Facts
World-Records
Longest Commercial Runway
5,500
meters
Qamdo Bamda Airport in Tibet has the world's longest commercial runway at 5,500 meters to compensate for its extreme altitude.
Explanation
At an elevation of 4,334 meters above sea level, the thin air at Qamdo Bamda significantly reduces both engine thrust and wing lift. Aircraft need much longer distances to accelerate to takeoff speed and to decelerate after landing. The 5,500-meter runway is roughly twice the length of a typical commercial runway at sea level.
Source: CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China)