Barra Airport in Scotland, one of the smallest airports in the world, is also the only airport globally where commercial flights land on a beach.
Translated from an article sharing the experience of Mikhaila Friel on Insider.
My partner and I spent a weekend in Barra, a remote island in Scotland with breathtaking scenery.
Barra Island is a remote island located in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, accessible by ferry from Oban, taking less than 5 hours, or by plane, taking just over 1 hour from Glasgow Airport.
This island is famous for its wildlife and natural landscapes, including its white sandy beaches often compared to the Caribbean.
In September, my partner and I flew on a Loganair flight from our home in Glasgow to Barra Airport. The flight was wonderful, and I could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the plane’s wheels as we landed on the beach.
After two days on the island, we flew back to Glasgow. We spent about 2 hours waiting before our flight departed, and it was the most unique airport I have ever been to due to its small size and the runway right on the beach.
The round-trip flight cost £164 (about 5 million VND) per person.
Barra Airport is one of the smallest and most dangerous airports in the world.
According to travel company Opodo, Barra Airport is one of the smallest in the world. The airport has only a control tower and a small terminal, with the runway situated on the beach due to its remote location and low travel demand.
It welcomed only 11,814 passengers in 2022, a spokesperson for Highlands and Islands Airports, which operates the airport, told me after my visit. In comparison, the busiest airport in England, London Heathrow, welcomed 61.6 million passengers in the same year, according to Statista.
According to a 2018 report by Forbes, Barra is also considered one of the most dangerous airports for pilots taking off and landing due to harsh weather conditions and rising tides.
A spokesperson for Loganair told me after my visit that landing on a beach runway is “unique” to the extent that all pilot training takes place with four experienced instructors, including two examiners from the Civil Aviation Authority.
The building was locked when we arrived on Sunday morning.
We took a taxi from our hotel to Barra Airport and arrived around 9:30 AM, just over 2 hours before our 11:50 AM flight to Glasgow.
Our taxi driver told us that we didn’t need to arrive so early and advised everyone to be there only 40 minutes before the flight. This felt strange to me, as I am used to arriving hours in advance no matter where I fly from.
However, her advice made sense when we tried to enter the building.
There were a few cars in the parking lot, but looking inside, we saw the airport was empty. The main entrance was locked.
After waiting outside for a while, a staff member came to unlock the door.
We were waiting outside in the rain for a few minutes when a staff member arrived to unlock the front door for us. It felt like we were being let into someone’s home rather than an airport.
We were left alone to explore the tiny waiting area.
After the staff member let us in, he didn’t stick around. My partner and I were left to explore the empty, tiny waiting area, which included a few chairs, vending machines, and a newly renovated coffee shop.
Our taxi driver had warned us beforehand that the coffee shop was currently not operational because “they couldn’t find anyone to take over.”
Highlands and Islands Airports stated on their website earlier this year that they were looking for a team to run the coffee shop. The application deadline was set for June 21, 2023, but as of now, no one has been found.
The screen showed our flight was the only one scheduled for that day.
There was a screen displaying departure times above a separate check-in desk opposite the waiting area, but no airport staff were present.
The screen indicated that only one flight would land in Barra from Glasgow that day and our flight (on the same plane) was the only one scheduled to depart.
The seats overlook the beach runway.
We were the only ones at the airport during the first hour, and I wondered if the other passengers on our flight were locals who knew better than to arrive early.
We didn’t mind much since we could enjoy the beach uninterrupted.
I grabbed hot chocolate from the vending machine while we waited.
There were two vending machines with cold bottled drinks and hot beverages. I chose a cup of hot chocolate, which was a great choice since it was cold and rainy outside.
We decided to explore the beach while we waited, and fortunately, the airport had lockers that we could use to store our luggage.
Lockers at Barra Airport
The staff who let us into the building informed us that the lockers were not actually locked. He said that shouldn’t stop us from using them, adding that the airport was very quiet and safe.
The beach surrounding the airport is stunning.
The island’s sandy beaches are often compared to the Caribbean. That weekend, I heard some tourists referring to the island as “Barrabados,” an affectionate nickname widely used by locals, according to the Daily Mail.
I can understand why Barra’s beaches have such a great reputation.
The vast beach surrounding the airport remains beautiful and vibrant even though the weather that day was quite dreary. The bright green of the grass and the clear water looked like something out of a postcard.
The deserted beach also appeared pristine, with clean white sand and no litter. When we left, the only footprints in the sand belonged to us.
When we returned to the airport, it was time to board.
A staff member checked our tickets before we boarded.
When we returned to the airport, 13 other passengers for our flight had arrived and were sitting in the waiting area. A spokesperson from the airline mentioned that while the plane has 19 seats, Loganair allows a maximum of 15 passengers and two pilots to allow for extra fuel capacity, as Barra Airport does not have refueling facilities.
There was also a staff member who allowed us to check in before directing us to the beach, where the plane was waiting.
By the time to board, I didn’t want to leave again.
Barra Airport is by far the most unique airport I have ever been to, and the experience was magical for me thanks to the beach.
I could have stayed for another 2 hours just to spend more time on the beach without the hustle and bustle we would experience at most busy airports. It was the strangest – and most peaceful – travel experience I have ever had.
