one cost three people their lives this weekend, Lukla Airport in the Himalayas... video isn't the accident.

 

[NooBHA]

Dinard Airport. The fire engine drives alongside planes taking off and the bloke driving the fire engine checked my bags in

 

[colonies man]

Perth airport may look shiny and nice but when three flights come in together and the customs staff all have a tea break at the same time it’s a bugger to get out off