The airport on Barra, a small island of the Outer Hebrides in front of the Scottish coast, has three runways – more than London Heathrow. But that’s by far not the most remarkable thing to be reported about this landing site. Read more about the world's most unusual airports.
When the tide is low the Barra bay transforms into the world’s only airport on a beach – until high tide interrupts air traffic again. Due to the changing water levels, even a stranded shark once had to be collected off the runway – besides the almost daily accumulation of flotsam. Tourists, too, regularly have to be run off the runway. In spite of these unusual circumstances Barra is a regular airport for scheduled flights with two daily connections to Glasgow. However, it’s up to the tide to decide when the DHC-6 Twin Otter propeller plane can take off or land.
To invent an airplane is nothing. To build an airplane is something. But to fly an airplane is everything
Ferdinand Ferber (1862–1909), French aviation pioneer