Nepal has the world's highest airport, the Tenzing-Hillary Airport.

Nestled in the Himalayas at one of the highest elevations of any commercial airport is Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport. This vital gateway to Mt. Everest and the Khumbu region of Nepal has an illustrious history.

Perched at 9,334 feet, the sheer cliffs surrounding the single short runway make Lukla Airport one of the most extreme and challenging airports for pilots to safely navigate. Yet it provides essential access for adventures, explorers, and mountaineers from around the world seeking to experience the grandeur of the tallest peaks on Earth.

Originally built by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust in 1964, the airport was renamed in 2008 in honor of Hillary and his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay - the first men confirmed to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953.

Weather at Lukla Airport can be notoriously fickle with heavy fog or sudden gale-force winds often disrupting flight schedules. The risky altitude and short 500-meter runway hemmed by mountains leave little margin for error. Yet incredibly, over 50,000 passengers pass through the airport annually.

For Sherpas and locals, the vital trade and tourist gateway binds Lukla to the outside world. Despite the routine turbulence and uncertainty faced by travelers, the airport remains a critical hub feeding the economy of the Khumbu Valley. Its service helps Nepal share the splendor of the high Himalayas with intrepid visitors from around the globe.

Some facts on Lukla Airport

1. The airport is owned and operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal and has a single asphalt paved runway that is 527 m long and 30 m wide.
2. It sits at an elevation of 2,845 m and is typically open from morning to noon each day depending on visibility. Afternoon cloud buildup causes closures.
3. Since the airport is in a valley surrounded by mountains, pilots have to perform special maneuvers like continuous turning final approaches to land safely.
4. Extensive braking is required to halt on the short runway. Only small STOL aircraft under 100 passengers can access it.
5. In 2021, Tenzing-Hillary Airport handled 116,000 passengers and 635 aircraft movements. Yet accidents are rare due to strictly certified pilots.
6. Annually, the airport faces over 200 hours of weather-related shutdowns, often stranding passengers and leading to long multi-day waits to get flights out.
7. While originally unpaved, the current asphalt runway was built in 1992 to handle increasing traffic. It continues to be maintained and upgraded.
8. Permanent airport terminals were constructed in 1976. Before that, operations were makeshift and based out of expedition tents.
9. Tenzing-Hillary Airport has also served as a staging point for relief operations providing supplies to remote mountain regions impacted by earthquakes or storms.
10. There are plans to extend the current runway from 500m to 750m for improved safety margins, but complexities around land acquisition and terrain have slowed expansion.
11. The airport has a single terminal building with four check-in desks and three departure gates accessed by walking outdoors across the apron.
12. Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority provides firefighting, ambulance, and security services. Aircraft maintenance facilities are limited.
13. The most common aircraft serving Lukla Airport are Twin Otters, Let L-410s, and Dornier Do 228s operated by local Nepalese airlines.
14. In December 2022, a new terminal building was inaugurated with upgraded passenger and luggage screening facilities.
15. The airport has experienced several foreign aircraft crashes over the years including Twin Otters and Cessna Caravans resulting in multiple fatalities.
16. The minimum safe altitude for approach is 13,300 feet meaning pilots have mere minutes to fully descend between mountain ridges to land.
17. The airport handled over 78,000 trekkers in 2019 headed for Mt. Everest region trails and accommodations located just 2-3 days hiking distance north.
18. The original construction was funded by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust charity and executed by the Nepal Ministry of Transport.
19. There is no official control tower at the airport. Flight coordination is handled by air traffic controllers stationed at Kathmandu Airport who maintain radio contact.
20. The high-altitude airfield has no navigation aids or instrument landing system. Pilots must make visual approaches relying on sight alone.
21. In 1964 Swiss pilot Willy Bach first landed a Dornier Do 27 at Lukla while scouting sites for the airport construction.
22. Tenzing-Hillary Airport operates during daylight hours only from approximately 6 am to 11 am daily. Afternoon cloud cover and wind prevent safe flying.
23. The airport's single runway 05 has a 12.5% gradient sloping uphill from south to north aligned directly into the Himalayan peaks.
24. Weather data collected since 1985 shows the April-May spring season has the most reliable flying conditions on average.
25. Yeti Airlines, Tara Air, Nepal Airlines, and Simrik Airlines are major carriers connecting Lukla Airport to Kathmandu.
26. Zangmu and Chaurikharka are the main alternates used when bad weather forces diversions from Tenzing-Hillary Airport.
27. Local lodges, tea houses, and public shelters serve stranded passengers when weather delays drag on for days at a time.

Lukla Weather

1. Lukla's high-elevation climate is classified as subarctic to cool summer humid continental, with very cold winters and mild summers.
2. The average annual temperature is approximately 6°C (43°F), with January being the coldest month averaging -4°C (25°F) and July/August the warmest at 15°C (59°F).
3. Annual precipitation averages around 1400mm, with the bulk occurring during the summer monsoon season between June and September. Winters are drier.
4. Lukla's location in a deep valley of the Himalayas sees wide variations in localized weather patterns depending on exposure to sun or shadow.
5. Wind speeds frequently reach gusts of 40-50 km/hr in the afternoons. Katabatic winds can accelerate to gale forces descending the valley walls.
6. The sky is typically clear in the mornings but cloud buildup occurs rapidly later in the day, almost daily. Dense fog is also common.
7. Humidity averages around 80% but peaks above 90% during the wet summer months. The humid air and dense clouds contribute to formidable flying conditions.
8. Snowfall occurs frequently from December to February, although heavy snow is rare. Less than 10% of winter precipitation comes as snow.
9. Weather station data shows average winter lows around -5°C in January, with summer highs reaching 21°C in July. Diurnal ranges are wide.
10. The patterns of weather and winds are highly localized due to the extreme mountain terrain surrounding Lukla. Microclimates can vary significantly.