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Inside Runway 34, a Vintage Airplane-Turned-Restaurant at Zurich Airport

In 2005, an old Soviet Ilyushin IL-14 airplane made its final flight (pic here), landing for good at Zurich International Airport. Its fate was to become a very unique attraction, the centerpiece of a new restaurant just outside the airport at the very end of runway 34. In fact, the restaurant and bar is called Runway 34, and it's something of a special secret for international flight crew, aviation geeks and those who just enjoy seeing the quirky sights.

During a recent jaunt off to Switzerland, we made it a point to visit Runway 34, even if it involved a trek through deserted streets at 10pm the night before our early morning flight. There was an airplane trapped in a restaurant! Duh, we wanted to go and at least have drinks on its wing. Unfortunately our cutting it short cost us, and only the bar was open. Perfect, actually; a waiter took a shining to us and gave us a guided tour of the whole place, letting us run around and go camera-crazy.

And we have video...

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