Holy moly: these are the scariest airports in the world

Yeah right. Flying may be the safest way to get around, but there are a few airports where even the most confident traveler arrives with tingling armpits . And if the travel journalists at CNN say it, you can bet on it. Seatbelts fastened? Here it comes. (P.S.: Lilian, don’t read this, you won’t handle it well….)

1. Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Sint Maarten

Behold the extremely short runway in Sint Maarten, the images of which are seen all over the world (check this video it out). Incoming planes seem to almost scoop up the beachgoers. Yikes.

2. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport (SAB), Saba

So, steep hills on one side, the sea on the other. Where, uh, do you divert to if something goes wrong during takeoff? By the way, this is one of the smallest runways in the world, where experts say you really can’t just take off smoothly. Sooo.

3. Courchevel Airport (CVF), France

Located in a posh ski town with a slope of no less than 18.5 percent to make planes ‘slow down earlier’. My god. Very few diversion options as well. Small comfort: only private jets and helicopters land here, so unless you’re a member of the ultra-luxury jet set, it’s, well, questionable that you’ll be flying here quickly.

4. Tenzing-Hillary Airport (LUA), Lukla, Nepal

Well, the moment you don’t take off hard enough, you just end up in a lower valley (read: ravine). Daily commercial flights are subject to strong winds, cloud cover, and constantly changing visibility conditions. Chill thought, huh? Ahem.

5. Cristiano Ronaldo Airport (FNC), Madeira, Portugal

Terrifying. Just the name alone. The recently renamed Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Madeira has water on one side and hills on the other, making for a difficult (and sometimes stormy) approach for pilots. Schiphol, did I mention we really, really like you?

Source: CNN