[Travel] Unusual airports

Juan Albion

Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class

Jul 9, 2003

31,370

Pontypool (Not THAT Pontypool, the one with the zo

• Feb 21, 2019

• #1

The world has quite a few unusual airports so I've no doubt that the good people of NSC have visited some of them. Please do share your experiences.

I recently flew in and out of Scarlett Martínez International Airport, Rio Hato, in Panama. So different to most international airports. It is pretty much brand new but has almost no flights and the few they have are all from Canada. There are two planes landing and then leaving again today, which is a busy day for them. It has no proper taxiways - you want to taxi, you use the runway.

It is also impossible to buy a ticket for a flight out of Rio Hato, you can only buy return tickets from Canada. So if you are a Panamanian (who paid for the airport) and want to book a trip to Canada, you are out of luck.

 

Superphil

Dismember

Jul 7, 2003

25,419

In a pile of football shirts

• Feb 21, 2019

• #2

Banjul Airpot in Gambia has an enourmously long runway as it was an emergency escape runway for the NASA space shuttle as it’s latitude was ideal. When I landed there back in the 90s our plane basically came to a halt on the runway, we got off, the next load of passengers got on and it carried on down the runway and took off.

 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member

Jul 5, 2003

46,019

at home

• Feb 21, 2019

• #3

Airport in Madeira is hairy to say the least.

 

R

Raleigh Chopper

New member

Sep 1, 2011

12,054

Plymouth

• Feb 21, 2019

• #4

Superphil said:

Banjul Airpot in Gambia has an enourmously long runway as it was an emergency escape runway for the NASA space shuttle as it’s latitude was ideal. When I landed there back in the 90s our plane basically came to a halt on the runway, we got off, the next load of passengers got on and it carried on down the runway and took off.

Click to expand...

Skiathos has a ridiculously short runway, hard on the brakes only experienced pilots allowed.
Our plane had to land at Thessaloniki to top up because it's best not to have full tanks just in case.
Also St Martin's in the Carribbean, planes land right over a beach, 2 X 747's a week is the highlight for the island plane spotters.

 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member

Jul 5, 2003

46,019

at home

• Feb 21, 2019

• #5

We are there again the week before and over Easter!

It's fun and games

The end of the runwAy is on huge stilts over the hill!

 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member

Jul 5, 2003

46,019

at home

• Feb 21, 2019

• #6

 

Badger

NOT the Honey Badger

NSC Patron

May 8, 2007

12,779

Toronto

• Feb 21, 2019

• #7

[MENTION=20]Publius Ovidius[/MENTION] that reminds me of Hamilton Island Airport in Queensland.

I particularly liked the luggage collection system. A luggage buggy is driven to the plane, all the cases are loaded on, then it drives back and stops outside the terminal. At that point it's a free-for-all to collect your cases directly from the buggy.

 

Stat Brother

Well-known member

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Jul 11, 2003

73,667

West west west Sussex

• Feb 21, 2019

• #8

Quality thread.

 

Juan Albion

Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class

Jul 9, 2003

31,370

Pontypool (Not THAT Pontypool, the one with the zo

• Feb 21, 2019

• Thread starter
• #9

Oh, I just remembered, Rio Hato does get occasional flights from the States, but no-one wants to be on one of these I suspect - some of Donald Trump's deportation flights.

 

Gregory2Smith1

J'les aurai!

Sep 21, 2011

5,476

Auch

• Feb 21, 2019

• #10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OykXhUK2S04

 

AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️

Feb 2, 2014

33,802

Ruislip

• Feb 21, 2019

• #11

Publius Ovidius said:

Airport in Madeira is hairy to say the least.

Click to expand...

I think we've chatted about the Portuguese pit pony airport before, quite an interesting landing, especially when windy

 

Juan Albion

Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class

Jul 9, 2003

31,370

Pontypool (Not THAT Pontypool, the one with the zo

• Feb 21, 2019

• Thread starter
• #12

Superphil said:

Banjul Airpot in Gambia has an enourmously long runway as it was an emergency escape runway for the NASA space shuttle as it’s latitude was ideal. When I landed there back in the 90s our plane basically came to a halt on the runway, we got off, the next load of passengers got on and it carried on down the runway and took off.

Click to expand...

Bandung in Indonesia is the opposite. The plane lands on the only runway, turns around and taxis back up the runway to get to the terminal. One of these days there will be a plane landing at the same time and they will meet head on. Mark my words, this is Indonesia we are talking about.

 

Albion in the north

Well-known member

Jul 13, 2012

1,509

Ooop North

• Feb 21, 2019

• #13

Flown in to Toncontin Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras a few times. Well renowned for being a little hairy.

 

PTC Gull

Micky Mouse country.

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Apr 17, 2017

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Florida

• Feb 21, 2019

• #14

The old Kai Tak airport at Hong Kong.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-qssyFKHUg

 

Badger

NOT the Honey Badger

NSC Patron

May 8, 2007

12,779

Toronto

• Feb 21, 2019

• #15

Taking off from Toronto Pearson Airport is fun at this time of year. Before taking off, every plane has to pull up to the de-icing facility which is kind of like a big jet wash. They spend about 10 minutes covering every inch of the plane with bright green de-icer. Then the pilots have to do an engine test to make sure the de-icer hasn't f***ed things up.

I'm sure most other airports in cold climates have the same facility but this is the first time I've experienced it.

 

BNthree

Plastic JCL

Sep 14, 2016

10,879

WeHo

• Feb 21, 2019

• #16

Flew to La Rochelle recently. The airport is so small it makes Shoreham airport (sorry Brighton City airport) look big and bustling by comparison.

 

Gregory2Smith1

J'les aurai!

Sep 21, 2011

5,476

Auch

• Feb 21, 2019

• #17

Albion in the north said:

Flown in to Toncontin Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras a few times. Well renowned for being a little hairy.

Click to expand...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKiezMjgPCI

 

zefarelly

Well-known member

NSC Patron

Jul 7, 2003

21,811

Sussex, by the sea

• Feb 21, 2019

• #18

I favour a civilised airport myself, none of the riff-raff you get up north at places like Croydon. And one can Park the Talbot outside the terminus, gratis.

 

U

um bongo molongo

Well-known member

Jul 26, 2004

2,670

Battersea

• Feb 21, 2019

• #19

I once took Air Uzbekistan to Bangkok (I was a student and poor). We came in to land at Tashkent and I was confused that I couldn’t see the runway - the reason became obvious when we just landed on the snow. We were all turfed off in to the terminal while they refuelled and, weirdly, had to check in again. There was one bar and a pint was the equivalent of 10p. By the time we got back on the plane, half the passengers (who mostly seemed to be middle aged Brummie men headed for delights of Bangkok) were so far gone they had to be helped up the steps to the plane.

 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member

Jul 5, 2003

46,019

at home

• Feb 21, 2019

• #20

AmexRuislip said:

I think we've chatted about the Portuguese pit pony airport before, quite an interesting landing, especially when windy

Click to expand...

Last time we were there, we sat in the airport all day as there was no flights due to wind and got out the day after. Put us up in a fantastic 5star hotel that evening!