Airports and our emotions

A childhood professional aspiration was to work in the airline industry. Why? The six year old me was very fascinated seeing my Uncle get dressed to go to work. A former Air Force pilot, he had started flying commercial international flights for Air India, and as Captain of those aircrafts was frankly so cool!

Either ways, the aspiration to work in the industry quickly fizzled out, but the excitement to fly all across remained. And over the years, people watching at airports is something that invariably happens while waiting at gates, waiting to check in, security or customs, or waiting to pick up a bag.

And slowly over the years I've realized that all of us wear our emotions on our face when we are flying. For example, even the most jaded and weary frequent flier will have a look of calmness or boredom when he or she is at a gate.

Very simply, the expressions are in three categories, closely resembling what we as human beings experience. Happiness and variations of it. The neutral phase and then the sad traveler or worrier.

If I was a portrait photographer, there would be no better place to capture the happy expressions that emerge at airports. The excitement of going on a trip or the joyful reunion of seeing loved ones is priceless. Covid tested us immensely by giving many of us these moments.

The neutral space is where the majority stack up. Specially in recent times where air travel has become par for course for work.

However the most distraught expressions emerge on the faces of the people who are travelling because of some sad news. Even if one tries to hide it, somewhere somehow it becomes evident that the passenger is not looking forward to the flight.