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I flew to Banjul, The Gambia in 95 via Senegal’s nightmare of an airport. The Gambia’s airport had its own level of absurdity (my understanding is that they now have a new facility). We landed on a very very long runaway in the middle of the jungle, then de-planed and were told to walk thru a field of chest high grass to the terminal (actually a small tin roofed shed). Once inside I noticed a photo of US astronauts on the wall. Apparently, the US built the long jungle runway for The Gambia as one of the designated emergency landing zones for the Challenger flights. There were goat and various hangers-on in the shed. It had started to pour and the tin roof was amplifying the sounds so it was difficult to hear the announcement that our luggage was dumped outside on the tarmac the shed for pick up. when my girfiend flew in a few days later on the smae flight, the flight was late..18 hours late. When I called Gambia air to ask when the flight was expected I was told that they were not sure but to listen for a plane overhead, when I hear it...head to the airport.
One more, and again in the mid 90s, Chuuk International Airport, Federated States of Micronesia. Airport not necessarily so bad, open air, not much to do though other than buy a mwarmwar and chew and spit betel nut. The daily Continental Micronesia flight was still an event for islander youth. However, the pilot sometimes had to buzz the runway to shoo livestock and children playing. In addition, when the island was without power for months on end, airport lighting was the only lighting on the island, only turned on for arriving planes. The airport emergency vehicle had died but still sat at the end of the runway. Its flashing red light would be turned on when planes arrived to provide comfort to those who didn’t know better. I was told by Continental pilots that the island hopper flight (Honolulu, Johnston, Majuro, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Guam) was a difficult flight, most of the runways built over the ocean, 6 take offs and 6 landings in 11 hours.
