Don't say we didn't warn you: We did. On October 8, a plane crashed for the second time since 2005 at the tiny airport near Mt. Everest, killing 18.
The 19-seat Yeti Airlines plane had nearly completed its flight from Katmandu when it snagged its wheels on a security fence at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, Nepal about 40 miles from Mount Everest Base Camp. Two Australians, two Nepalese and 12 tourists from Germany on a Hauser Exkursionen tour died. Only the pilot survived.]]>
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]]]>
The newest addition to our list of The World's Most Dangerous Airports comes courtesy of a Jaunted tipster. It's Shimla Airport, set nearly a mile high in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India.
]]>Shimla, once being the summer capital of British India, has foggy weather approximately 100 days a year and is situated 6,988 feet above the sea level. It has become an attractive destination for sun-weary people, served by the Shimla Airport outside of town.
The airport, which sits 5,072 feet above sea level, was built by cutting the crest of a long hill in the region. The airport receives regular domestic flights from Indian Airlines and Jagson Airlines, but no international flights operate there.
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.]]>
We love checking out the world's most dangerous airports--at least via YouTube. The latest to join our list is Alberto Carnevali Airport in Merida, Venezuela. Reader maky0317 writes:
The airport of the city of Merida, Venezuela is in between a valley with 17,000-foot mountains and houses at the end off the runway... As of matter of fact a passenger plane crash after take off on the 21st of February.
That was Santa Barbara Airlines Flight 518, and the crash killed all 46 people on board. The turboprop plane didn't get far from the airport because of the mountains surrounding the runway: Flight 518 slammed into a rock face just 6 miles from MRD.
Know another dangerous airport? Fill us in.
Related Stories:
· UAK: Narsarsuaq, Greenland [Jaunted]
· LUA: Lukla Airport, Nepal [Jaunted]
· World's Most Dangerous Airports coverage [Jaunted]]]>
One of the world's most dangerous airports--at least according to us--will be renamed to honor the two climbers who tamed Everest in 1953. Lukla Airport, a small strip served by Yeti Airlines, will soon be known as Tenzing-Hillary Airport, and a route between it and the Everest base camp will also be named for them.
Officials are also planning to put up some statues of the famous climbers at the mountaineering museum in Pokhara, east of Lukla. Oh, and before you go booking a flight to the airport, watch some of the white-knuckle rides that people have uploaded to YouTube to make sure you're up for the trip.
Related Stories:
· Nepal Honors Two Everest Heroes [BBC]
· Nepal Airport, Route Named After Heroes [Reuters]
· Introducing Tenzing-Hillary Airport [WorldHum]
· World's Most Dangerous Airports: Lukla [Jaunted]
· World's Most Dangerous Airports coverage [Jaunted]]]>
We've got another airport to add to our list of the world's most dangerous airports. Adak Airport, the westernmost public airfield in the United States, makes our list, thanks to tipster Ron's awesome story:
]]>This used to be a US Naval Air Station way the heck out 'n gone in the Aleutian Islands from about 1942 until closure in 1997. Since then, it's become a civilian-operated airport. I'm not an air operations specialist of any sort, but as a civilian contractor working for the Navy, we commuted through Adak a number of times in 1989, 1990 and 1991 on our way to Amchitka, from Anchorage.
I specifically remember bouncing into Adak virtually every time we landed or took off from there. Seems the winds were always 30+, and sometimes as high as 60 when we finally got in or out. Then there was the fog.
There were several times we stooged around over the island for hours, hoping for 1/4 mile visibility so we could land. We usually made it in about 50% of the time on flights from Anchorage. If we were lucky enough to get in and out of Adak, we made it to Amchitka less than 50% of the time. We were flying Reeve Air.
One takeoff from Adak remains firmly implanted in my memory to this day.