7 of the world’s eerily abandoned airports

Once bustling hubs whisking happy folk away on well-earned holidays in the sunshine, airport buildings take on an unmistakably creepy feel the moment they are stripped of human life.

Derelict and left to nature’s peril, here we take a look at stories behind some of the world’s abandoned airports.

Croydon Airport, UK

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Although today you’d be forgiven for never having heard of it, Croydon was once London’s main airport, outshining the likes of Gatwick or Heathrow.

The airport harks back romantically to the early days of aviation, when road traffic crossing the runway had to be stopped by a man waving a red flag each time a flight wanted to pass through.

Croydon is also famous as being the very first airport with air traffic control. These days however, it sits quiet; an architectural relic of its once thriving past.

Berlin Templehof, Germany

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Dating back to 1923, Berlin Templehof once held the highly impressive accolade of being the largest building in the entire world (until the construction of the Pentagon).

Closing to passengers on 31^st October 2008, these days the Tempelhof Field is the largest public park in Berlin’s capital, with the airport’s buildings home to many events from fashion shows to giant raves.

Johnston Atoll Airport, USA

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Perhaps the most unusual airport on the list, Johnston Atoll – as its name suggests – is built on an atoll or island deep in the Pacific Ocean.

Sitting a few hundred miles south of Hawaii, the airport was once a military air base for the majority of the 20^th century until its closure in 2005.

With an underground hospital directly underneath and an attack by Japanese submarines in WWII, this is certainly one airport with a fascinating legacy.

Ciudad Real Central Airport, Spain

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Also known as the Don Quijote Airport, Ciudad Real could perhaps also be called a costly mistake. Coming in at around an impressive $1.5 billion to build, the airport was touted as an alternative to nearby Madrid-Barajas.

Sitting just 50 minutes from Madrid by high speed train, it seemed like a dream alternative. However, the dream soon came crashing down when the airport went bust and closed in April 2012, two years after opening.

Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong

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Once Hong Kong’s main airport from its opening in 1925 until its closure in 1998, Kai Tak Airport was put out of business by the opening of nearby Hong Kong International Airport.

Nestled in amongst rugged mountains and high rise buildings, the airport was one of the world’s most notoriously perilous for take-offs and landings – especially track 13 where aeroplanes often had to make 90 or 180 degree turns to be successful.

Nicosia International Airport, Cyprus

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From its opening in 1939, Nicosia International Airport was the main airport serving the country of Cyprus. However, activity came to an abrupt halt upon the Turkish invasion in 1974.

These days, the area is partly used as the headquarters of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force and is a no-man’s land from which Greeks and Turks are both banned from entering.

Gaza International Airport, Gaza strip

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Also known as Yasser Arafat International Airport, this airport once served the Gaza strip in the Palestine territories.

Opening in 1998, the airport saw 700,000 passengers pass through per year until Israel Defense Forces bombed the control tower and radar station just three years later in 2001.

Despite the runway being bulldozed in 2002, the airport staff continued to man the ticket counters and baggage areas until the airport’s eventual closure in 2006.

Article from Hotel Club.

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abandoned airports