I’m prepared to state that many of us in the Western World have travelled on a plane at some point in our lives. It therefore stands to reason that we have been through an airport, since you cannot usually access a plane unless via an airport! In this post, I aim to ponder some of the airports I have been to, and the incredible differences between them, along with the obvious similarities.

Heathrow

London Heathrow Airport is the largest airport in the UK, and also the busiest. It is a major passenger hub, as well as an important cargo hub. In 2023, Heathrow was the second-busiest airport in the world for international passenger traffic, behind Dubai International Airport. There are presently two runways, with plans for a third, and there are four operational terminals, each with robust road and rail access.

My direct personal experience with this gargantuan airport lies in flights to the USA and Australia. Needless to say, there is a permanent hive of activity at Heathrow, with a constant stream of vehicles arriving and departing, as well as swarms of people rushing from place to place. There are numerous options for food and drink, along with the usual duty-free shopping options, should you desire a bargain or two. As with most airports, the bars and restaurants are somewhat extortionately priced, owing to the captive audience.

What I recall of Heathrow is efficiency. With so much stuff going on, all the time, it is no great surprise to learn that the crews and teams have everything running, by and large, quite smoothly. The check-ins, security and boarding are all well-oiled machines, and they have to be, for anything less would cause absolute chaos at such a busy airport.

Stansted

London Stansted Airport is located within the county of Essex, and it has the distinction of being the first airport I ever flew out of, back in… I want to say 1993, so we’re talking a few years ago! I remember Stansted being very clean, and quite shiny. It was modern back then, having recently received a pretty epic renovation. A presiding memory is of using an automated people mover service to get from the main terminal to the departures lounge.

Being a smaller airport than Heathrow, Stansted tends to serve European destinations, and it was from here that my first ever flight conveyed my family and I to Portugal. I have since flown out of Stansted again, and it remains quite a modern-looking airport, reliable and clean.

Luton

London Luton Airport is located in the county of Bedfordshire, though part of it overlaps into Hertfordshire. Like Stansted, Luton serves European destinations. It is considered a smaller airport than some of the other nearby ones, and there was a time when the facilities within were quite basic. It was at Luton, back in 2001, that my family and I would spend several hours waiting for a plane to be fixed, and the meagre offerings in terms of food and drink did little to satisfy the grumpy passengers, trapped within the cramped location.

Luton has received upgrades since then, in an effort to modernise the facilities, and they have helped. It’s still not exactly a huge airport, but for its purpose, it suffices.

Faro

Time for the first foreign airport. Faro International Airport primarily serves the Algarve region of Portugal, a popular destination for holiday-makers. It has been years since I’ve flown in or out of Faro, but one memory is of how helpful the staff were at helping my grandfather disembark and board a plane. It was here that I had a panic attack after waking up from a fitful nap, whilst we waited for a heavily-delayed flight home.

Sydney

I don’t remember Sydney International Airport very clearly, save for it feeling very modern and very clean, which I think is a testament to the pride Australians take in their country. It is a big airport, featuring three terminals, a host of international and domestic flights. In fact, I flew into Sydney twice, once on the flight from England, and once via Newcastle, which I will come to in a mo…

Newcastle

I am not referring to Newcastle, England, but rather, Newcastle, Australia. Newcastle Airport definitely qualifies as one of the smallest airports I have ever been to, and it marked the first occasion I had ever flown on a small, 17-seater aircraft. I have a fond memory of standing outside with my dad, looking at a plane, and wondering if it was our plane, to which my dad said ‘I hope not, it’s got no wings!’ Sure enough, this particular little plane had no wings!

This was a dainty place, where the lady who checked in our luggage then drove the luggage to the plane, and helped load said luggage! I briefly wondered if she would also be flying the plane!

There are certain constants with airports and air travel. Most airports, irrespective of how big they are or where they they’re located, are constant hives of activity. After all, flights are departing and arriving, all the time. There is always a flow of cars, buses, taxis and trains to and from an airport, conveying thousands of people through the doors. Most people are lugging, er, luggage, bustling past others, and doing their level best to get to the right check-in desk or departure gate. Usually (as per the modern requirements of air travel) passengers are at the airport three hours before departure, and once check-in and security are completed, there is usually at least an hour left to peruse the various duty-free shops. Don’t let the duty-free nature fool you, for even in such an environment, airport prices are extortionate.

The other problem is that the shops are often busy, especially anywhere involving food. Since you cannot take food and drink purchased outside the departure lounge through security, you become a captive audience if you wish to get food. It’s pricey, and you have to get your elbows out if you wish to get any.

You do a lot of queuing in airports. You queue to check in your luggage. You queue to get through security. You can end up queuing to use the toilets! You also queue to board the plane. The entire process can feel like it takes an age, though there isn’t much you can do about it. It is what it is, as I like to say. There’s less queuing when you arrive at your destination, though there is the hassle of waiting for your bags, whilst feeling somewhat shattered from the flight, and desperately wanting to get on with your journey.

What about you, dear ‘kats? What are your thoughts on the airports?