Tegucigalpa

Toncontin International Airport serves as the major airport in and out of Tegucigalpa. The origin of this name is unknown. This airport is frequently criticized for being one of the most dangerous in the world (due to its location next to a sierra, its short runway, and difficult approach, which requires large commercial jets to execute a tight hairpin leftward u-turn turn at very low altititude to land on a very short runway--American Airlines pilots, for example, receive additional, specific training for the Toncontin approach). Thankfully, major renovations, both cosmetic and physical, have taken place and continue (as of January, 2008). For those who have not flown in and out of Tegucigalpa within the last couple of years, there is a marked change -- from the terminals themselves to the immigrations/customs area. The hope is that additional air service carriers will choose to fly in and out of Toncontin. Efforts have been made for years to replace it with Palmerola airport in Comayagua, currently a Honduran and American Air Force base. Toncontín has been improved by the work of CAT (the Airport Corporation of Tegucigalpa) which is owned by TACA of El Salvador and by INTERAIRPORTS, a company hired by the government of Honduras to manage the four airports of the country. On May 30, 2008, there was a plane crash in the airport, in which TACA airline jet skidded off the runway, across a busy road and slammed into an embankment, crushing several cars. The crash killed five people and injured 65. President Mel Zelaya announced that all commercial flight would be transferred to Palmerola, but there still have to be confirmation of this arrangement because Palmerola isn't ready to take in commercial flights immediately.

Airlines at Toncontin

American Airlines, to Miami only, daily
Grupo TACA,(flights to San Salvador, San Pedro Sula and Miami mainly)
Continental Airlines, to Houston only, daily
Copa Airlines, to Panama and San Jose (CR), daily
Atlantic Airlines de Honduras, to Managua, Nicaragua, La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, Roatan, Belize City, Belize

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Sports

Tegucigalpa is home to Club Deportivo Olimpia and Club Deportivo Motagua, members of the Honduran National Soccer League. Between the two teams, they have won more than 30 Championships, and play their home games at Estadio Nacional Tiburcio Carias Andino.

There are also inter-city school sports championships.

There is a Coliseum used mainly for basketball but is also used as a music concert venue. There is also what is called a "Villa Olimpica" to practice Olympic sports such as boxing, archery, tennis and tae-kwon-do; it is located close to the National University.