I spent 2 hours at one of the smallest airports in the world, and it was the strangest flying experience I've ever had

The Isle of Barra is a remote western island in Scotland's Outer Hebrides which is accessible via ferry from Oban, which takes just under five hours, or by plane, which takes just over one hour from Glasgow Airport.

The island is known for its wildlife and natural scenery, including white, sandy beaches which are often compared to the Caribbean.

In September, my partner and I flew on a Loganair flight from our home in Glasgow to Barra Airport. The flight was amazing, and I could hear the splash of the sea against the plane's wheels as we landed on the beach.

After two days on the island, we flew back to Glasgow. We spent around two hours waiting before our flight departed, and it was the most unusual airport I've ever visited due to its small size and beach runway.

The round-trip cost £164, or around $199, per person.

Barra Airport is one of the smallest airports in the world, according to the travel agency Opodo. The airport only has a control tower and a small terminal, and the runway is on the beach due to its remote location and lack of demand.

It welcomed 11,814 passengers in 2022, a spokesperson for Highlands and Islands Airports informed me after my visit. In comparison, the UK's busiest airport, London Heathrow, welcomed 61.6 million passengers in the same year, according to Statista.

Barra is also considered one of the most dangerous airports for pilots to take off and land from due to severe weather conditions and the rising tides, according to a 2018 report by Forbes. The beach runway landing is "so unique" that all pilot training takes place with four experienced trainers, including two Civil Aviation Authority examiners, a Loganair spokesperson told me after my visit.

We got a taxi from our hotel to Barra Airport and arrived at around 9.30 a.m., just over two hours before our flight to Glasgow was due to depart at 11.50 a.m.

Our taxi driver told us that we didn't need to arrive so early, and that in the future she would advise showing up just 40 minutes before the flight. This was strange to me, as I'm used to arriving hours in advance no matter where I fly from.

But her advice made sense when we tried to get inside the building.

There were a handful of cars in the parking lot, however, when we looked inside we could see that the airport was empty. The main entrance was locked.

We were waiting outside in the rain for just a couple of minutes when an employee arrived to unlock the front door for us. It felt like we were being let into someone's home, rather than an airport.

After the employee let us inside, he didn't hang around. My partner and I were left to explore the empty, tiny, waiting area, which consisted of a handful of seats, a vending machine, and chairs and tables which were part of a recently refurbished cafe that was closed.

Our taxi driver warned us beforehand that the cafe wasn't currently operating because "they couldn't find anybody to take it on."

Highlands and Islands Airports wrote on its website earlier this year that it was looking for a team to run the café. The closing date for the opportunity was listed as June 21, 2023, and a spokesperson said the process is still ongoing.

There was a departure and arrival screen above a singular check-in desk across from the waiting area, but there was no airport staff to be seen.

The screen showed that there was only one flight due to land on Barra that day from Glasgow, and our flight (on the same plane) was the only one scheduled to depart.

My partner and I were the only people at the airport for the first hour, and I found myself wondering if the other passengers on our flight were locals and knew better than to show up early.

We didn't mind too much, as we were able to take in views of the beach without any interruption.

The two vending machines had cold bottled drinks and hot drinks. I opted for a hot chocolate, which was a great choice considering it was cold and rainy outside.

We were told by the employee who let us in the building that none of the lockers actually locked. He said it shouldn't deter us from using them, adding that the airport was quiet and safe.

The island's white, sandy beaches are often compared to the Caribbean. Earlier that weekend, I heard fellow visitors refer to the island as "Barrabados," an affectionate nickname said to be widely used by locals, according to the Daily Mail.

The vast beach surrounding the airport was beautiful and full of color, despite the dreary weather that day. The vibrant green of the grass and the turquoise water looked as though they were plucked from a postcard.

The empty beach also appeared untouched, as the white sand was clean and void of any litter. By the time we left, the only footsteps on the sand belonged to us.

When we arrived back at the airport, the other 13 passengers due to travel on our flight had arrived and were sitting in the waiting area. While the plane had 19 seats, Loganair allows a maximum of 15 passengers and two pilots to allow for extra fuel capacity, as there are no refueling facilities at Barra Airport, a spokesperson for the airline said.

There was also one staff member who allowed us to check in before directing us to the beach, where the plane was waiting.

Barra Airport is by far the most unique airport I've ever visited, and the experience was magical for me because of the beach.

I could have stayed for a further two hours just to spend more time by the sea without the hustle and bustle you would experience at most busy airports. It was the strangest — and most peaceful — travel experience I've ever had.