Being High And Still Taking-Off

The cabdriver that is bringing me back to Hotel Oberland from the Airport in El Alto, Bolivia proudly explains that this is not just the world's highst seat of a governement, here in La Paz but also the world's highest commercial Airport. Right here in El Alto at over 4'000 meters over sea level. I am not challenging Juan, my driver, a good man. But I am questioning if that really might be true. A couple of days later the question hits me again. Since the first flight to and from the highest Airport in the World makes it to the news. And it is not El Alto Airport, even though it's altitude of over 4'061 meters over sea level is impressive, the highest Airport in the world, that has just been opend is in Tibet, Daocheng Yang Airport at an even more impressive altitude of 4'411 meters or for my US american readers, 14'472 feet. 

But Daocheng Yang Airport was not just topping El Alto,  three other Chinese Airports are located a couple of hundred meters higher than El Alto is. But one thing El Alto is for sure, the highest commercial airport in the Americas. Neither topped by the US, who love to have the biggest, the newest, the best, neither by any Europeans who claim to be "the old world" and having discovered the rest of the planet. 

Maybe not the world's, Juan, but for sure the highest of the Americas.

More pictures for Aviation Nuts: HERE.

More pictures of Bolivia: HERE.

More information about the highest Airports of the world: HERE