07 December 2023 , 11:13
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The most remote runway in Scotland has a landing strip which is covered by the sea twice a day.
There are many airports around the world that challenge pilots to put their years of training to good use. Madeira Airport in Portugal has a fearsome reputation among aviators for the way they're required to ride the cross winds as they tightly circle round away from hills and down towards the strip.
Skiathos Airport in Greece is a magnet for plane spotters who gather at the end of the runway to watch pilots come in incredibly low so they can plant the aircraft's wheels down before the end of the short strip catches up on them.
Barra Airport on the remote Outer Hebrides island of Barra, 40 miles off the coast of western Scotland, presents a whole different challenge. If you were to approach the mini travel hub from above at the wrong time of the day, you'd find it submerged in salty water.
It is the only airport in the world which uses a tidal beach as a runway. The lapping waves aren't the only things that pilots attempting to land there have to navigate. The beach is open to the public, meaning tourists and cockle pickers combing the beach have to keep an eye on the windsock to check whether the airport is in operation.
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Since the airport was built in 1978, passenger numbers have almost doubled from around 7,500 in the late 70s to about 14,800 pre Covid-19. The airport provides lifeline services to the community on the far flung island, while also being a popular visitor attraction.
It welcomed 11,814 passengers in 2022. By way of comparison, the UK's busiest airport, London Heathrow, saw 61.6 million passengers come through in the same year, according to Statista. All pilots hoping to land there must go through special training with four experienced trainers, including two Civil Aviation Authority examiners.
There is only one plane running from the airport - to Glasgow - and one airline which operates it - Logan Air. Passengers aren't advised to turn up any earlier than 40 minutes before their flight as the waiting room and café are regularly closed. The population on the island is small and Highlands and Islands Airport sometimes struggles to find someone to run the facilities.
Pilots who land at Barra need to undergo special training (Getty Images/iStockphoto)If you do arrive early, you can drop your bags off in a locker in the terminal and explore the nearby beach, which is a great expanse of sand.
Planes that land at Barra hold a maximum of 19 people usually but are limited to 15 when making trips to the island. This is because there is no refuelling station at the airport, so extra must be brought to complete the return trip.
Nicky Kelvin, editor at large at The Points Guy, recently made the trip out to Barra. He told Mail Online: "It’s not just the concept that is dramatic and exciting, the actual landing is as amazing as you might imagine. You come in low over some of Scotland’s most stunning islands, with blue seas and white sands that could be mistaken for the Caribbean. In fact, Barra is known to some people as Barrabados."