While we all love our airport journeys, there are only a few airports which leave us impressed. A short Instagram reel by an English travel photographer Dave Flew is quietly connecting with lakhs, for all the right reasons. Now, a viral-clip, the reel beautifully captures the beauty of a domestic airport in India. No drama, no chaos, just hearty feelings celebrating something we as a traveller generally ignore or don’t give enough credit to: the simple comfort of a well-organised airport.
Let’s find out the airport that impressed the traveller:
Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow The reel is filmed at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport. It shows him walking and talking and capturing (selfie) through the terminal. He looks supremely impressed with what he is seeing and experiencing.
“So this is Lucknow Airport. I quite like it. It’s super clean, modern and super efficient”, says Flew. Now that’s his verdict from his experience: the airports here are always clean and easy to navigate and super friendly.
What sets the tone of the video is that there is no exaggeration. It’s an honest review of a traveller experiencing a happy travel moment in a country often stereotyped for being dirty and chaotic.
The video attracted many positive comments;
One Instagram user called Lucknow an underrated city. He said, “a hidden gem of culture, cuisine, history and architecture. Hope you get to explore it well, and hope you have a good time! ☺️”
Another user commented, “Did u try lucknow kebabs?”
In the video, Flyer says, “Everything’s working well. So gotta go and do security and then wait for the plane for Mumbai.” He called the security check at the airport a painless process.
But he warns of one thing, the “electrical stuff”. Just take it out of the bag, he says.
“I think when you travel domestically in India, the best to do with any electrical stuff is just take all of it out in your bag, and then you don’t end up getting stopped and searched every time. It is a pain but I understand why they do it.”
It is important for travellers to know prime electrical policies in Indian airports and flights:Power Banks & Lithium Batteries are not allowed in checked baggage.
Passengers are not allowed to use power banks to charge gadgets. They can’t use aircraft seat power outlets for charging personal devices as well.
Power banks up to 100Wh (typically 20,000mAh – 27,000mAh) are allowed. Anything above requires approval from the airline.
Wikimedia
In the clip, he further appreciates the on-ground bars and calls them better than English airports. “These lovely fancy bars are everywhere. Really Really impressed with Lucknow Airport. It’s set the bar for a lot of other airports. Certainly better than English airports. But it is a very nice place.” Flew’s experience shows a swift shift in how Indian infrastructure, mostly airports, is being appreciated by international travellers. In the last 10 years, India has invested a lot in transforming its aviation hubs. At Lucknow airport, Flew called his experience smooth and “painless,” which is a huge compliment. It is not an isolated example. Social media is flooded with similar stories highlighting Indian airports’ beauty and functionality. What makes the story interesting is not the comparison but the emotion and happy experience behind it. There’s no denying that travel could often be a stressful experience, with standing in long queues, confusing signage and security protocols. So when stories like this appear, it readjusts hope for travellers.
Kamal Ghorui
