Steep slopes, short taxiways These are the most dangerous runways in the world

Most incidents occur during take-off and arrival. And the sight of these dangerous runways makes passengers feel even more uneasy. Where you probably shouldn't fly.

Yes, airplanes really do approach these runways. And yes, landing a plane there requires experienced pilots to ensure that nothing can go wrong. Because whether it's extremely short distances, slopes, intersecting roads or close to beaches - landing here is a real challenge.

Anyone with a fear of flying should perhaps stop reading now or avoid traveling to one of these places. Because while a crash is quite unlikely, most incidents with airplanes happen during take-off or landing. And landing at the following airports is quite dangerous.

This runway is less dangerous for the aircraft and passengers, but much more for curious bathers who want to take a photo. This is because Princess Juliana International Airport on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten is located right next to Maho Beach and in order to land the plane on the ground, pilots have to fly over the beach at a height of around ten or 20 meters. This creates a strong wind that could literally blow away curious observers and thus become dangerous.

If you brake too late when touching down at Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, there is no way out, because there are nothing but cliffs and sea all around. At 400 meters long, the runway at the airport on the Caribbean island of Saba is one of the shortest in the world.

It was actually decided not to build an airport on the small island, but the then mayor of St. Barth changed his mind in 1959 when he himself made a daring landing on the cliffs. In the end, an airport was built on this very spot anyway. However, a special permit was required to land.

The runway at Madeira Airport is partly on stilts in the water. That is scary enough. But that's not enough, because its direct location on a steep coastal slope doesn't make the approach easy and there are always sudden updrafts. Pilots who want to land at Funchal Airport - also known as Cristiano Ronaldo Airport - need special training.

Landing at this airport also requires good training: At the end of the taxiway, which is only 527 meters long, there is a steep 600-meter drop. So nothing can go wrong here.

We are talking about Lukla Airport in the Himalayas. People who want to climb Mount Everest have no choice but to head for this airstrip. Even if your heart starts beating faster at the sight of it, it will anyway when you reach the summit.

The only international airport in the Kingdom of Bhutan is also on the list of the most dangerous. Its runway is located in a deep valley at an altitude of 2236 meters, which means that it can only be approached in good weather and visibility conditions. Only experienced pilots are allowed to land here.

However, something has improved at Paro International Airport: whereas the runway used to be 1400 meters long, it has been extended to 1964 meters.

Passengers are also likely to get dizzy looking at this airport in the French Alps. In the luxurious ski resort of Courchevel, there is a runway measuring just 537 meters at an altitude of 2,000 meters. An approach is only for experienced pilots, as the runway also runs uphill.

Situated in the middle of the mountains, however, it offers fantastic scenery that Hollywood didn't want to miss out on: A "James Bond" film was shot here twice.

Because Gibraltar is a very narrow place, it was impossible to avoid crossing the airport tarmac with the only road leading to Spain. This is something that only happens once in the world - and it is a special circumstance. Because whenever an airplane lands or takes off, a roadblock closes and cars have to wait. As soon as the runway is clear, the barriers open again.

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