Barra Airport

For the airport in Brazil, see Barra Airport (Brazil).

Barra Airport (Scottish Gaelic: Port-adhair Bharraigh) (IATA: BRR, ICAO: EGPR) (also known as Barra Eoligarry Airport) is a short-runway airport (or STOLport) situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhòr at the northern tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The airport is unique, believed to be the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach as the runway.^[3][4] The airport is operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which owns most of the regional airports in mainland Scotland and the outlying islands. Barra Airport opened in 1936.^[5] The airport's only destination is Glasgow.^[6]

Barra Airport Port-adhair Bharraigh
IATA: BRR ICAO: EGPR
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner/Operator	HIAL
Location	Barra, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland
Elevation AMSL	1−4 ft / 0–1 m
Coordinates	57°01′22″N 07°26′35″W
Website	Barra Airport
Map
EGPR Location of airport in Scotland
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 07/25 799 2,621 Sand 11/29 680 2,231 Sand 15/33 846 2,776 Sand
Statistics (2022)
Passengers 13,102 Passenger change 21-22 32% Aircraft Movements 1,456 Movements change 21-22 17%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Infrastructure

The beach is set out with three runways in a triangle, marked by permanent wooden poles at their ends, in directions 07/25, 11/29, 15/33. This means that almost always the DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft that serve the airport can land into the wind. At high tide these runways are under the sea; flight times vary with the tide. Emergency flights occasionally operate at night from the airport, with vehicle lights used to illuminate the runway and reflective strips laid on to the beach.^[7]

Barra Airport also has a Civil Aviation Authority Ordinary Licence (Number P792) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Highlands & Islands Airports Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.^[8]

Since 2017, passengers departing from Barra, as well as Campbeltown and Tiree, have not been subject to security checks, instead declaring that they do not have any prohibited items. Upon arrival at Glasgow, passengers connecting to other flights must go through security there.^[9][10]

In 2024 the HIAL invested £1.5 million into Barra Airport to receive a refurbishment which included the installation of external wall insulation, paving, decking, and made efforts to modernising the café and lobby.^[11]

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Barra Airport:

Airlines	Destinations
Loganair[5]	Glasgow[5]

Trivia

• The beach is also popular with visitors and cockle pickers, who are asked to observe the windsock to see if the airport is in operation.^{[citation needed]}
• In 2011, Barra Airport was voted No.1 in the world's top airport approaches by a poll conducted by PrivateFly.com, up from 10th place in 2010.^[12]