While most airports are safe for both passengers and the aircraft, some airports are dangerous for both.
Here we take a look at the most dangerous airports in the world based on extreme locations at high altitudes, difficult approaches or short runways.
Sea Ice Runway
Antarctica
The annual sea-ice runway for wheeled aircraft is constructed at the start of each season and is used until early December when the sea ice begins to break up.
Pilots landing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft on the sea ice runway report that the surface is stable, not unlike landing on concrete.
However, the similarity with land bases ends when the jet aircraft rolls to a stop. The nearly 450,000 pound weight of the plane, including cargo and passengers, causes it to sink into the ice, albeit only a matter of inches.
Saba
Netherlands Antilles
This seaside spit of land on Saba - a tiny Caribbean island administered by the Netherlands - is resort ready but rough as a runway.
The locals claim that Saba's runway is the shortest commercial airport runway in the world. It is 400 metres (1,300 feet) in total length.
Paro Airport
Bhutan
Paro Airport is the only international airport of Bhutan. The airport is located six km from Paro in a deep valley on the bank of the Paro river at an elevation of 7,300 ft (2,200 m).
Flights at Paro are allowed under visual meteorological conditions only and are restricted to daylight hours from sunrise to sunset.
Matekane Air Strip
Lesotho
Matekane Air Strip is an airport in Lesotho, Africa with a 400 m (1,300 ft) runway that extends to the edge of a 600 m (2,000 ft) cliff.
The airport is often used by charity organisations and doctors to access remote villages in the area, and is labelled as having the world's scariest runway.
It is located 1.6 nautical miles (3 km) northwest of Longyearbyen, and it is the northernmost airport in the world with public scheduled flights.
Courchevel Airport
France
Courchevel Airport is a French airport that serves Courchevel, a ski area. The airport has a very short runway of only 525 metres (1,722ft).
There is no go-around procedure in this airport. De Havilland Twin Otters and Dash 7s have served the airport, but now more Cessnas and helicopters serve the airport.
Barra Airport
Scotland
Barra Airport is a short-runway airport situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhor at the north tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
The airport is unique, being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a beach as the runway. The airport is operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which owns most of the regional airports in mainland Scotland and the outlying islands.
Tenzing-Hillary Airport
Nepal
In January 2008, the airport was renamed in honour of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the first persons to reach the summit of Mount Everest and also to mark their efforts in the construction of this airport.
Toncontin International Airport
Honduras
Toncontin International Airport is a civil and military airport that serves Tegucigalpa, Honduras. It is located six km (4 mi) from the centre of Tegucigalpa.
The airport is famous for being one of the most dangerous in the world due to its proximity to mountainous terrain, its short runway, and its historically difficult approach to runway.
Gibraltar Airport
Gibraltar
Gibraltar Airport is the civilian airport that serves the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence for use by the Royal Air Force as RAF Gibraltar.
Although located in Gibraltar, the airport is increasingly being used by people from or visiting neighbouring Spanish areas such as the Costa del Sol or the Campo de Gibraltar.
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