Lukla Airport – One of the most dangerous Airport’s in the World

Lukla Airport is the small airport in the town of Lukla in Khumbu, in the Sagarmatha zone of Nepal. This is the only airport if the travelers or mountaineers desire to go to Mount Everest or till the base camp of Mount Everest. The airport is quite popular as Lukla is the place where most people start their trek to climb Mount Everest.

Lukla Airport, Nepal (IATA: LUA, ICAO: VNLK) is considered as one of the dangerous airports in the world. The runway of the Lukla Airport is 527 m of bitumen and the width is 20 m. The runway has a slope of 12%. The apron has 4 stands and there is one heli-pad located 150 m below the TWR (air traffic control tower). No landing aids are available and Air Traffic Service is limited to AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) only.

Lukla Airport

Yeti airlines is one of the few commercial airlines from which you can go to Lukla Airport.

Nepal Lukla Weather :

There are frequent daily flights (i.e. no night service) between Lukla and Kathmandu, weather permitting. It can easily be raining in Lukla while the sun is shining brightly in Kathmandu, or vice versa though the flight distance is not that long. The airport’s siren blasts the mountain air to inform personnel of incoming aircraft.

Lukla is Nepal’s busiest domestic airport, and in the peak season the airlines operate over 50 flights a day through the facility. The busiest airlines are Sita, Yeti, and Cosmic, and The typical aircraft that fly in are DHC-6 Twin Otters, Dorniers, and Beech 1900s. The Royal Nepali Army sends a fair amount of traffic there as well with Russian model MI-17 and AN-24 transport aircraft. In recent years due to the political climate the Nepalese military has built up heavy fortifications around the airport to protect against attacks and disruption.

Flights from Kathmandu to Lukla

Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla normally takes about half an hour, however flight companies give the time as one hour taking into consideration several weather factors. There are several flights offered by different flight companies. However, it is only recommended to take the one way ticket from Kathmandu to Lukla because when you are returning from Lukla to Kathmandu there may be weather issues which may easily delay your flight. After that there will be more hassle about the ticket and you need to stick with the company you bought the ticket. So, when you return to Lukla after your trek, it would be wise to take your return ticket from there. While returning the Hotels where you stay will be able to manage the tickets for you. Normally the return ticket is double the price from Kathmandu to Lukla.

Airport : Aircraft takeoff

See the spectacular views of the Nepal Himalaya on the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. This is one of the most adventurous airlines route in the world, culminating with a landing at the dramatic airstrip at Lukla perched on the hillside and surrounded by high mountains.

History of Lukla Airport :

It was just over 40 years ago the eastern Himalayan region of the Solukhumbu leading to Mt. Everest was inaccessible to most air traffic. The way to reach the heights of the trail head in Lukla was to travel the road from Kathmandu to Jiri, then hike five days over the rugged lowland hills. In 1964 Sir Edmund Hillary initiated construction of the Lukla airfield (LUA), and from that time the area has been opened up to countless enthused hikers. It is a great convenience to bypass the arduous hike beyond Jiri since it the hike beyond Lukla is challenging enough for most. Lukla is now a vibrant and welcoming entryway to the Himalayas.

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