Random musings of airports set against beautiful vintage photographs of Heathrow Airport.

We all have the tendency to romanticize the past. We wax nostalgic of, say, the 1920s, and think of a very Gatsby-esque era filled with flapper dresses and endless champagne. But we tend to overlook the nasty parts of said era, like the Second World War or the high chance of you getting polio.

I was looking through vintage photos of Heathrow airports as I was killing time in Singapore’s Changi Airport (which is awarded the best airport in the world for multiple years in a row, and is decked out with cactus gardens, a movie theatre, a swimming pool…). It got me feeling the same way as when I romanticize past eras, thinking, “wasn’t it better back in the day?”. Airports used to be so posh. People dress up to go to the airport, they do their hair, wear suits, carry fancy suitcases. Even the dining rooms somehow look so much classier. Going to airport became a social status, because indeed it was. You could only travel and be a jet-setter when you have money.

It’s different from how airports are like today, where there’s Michelin star restaurants and McDonald’s in the same terminal. There’s endless rows of luxury stores and multiple outlets for cheap confectionery (who knew you needed multiple party-sized bags of mini Snickers?). Some dress in fancy attire, though I never understood those who come in stilettos (good for you, I guess?) and some in unwashed tracksuits and pyjamas.

A part of me longs for the exclusivity of airports, but if we keep romanticizing the past of air travel, we wouldn't have the pleasure of actually experiencing it ourselves. Let's be honest here, most of us could only afford cheap airline tickets and get excited over flash sales. With greater travel inclusivity (thanks, budget airlines!); comes the ability for us to explore the world, support the economy of our destinations which include developing nations, and foster greater understanding. I wouldn't be able to write any article in this blog if I wish airports remained as it were during those so-called glory days.

Airports are easily the location where you can see such stark contrasts under one roof. The airport has become democratised, and it does reflect what societies and cities are like: the opulent and the ordinary standing side by side.

Indeed, the airport is like its own city and it's arguably possible to live in an airport. Of course, the quality of life varies, depending which airport you get to live in, which depends on the level of development of the city the airport is at. You have your groceries, pharmacies, clothes, entertainment, and of course, alcohol. Chairs are good enough places to sleep if you’re not lucky to not have lounges and nap areas. I myself have slept in those cold metal benches with hand rests that prevent you from laying down and giving you neck and back cramps for the rest of the journey.

Airports are the microcosm of cities today.

The difference between normal cities is that the usual social norms that might apply in the country the airport is in, is applied a little bit more loosely. It's perfectly fine to have a beer at 7 AM in a tracksuit while sitting on the floor by the nearest power point, having not showered for two days (Thankfully I haven't reached this low point in my travels yet). Conservative Middle Eastern countries that usually have very strict rules on attire and alcohol seem to not have the same strict rules on airports. Liquor is sold in airports in Dubai and Qatar, and it's not uncommon to see women walking around in less covered clothes.

Airports today are homogenized. You could go to any airport in the world and make your way through the check-in counters, gates, and boarding rooms. But in a way, airports give you a taste of the foreign without being overwhelmed, a preview of whats to come. Upon closer inspection, airports aren't as homogenized as they seem, and it's all in the small details. The different power plugs that make you carry that additional adapter for every country you visit. The dedicated "Kiss & Go" areas in Western countries. The languages on signs, because imagine how you'd survive without the mandatory English translation above it.

Airports are where the truest form of emotions are showcased. A tearful goodbye. A passionate kiss. A sign saying "Welcome Home". The first scene in Love Actually is my favorite part of the entire film. Hugh Grant narrates actual, unrehearsed clips of families and friends in airports:

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that.

It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends.

And so, beside my penchant of loving seemingly very mundane things, I love airports for what they represent. That sincere hello-goodbye. The excitement that you’re going somewhere. That loud, reassuring *thump* of the stamp on your pages, adding one more to your hopefully ever-growing collection of stamps you have with pride on your passport.

Written by Nadia Pritta Wibisono

All vintage photographs are courtesy of Heathrow, taken from here