Going to the airport and not getting a flight is strange

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My in laws and bro in laws regularly go to the airport to watch planes take off and land. I rang them this morning to see if they had any plans that we could tag along with and this was the plan.
I have a friend who does the same but she has two 3 year olds who are obsessed with planes. I get that. I don't get two people in their fifties and two men in their twenties doing it on a sunny Saturday when the airport is 45 mins drive away. Last time they asked me I said 'I think I'd feel sad going there and not actually going on holiday.' This takes me to the strangest part, none of them have ever flown or would ever consider flying, or so they say.
Each to their own I guess.

Sounds like a great plan to me!

I have fond memories of the viewing room at Birmingham Airport :) I wonder if it's still there?

It is slightly weird given their love of planes that they'd never ge on one though do they know something we dont' know??

We wouldn't do normal commercial planes but do go to a small airport and watch the biplanes/ people having lessons/helicopters and they have a cafe with a garden next to the runway for this especially.

Or if it's the red arrows we might go to the local airport, just not for everyday planes!

There's a distinction in my head, I realise that's probably weird too.

It's no different to watching trains or buses. Why shouldn't anyone of any age have a hobby or interest?

My sister and her exh used to do this. Drive for 45 mins just to watch. She wasn't interested in planes unless she was boarding one for a holiday and even then she would be sick on take off and landing.

Okay so when I was a teenager and wanting to be cabin crew, I would get the tube to Heathrow and spend a few hours having a coffee and staring at cabin crew. I did get a job as crew eventually and I didn't like it!

We have a viewing tower in our local airport, a tower specifically for viewing, you wouldn't have one of those if it was strange now would you

Many years ago I did a long backpacking trip. My parents came to pick me up from the airport as they were so excited to see me after a year. They went up to the viewing platform at Heathrow and mingled with the plane spotters for about an hour before I landed. They got chatting to one who had a radio and he gave them a running commentary of my flight's progress, how far out we were etc.

I can really see the appeal. I've got an app which tracks flights. We live under a flight path so I sometimes like to see where a particular plane is heading. I think it's really interesting.

Incidentally I'd love to go to that beach in The Caribbean (on St. Maartens maybe) which is right at the end of the runway. Loads of YouTube videos of it, it looks ace.

Manchester viewing park is really popular. Its busy most of the summer.

I am not a huge plane fan but dh is. He has been going since before we had kids and we all go now. Loads of people witbout kids there as well.

I remember the days of viewing lounges or going out on the roof too! If we were going to meet someone at the airport, we'd get there early so we could have half an hour plane watching first.

My favourite plane spotting experience was donkey's years ago when my, then, boyfriend and I had been out for the day and our route home took us round the southern perimeter of Heathrow. We had to stop for some red lights, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It transpired that Concorde's hanger was on the other side of the perimeter road and when it had to go back 'airside' the traffic had to be stopped to let it cross the road! We were the first car stopped at the lights and it was just amazing to see it so close - the first you could see of it was just the pointy nose and then the whole plane majestically crossing our path!

The small airport near me has special watching areas and there's always plenty people parked in a layby watching them taking off and landing.

We're visiting the inlaws this weekend in Liverpool. If I'm lucky, DH will take me to the airport to watch the planes land. It's fucking witchcraft how they stay up and I don't

I'm guessing it's something they started when their sons were little boys and have carried on as tradition/family time. I think it's quite sweet. Wouldn't be my cup of tea but then I don't expect everyone to like the things I like either!

I have parked at the end of the runway at Leeds Bradford airport with DD to watch the planes. She loved it.

Whatever floats your boat I guess. Odd that they have never been on a plane though considering they like to watch them take off? Not something I would find interesting although we have gone up to the windows to look out at the planes but that has been to distract the children when we're waiting to board the plane.

We've done this with the kids before - cheap day out! Dd1 especially loves to see them land and take off, and loves train stations too.

It's not something I would choose to do as an adult but then lots of adults would be baffled as to why someone would like to do geocaching, play Pokémon Go, play escape rooms etc. all of which I love.

It's not weird, it's just different to what you like. Broaden your mind!

When I was younger my grandparents always took us for days out to Gatwick airport we used to love it. I never actually went on a plane until I was in my twenties

The best part was the monorail

I've just been watching big jet TV on Facebook, live streaming from Gatwick airport this morning!!....love watching planes ....wondering where people are going

It's a mainly male obsession and unlike so many mainly male obsessions it's completely harmless. Forget about it.

I think there isn't a viewing room at Birmingham Airport now. I have heard there are a couple of places you can watch planes outside including on Sheldon park. Thinking of doing it with ds this summer, he loves aeroplanes!

Can't day I fancy it especially but I can see why people would do it. There are FAR odder hobbies!

DF used to like nothing better than watching boats going through locks. He could spend hours watching that. Hoping someone would muck it up

I love going to airports and looking at all the destinations and wondering who's going there. Our local is Gatwick which is a bit crap for viewing I think - as a pp said I don't think you can see anything until you're past security.

I think it reminds me of going to Heathrow to pick my dad up from business trips as a kid, which used to be one of my very favourite things to do.

But if I loved planes that much I would want to go on one at some point too!

FIL used to take DH to watch the planes at Birmingham airport when he was a child.

FIL never went abroad in his life however .

My own DCs think it's a strange thing to do (when DH talks to them about how grandad used to take him), but it's horses for courses really isn't it?