Since I know that the vast majority of the members of the flight simulation community will find the following information thoroughly riveting and useful, please find below a list of retired airports from my installed database. Some of these have been (or will be) replaced by what I consider to be superior versions (for whatever reason), and others have been removed simply because of issues with the airports themselves, or the surrounding scenery. It also gives everyone an idea of just how fussy I am 

• MK Studios BGSF Kangerlussuaq - poor vector data for the coastlines and lakes surrounding the airport.
• FSim Studios BGGH Nuuk International - relatively poor vector data and terrain mesh resolution for the coastlines and terrain surrounding the airport.
• ORBx ESNQ Kiruna (part of the Swedish Triple Pack) - far too many black lakes in the immediate vicinity of the airport.
• MK Studios EKVG Vagar - now considered to be too basic for my requirements (v2 is in development).
• Aerosoft EDLP Paderborn Lippstadt - I noticed lots of floating cars in a car park close to the main apron, and stuff like that does my head in!
• Pilots Experience Sim LFRB Brest Bretagne - ridiculously blurred terrain textures of some pointless French naval dockyard close to the airport, and misaligned runway centreline markings.
• Gaya hand crafted EIDL Donegal - basic terminal building with no interior modelling, and a stupid fence that looks way too close to the taxiway section between the runway and the apron.
• MK Studios EICK Cork - bland textures of what I assume is the glass fronted old terminal building. They shimmer quite a bit, and do not look entirely pleasing to the eye - replaced by Gaya hand crafted version.
• ORBx EGPB Sumburgh - too many static aircraft on the apron, which has removed a large number of parking positions. One or two may have been OK, but there must be about seven or eight - replaced by Gaya hand crafted version.
• ORBx EGNT Newcastle - this one was decommissioned this afternoon after a final flight - I will be replacing it with the vastly superior RW Profiles version.
• UK2000 EGGW Luton - replaced by the IniBuilds version.
• UK2000 EGFF Cardiff - replaced by the Gaya hand crafted version.
• UK2000 EGLC London City - replaced by the ORBx v2 version. One of the main reasons is that the ORBx version of the airport includes models of the buildings on the north side of the dock.
• SLH Scenery Design TXKF Bermuda International - badly misaligned runway centreline markings. I was expecting v2 to have been released by now, but it seems to be way down the list 
• Fly 2 High EGFE Haverfordwest - both ends of the main runway are elevated above the central section. This may be accurate, but landing the 737-600 there is not enjoyable (yes, I know.....why on Earth was I trying to fly a Boeing 737 into an old disused military airfield in nowheresville) 
• 29 Palms LGMK Mykonos - those runway ends are still suffering from terrain mesh elevation issues, and the recent SU16 update seems to have wiped out a lot of the trees close to the airport, which makes the scenery look a bit bare and lifeless. I also noticed a swimming pool at a 45 degree angle on a nearby slope, and stuff like that does my head in as much as floating cars! 
• Atelic LPMA Madeira - simple autogen bridge models visible from the runway 05 approach (I need them to be solid and accurate custom models), and also because it is outside my normal flying area.
• Simtek Solutions LGPA Paros - bent runway, and stuff like that does my head...........you get the picture.
• JustSim LGRP Rhodes v3 - no real solid reason. Just a feeling that it is slightly too basic and lifeless for me (no internal modelling/default taxiway textures/no AI planes ever seem to park at the terminal).
• Gaya LGKO Kos Ippokratis - replaced with the Atelic version.

Other airports that annoy me a bit because of static airliners (or military aircraft) that cannot be removed are ORBx LGSK Skiathos and EGPN Dundee, PilotPlus EGMC Southend, UK2000 EGPK Prestwick, and Gaya ENCN Kristiansand. A special mention should also be made for IniBuilds LOWI Innsbruck, which has been temporarily uninstalled until the developers get their word not allowed together, and fix the badly misaligned runway centreline markings and displaced threshold arrows in the MSFS 2020 version.

If you have made it this far without falling asleep, some of you will probably have puzzled expressions on your faces. Do not fear! My explanation is that with close to a hundred detailed payware and freeware airports installed, I just decided that it was pointless to visit airports that make me uncomfortable for whatever reason. Life is too short for that 

Edited September 13, 2025Sep 13 by Christopher Low

21 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

Since I know that the vast majority of the members of the flight simulation community will find the following information thoroughly riveting and useful,

 

Honestly, I didn't want it to end.

5 minutes ago, Paul K said:

Honestly, I didn't want it to end.

I did read it with a certain amount of puzzlement but it was....strangely gripping....🤷‍♂️

Do you only fly in europe?

Yes, that is correct. If I start flying elsewhere, I will want payware versions of airports in those areas.......and my bank account is not that large 

The default Asobo handcrafted Nice Côte d'Azur (LFMN) airport is definitely one of the most detailed I've experienced.

I wish they'd put level of effort into all the big airports.

I will have to have another look at LFMN in MSFS 2020. There was a reason why I decided not to use it, but I cannot remember what that was. Maybe lack of internal modelling?

Edited September 13, 2025Sep 13 by Christopher Low

24 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

 Maybe lack of internal modelling?

How do you interact with the airports? Fly in and then...?

Reason I ask is I've been through Donegal airport and it's not too exciting...unless you like static Nuns and sandwiches?

2 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

unless you like static Nuns and sandwiches?

Who doesn’t!

😁

2 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

Since I know that the vast majority of the members of the flight simulation community will find the following information thoroughly riveting and useful

I am, literally, glued to my monitor. 😉

I just retired the whole 2020 sim and moved on to 2024.

I don't know about you but, I'm itching to see the list of airports he hasn't retired!

Funny, I started the same process with my addons. Mainly US

Giving them Stars and refusing to fly to the bad ones anymore.

Course these lists are very subjective to the person making them

sometimes I am willing to accept a lower quality addon airport if the approach and surrounding area make it worth it.  But I will say I'm at the point where I will basically never fly into a default airport.