Airports, I have come to recognise, have a style of their own.

Dabolim airport in Goa appears on first inspection to be something left over from the Raj. A military airport which has reluctantly opened it’s doors to tourists it bristles airside with soldiers in dress uniform saluting and marching around. Arrivals is cramped and incessantly slow : an early sign of Indian officiousness. The queue moves an inch at a time towards immigration and the people who will rubber stamp visas and passports into submission. The first time I came I was bored, the second time I realised that it was a moments respite before the arrivals hall with the gangs of porters grabbing bags away from owners in an attempt to make a few rupees.

Arlanda in Stockholm is very different. Clean Swedish design with high roofs and sweeping curves. Staff move from terminal to terminal on scooters, gliding past people struggling with bags. At Sky City, the main collection of shops, you can purchase pickled herring next to luxury goods whilst those going on a package deal stock up on bags of Bilar (apparently the sweets old people eat) to consume on the plane.

Heathrow always seems to be welcoming to me. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been here so many times, either returning home, welcoming people back or collecting people who are staying over for a while. It’s a place I know my way to and somewhere I drive past on my way to work, watching the planes and wondering just how do they stay up there.

Gatwick, however, is completely new to me. I’ve flown probably twice from here and sitting waiting today I was struck by how different it felt. There were no large crowds of people waiting expectantly for that first glance of a loved one. No one broke free from the crowds to run towards anyone. Sure there were people waiting but they sat on chairs glancing around and when someone walked out from arrivals (rather like walking out from a changing room but with slightly more bags) they got up said hello and walked out to the car park.

Have we really become this accepting of sitting in a tube of aluminium at 35,000 feet going in excess of 100 mph ? I hope I don’t get like that. Whether it’s travelling or collecting someone I’m still excited by the sights and sounds of airports and all the more if I’m picking up someone I care for.