Barra Airport
The only place in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach as the runway
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Barra Airport
Eoligarry,
Isle of Barra
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Opened in 1936, Barra Airport (EGPR) (also known as Barra Eoligarry Airport) is a short- runway airport situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhòr 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.
The beach is set out with three runways, marked by wooden poles at their ends. This allows the 18-seat Twin Otters that serve the airport to almost always land into the wind. At high tide these runways are under the sea - flight times vary with the tide. Emergency flights occasionally operate at night from the airport, with vehicle lights used to illuminate the runway and reflective strips laid on to the beach.
Visitors and cockle pickers are asked to observe the windsock to see if the airport is in operation.
In 2011, Barra Airport was voted No.1 in the world's top airport approaches by a poll conducted by PrivateFly.com. The previous year, Barra took 10th place.
There are twice-daily Loganair flights to and from Glasgow via Tiree
https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/barra/airport/index.html
Photo Credit: Steve Houldsworth / Barra Airport Arrivals /
https://www.loganair.co.uk/destinations/scotland/barra/