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World's Most Dangerous Airports / TGU / Manuel Zelaya / Delta / New Routes / → All Tags

Fear of Flying Travel: Delta Planning New Service into Terrifying TGU

Just because Toncontin International in Tegucigalpa, Honduras is one of the most dangerous airports on Earth doesn't mean Delta doesn't wanna fly some jets down there. So starting December 18, subject to governmental approval, the airline plans to start daily 737 service to TGU out of Atlanta.

A couple of things are worth noting, first and foremost the fact that the brand-new 737-700s Delta plans to use will be small and nimble enough to handle the short runway and high altitude at Toncontin. Still, if you're not a fan of elaborate airborne maneuvers, you'd probably prefer flying into San Pedro Sula, less than a couple hours away, where the runway is big, flat and, you know, not deadly.

Also worth mentioning is that, yes, indeed, flights are being allowed into TGU. After a crash at the airport earlier this year, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya ordered all flights diverted to Palmerola Air Base, north of Tegucigalpa. But on July 7, Toncontin was reopened to commercial flights because the military installation still wasn't ready to handle passengers.

Related Stories:
· Details on Delta's New Service to TGU [Official Site]
· World's Most Dangerous Airports: Toncontin, TGU [Jaunted]

[Photo: egmb757lover]

World's Most Dangerous Airports / TGU / SAP / Manuel Zelaya / Videos / → All Tags

World's Most Dangerous Airports: Toncontin, TGU

One of the world's most notorious airfields, Toncontin International, was closed to flights Saturday after a Taca A320 skidded off a rain-drenched runway and onto a nearby road on Friday, killing four people on board and one on the ground. Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said a new international airport would be built to finally replace TGU.

Built in 1948, Toncontin has been dangerous since the day it opened, 3,300 feet above sea level. Normally, that altitude would call for more runway room than usual, but TGU gives pilots just 6,112 feet of asphalt to land on. The short runway was clearly a contributing factor in Friday's accident.

If it weren't already dangerous enough, the airport is situated in a valley surrounded by hills, meaning pilots have to execute some hair-raising turns just to line up for a difficult landing. On our last flight into TGU, the pilot made a quick announcement during our descent to put nervous fliers at ease before banking in for a landing.

All that said, Friday may have been the last day for Toncontin. Zelaya's proposed new passenger terminal at Soto Cano Air Base in Comayagua won't be ready for at least another two months, so flights are already being diverted to San Pedro Sula. Good thing, too: The runway at SAP is a comfortable 9,203 feet, sitting just 91 feet above sea level.

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Jaunted Field Trips / Honduras Field Trip / → All Tags

Drinking in Honduras

Jaunted contributing editor Paul Brady is on tour in Honduras, the original Banana Republic. We'll be posting stories this week about his travels in the tropics. Have any burning questions?

After settling into my hotel, the Guadeloupe Dos, I met a friend for a drink at the Hotel Honduras Maya. It used to be the nicest hotel in town--until Marriott arrived--but it's still pretty impressive. Two floors are open to the public: upstairs, find an ATM and a bar with a full cocktail menu. Downstairs, check out the gift shop, the massage parlor ($10 for 50 minutes!), the restaurant, the courtyard and a pool. You'll have to pay a day use fee for the pool, but I skipped it since it was overcast and cool when I stopped by.

Instead, my friend and I sat out in the courtyard, enjoying a 7 year old Flor de Cana rum and a view of the mountains around town. Rooms at the Maya, if you're into the convention hotel vibe, start at $70. But you'd do better to snag a room at a simpler hotel and save your money for a flight, rather than a bus, to La Ceiba and the Bay Islands.

[Photo: Dr Robt]

Jaunted Field Trips / Honduras Field Trip / Airports / → All Tags

Jaunted in Honduras: Getting There

Jaunted contributing editor Paul Brady is on tour in Honduras, the original Banana Republic. We'll be posting stories this week about his travels in the tropics. Have any burning questions?

If I were to start from the beginning, I'd have to tell you about Tegucigalpa's brand new Toncontin International Airport. Sure the airfield has been around for years, but if you haven't been lately (or ever) you'll be happy to know that the entire terminal has been redone. You can check it out for yourself, like I did, by flying on American Airlines from Miami to Tegucigalpa.

What hasn't changed about the airport is the aggressive approach to the runway made necessary by the fact that Tegucigalpa is in a bowl-shaped valley. Not exactly Top Gun, but exciting. Our captain even made an announcement before we came in: "They don't give us much concrete to work with down there, but what we're gonna do is just standard operating procedure."

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