Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, once dubbed the 'world's scariest airport', was notorious for its perilous landings that saw aircraft skim above residential buildings. Operating for over seven decades until its closure in 1998, the airport required pilots to undergo special training to navigate the challenging 'Checkerboard Turn' approach, which involved a low-altitude twist above Kowloon before landing on a runway jutting into Victoria Harbour.
Opened in 1925, Kai Tak became Hong Kong's central international airport, handling nearly 30 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of freight by 1996, far exceeding its intended capacity of 24 million. The airport's location, surrounded by high-rises and mountains, made landings particularly hazardous, with passengers often reporting glimpses of locals watching television in their flats as planes passed just hundreds of feet above.
Despite its reputation, Kai Tak was a vital hub for carriers like Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, but growing safety concerns and noise pollution led to the decision to build a new airport at Chek Lap Kok. On 6 July 1998, Kai Tak closed for good, with the last scheduled flight being a Cathay Pacific service to London Heathrow, and the final departure a Cathay Pacific Airbus A340 heading to the new airport.
Kai Tak was also the site of several aviation accidents, including the worst tragedy in 1965 when a US Marine Corps C-130 Hercules crashed after takeoff, killing 59 people. Other incidents included a 1977 fire on a Transmeridian Air Cargo aircraft, a 1988 hijacking of a CAAC Airlines flight, and a 1993 China Airlines Boeing 747 that skidded into the water.
Today, the former airport site has been redeveloped into a cruise terminal, the Kai Tak Sports Park, and residential areas. The 'Kai Tak Sky Garden' offers visitors a chance to walk along the former runway, where planes once made their nail-biting landings. The transformation cost approximately £10 billion.
