Kai Tak Airport, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

When lined up for takeoff on runway 31, Lion Rock and Beacon Hill would be right in front of the aircraft. The aircraft had to make a sharp 65-degree left turn soon after takeoff to avoid the hills (i.e. the reverse of a Runway 13 landing). If a runway change occurred due to wind change from runway 13 departures to runway 31 departures, planes that were loaded to maximum payload for runway 13 departures had to return to the terminal to offload some goods to provide enough climbing clearance over buildings during a runway 31 departure.
Accidents
- 21 December 1948: A Douglas DC-4 of Civil Air Transport struck Basalt Island after a descent through clouds. 33 were killed.