Lukla's Tenzing–Hillary Airport (ICAO: VNLK) has one asphalt runway, 527 m (1,729 ft) long, on an 11.7 per cent uphill gradient at an elevation of 2,845 m (9,334 ft). Aircraft land uphill and take off downhill, and below a certain point on the approach there is no go-around.
There is a mountainside at the top end and a drop at the bottom. It is described in every listicle as the world's most dangerous airport, which is a lazy way of describing something that was designed carefully. It is also the closest airport to Mount Everest, which is why it exists and why it is the busiest strip in the Khumbu — the Lukla airport page has its codes and the routes through it.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Codes | VNLK (ICAO), LUA (IATA) |
| Runway length | 527 m (1,729 ft) |
| Gradient | 11.7 per cent, uphill to the north |
| Elevation | 2,845 m (9,334 ft) |
| Direction flown | Land uphill, take off downhill |
| Go-around | Not available below a certain point on the approach |
| Walk on to Everest Base Camp | About eight days |
A helicopter covers the same ground in minutes, which is why a Lukla to Kathmandu charter is the standard fix when the fixed-wing queue collapses.
Why do aircraft land uphill at Lukla?
Aircraft land uphill. Gravity does most of the deceleration, which is exactly what you want on a strip a third the length of a normal one at an elevation of 2,845 m where the air gives wheel brakes and reverse thrust less to work with.
They take off downhill, for the same reason in reverse: the slope adds acceleration the thin air will not.
Why can a pilot not go around at Lukla?
On a conventional approach a pilot who is not happy can add power and try again. At Lukla the terrain removes that option below a certain point — the approach commits.
This is why the airport is flown only by specific aircraft types with crews who hold a Lukla qualification, and why the schedule is unforgiving about visibility. A pilot who cannot see the strip does not attempt it, and there is nothing marginal to attempt.
What happens to your trek when Lukla closes?
Lukla does not close for an hour, it closes for the day. The passengers from that day join the next day's queue, and two bad days in October can take three to clear.
Build a spare day into each end of a Khumbu itinerary. If you have an international flight to catch and the queue is long, a helicopter seat out is the standard fix — several times the fare, and routinely worth it.
Questions this article answers
How long is the runway at Lukla airport?
The runway at Tenzing–Hillary Airport, Lukla, is 527 m (1,729 ft) of asphalt on an 11.7 per cent uphill gradient, at an elevation of 2,845 m (9,334 ft). That is roughly a third the length of a conventional runway, with a mountainside at the top end and a drop at the bottom.
What is the altitude of Lukla airport in Nepal?
Lukla airport sits at 2,845 m (9,334 ft) above sea level in the Khumbu region of Nepal. At that elevation the thinner air gives wheel brakes and reverse thrust less to work with, which is one reason the runway is built on an uphill slope.
Why do aircraft land uphill at Lukla?
Aircraft land uphill at Lukla because the slope is the brake: gravity does most of the deceleration on a strip a third the normal length, where thin air weakens the usual braking. They take off downhill for the same reason in reverse, using the gradient to add the acceleration the thin air will not.
Can a pilot go around and try again at Lukla?
No — below a certain point on the approach to Lukla a pilot cannot go around and try again, because the terrain removes that option and the approach commits. On a conventional approach an unhappy pilot simply adds power and climbs away. That is why the airport is flown only by specific aircraft types with crews holding a Lukla qualification, and why the schedule is unforgiving about visibility.
What happens if Lukla closes because of weather?
Lukla does not close for an hour, it closes for the day, and those passengers join the next day's queue — two bad days in October can take three to clear. Build a spare day into each end of a Khumbu itinerary; if you have an international flight to catch and the queue is long, a helicopter seat out is the standard fix.
