Awe As Traveler Films Plane Landing at Only Beach Airport in the World
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A viral video has drawn attention to one of the world's most-unique travel experiences—a commercial airport in Scotland where planes land and take off directly from a beach.
The clip shared by TikTok user @carolinemcquistin been viewed more than 215,000 times and shows the breathtaking descent of a Loganair flight onto the sands of Barra Airport, located on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Text overlaid on the footage reads: "This is your sign to take a flight to the only airport in the world where the plane lands on the beach!"
The moment captures a passenger looking out the window as the aircraft approaches the exposed tidal flats, offering a sweeping view of the turquoise water and white sand just before touchdown.
Barra Airport holds the rare distinction of being the only airport in the world where scheduled flights utilize a tidal beach as the runway.
The airport's official website says the flight schedule is dictated by the rhythms of the sea: "With its schedule governed by the ebb and flow of the tide, Barra is a breath of fresh air compared to other more conventional airports—and its spectacular scenery is second to none."
Michael Galbraith, manager of the airport, told Newsweek: "Being the only airport in the world where passengers disembark from a plane onto the beach is something that we all really cherish here at Barra Airport.
"Having such individuality and uniqueness is not something we take for granted, and seeing tourists step onto the sand with a smile on their face brings us all immense pleasure," Galbraith added.
A Twin Otter aircraft flies onto the beach runway of Barra Airport.
A Twin Otter aircraft flies onto the beach runway of Barra Airport.
Barra Airport
The small airport has served passengers since 1974. It now handles more than 14,000 passengers annually and logs approximately 1,400 aircraft movements each year, according to data published on its website. The airport operates two scheduled flights daily to and from Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, a route serviced by regional airline Loganair. In addition, it welcomes around 60 private light-aircraft landings each year.
Beyond its operational novelty, Barra Airport also serves as a community space. The airport's website notes that, when the facility is closed and its windsocks are down, "members of the public are free to walk on the runways, which revert to a public beach enjoyed by surfers, dog walkers and families."
An aerial view over Barra Airport in the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands off the west coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom.
An aerial view over Barra Airport in the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands off the west coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom.
Barra Airport
'Insane'
A caption shared with the viral video reads: "The world's only scheduled commercial flight where the runway is a beach!! And it's just casually covered by the tide twice a day! What an experience!! @Loganair."
The clip of the stunning airport setting sparked admiration and wonder among viewers, many of whom appeared unaware that such an airport even existed.
"That's insane! Didn't know about this," commented Lucie Wilcock, while user @_enchanting_getaways wrote: "This is the dream."
JojoGetOutRightNow said, "This is SO BEAUTIFUL," and Mary posted: "That is incredible."
User @davidbooksandsidequests added: "Oh my word that's so cool!"
Others shared personal memories, with user jem noting, "i did this last year. such a special moment x," and @a_la_mol said: "Incredible. This is top of our Scottish bucket list!"
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok and email. This video has not been independently verified.
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