Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

2026-04-19 17:51:00, Blog CNA

All over the world, over the past five decades, there have been "ghost airports", mostly left to decay after the last plane has taken off.

While many countries renovate their old buildings when they need modernizing, other airports close for good...but don't collapse. Stepping inside these old terminals is a different experience. Many of them, with their silent check-in halls and decaying gates, could now be the eerie setting for a horror movie.

Here are some of the strangest cases, presented by the 'Daily Mail', explained as follows:

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Nicosia International Airport, Cyprus

With an abandoned passenger plane, a deserted terminal and buildings in ruins, it's hard to imagine that Nicosia International Airport was once a busy transportation hub.

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Kai Tak, Hong Kong

Kai Tak, Hong Kong's old airport until its closure in 1998, was famous for its challenging runway, once considered the scariest place in the world to land a plane. Planes would be only 1,000 meters high when they made the "Hong Kong Turn". For many approaching passengers, the feeling of anxiety became known as the "Kai Tak heart attack".

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Mirabel International Airport, Montreal, Canada

The Canadian government planned a massive airport with six runways and six terminals. In 1969, farmland was cleared to make way for the airport, displacing 10,000 residents. It officially opened to the public in 1975 and was expected to handle millions of passengers annually. The project cost 500 million Canadian dollars at the time. However, after a series of setbacks, it failed.

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, Germany

Tempelhof Airport is where Adolf Hitler gave his infamous May Day speech as Chancellor. It was rarely used by the Luftwaffe during World War II and remained largely closed except for ceremonial occasions.

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Manston Airport, United Kingdom

Formerly known as Kent International Airport and London Manston Airport, it offered flights from the UK to popular European destinations such as Portugal and Italy. Airlines such as Flybe and KLM, which are now defunct, previously operated from there. It has been closed since 2014.

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Yasser Arafat International Airport, Gaza Strip

Designed by Moroccan architects, it was built in the southern city of Rafah in 1998 with millions of dollars in foreign aid and was inaugurated by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and US President Bill Clinton. Egypt, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Germany and other European Union countries also contributed. It closed three years later after Israeli forces bombed parts of the facility during the Second Intifada. Thieves have since stolen valuable equipment from the building.

Silence and fear inside "ghost" airports around the world

Ciudad Real Airport, Spain

With one of the longest runways in Europe, the airport was built at a cost of 1 billion euros during Spain's economic boom. However, it became a symbol of waste when it closed in 2012, just four years after opening. It had been used by low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Vueling Airlines./CNA