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.

I couldn't agree more wasonthelist.

When I was a child, I not only enjoyed a trip to Heathrow T2 (Queen's Building) because you could watch the planes from the roof; but I also used to enjoy mingling in the departures area of both Heathrow and Gatwick airport - there used to be shops, restaurants etc around the checkin desks. Now unfortunately this is all through security, so you cannot simply 'mingle' amongst other travellers, I miss that.

I used to live not too far from Hawarden. The Beluga would fly over at least twice a week, usually a Sunday and a Tuesday. Sometimes it would be scarily low! It's a cool-looking plane

Best advice I was ever given was to always remember that all hobbies are equally valid and equally ridiculous at the same time. Plane watching isn't my cup of tea but if it makes people happy and doesn't hurt anyone, then more power to them.

i definitely think this is strange/am surprised so many people have even heard of this?, but it's good clean fun so wonderful!

I remember many years ago Concorde landed at the local air field, so many people turned up to see it land that the roads around the field just came to a total stop. Took about two hours to get moving again. So I think planes spotting is more popular than people imagine.

Makes more sense than watching football TBH

Oh and I love flight radar too!... if I hear plane flying overhead love checking where it's going to/ from.....always amazed at how high they can be flying (30,000+) ft and you can hear them!

I love a day out at the airport pub I Manchester. The blokes with the radios and massive cameras have loads of information and let you know what times the massive airbus is setting off and if any unusual planes will be about. We saw a huge military one once. Brilliant.

I'm a Director at our regional airport. There are a couple of good restaurants in our Departures area and we have free parking for those who are just dining there. The pizza place gives dough to children to play with whilst they are waiting for their food. We also have a viewing area with multimedia displays, binoculars etc at the top of the terminal, which is accessible to everyone, including visitors.
The only downside for me is that Starbucks is airside.

Meh. It's a hobby. Each to their own. I don't get why people enjoy fishing, or playing golf but everyone like different things.
Why is that so hard to understand?
I can totally see why people plane watch. I love watching planes flying overhead and wondering where they're going.
Also a tad obsessed with flight radar 24 website and watching them take off and fly around the globe.

Oh and I love flight radar too!... if I hear plane flying overhead love checking where it's going to/ from.....always amazed at how high they can be flying (30,000+) ft and you can hear them!

Just seen this - yay,I'm not the only flight radar fan!
I do that too if I see any going overhead.

I just want them to try new things for them! They hadn't been to London till last year and FIL still hasn't! It's a big world and it's not all bad

Are you controlling OP? You sound like you are tbh. People do what they like, what they're comfortable with and there's nothing wrong with that.

On Friday, I will be taking my recently-widowed mother to the airport and not getting on a flight I AM BOOKED ON!!

Thomas Cook wouldn't let her book as a single person, so she has had to book me on too even though I won't be travelling. I'm taking her there though.

No problem paying for a room for two (even though it is half-board) but paying for an extra flight totally stinks.

A whole other thread I intend to start at some point when I have calmed down... Thomas Cook's outrageous policies....

Oh, and ex-boyfriend and I regularly drove an hour to an airport to watch planes on dates and go for coffee.

That's bonkers catsize. What was their reason?

The system would not allow a single person to book. Tried several places. Independent travel agent went via Thomas Cook HQ and she has had to pay double. So I'm booked on but won't be going. It's a place she went to with Dad, is Thomas Cook exclusive, so she was lumbered with the extra hundreds of £. I'm not happy and nor is she but I intend to start a thread once she's gone on holiday. I thought maybe someone here would know the 'logic' before I get stroppy with TC. It occurred to me afterwards she could have booked one of my children on and got a child's flight price, but then it seem they have another ridiculous policy of only offering a child's price if there are two adults on the booking. Great for single parents!

Eh? Thomas Cook won't let lone travellers book and go on holiday by themselves? That's bonkers, and must have been extra upsetting for you and your DM because it was somewhere she went with your Dad .

That sounds like a story for Watchdog. There's just no reason for it. A single supplement for the hotel room is understandable, but not forcing people to pay for an extra flight etc. Lots of people go on holiday alone.

I agree that's totally outrageous of TC. Hope your mum has a lovely time cat.

Catsize Is it in the terms and conditions on Thomas Cook's site that they don't accept single people?

My DD1 and I used to do this when she was a toddler. She loved it. We always went to a coffee shop for hot chocolate and a cake too. She's 6 now and has 4 sisters, I'd forgotten about it until now! I will need to take other DDs to spend a rainy day :) Thanks OP!

Why is it strange? I used to watch the planes take off and land at Gatwick with my dad as a kid and as a student in uni ex and I often used to take ourselves of to luton airport to watch the planes and mooch about the airport. Have some very happy memories of doing this

My kids love to do this (Manchester).

My SDS wanted to do this for his 12th birthday. Went to the visitor centre and to the airport pub for some food.

People still do this! That's great. My mates and I did it right up until we left school and we were 2 hours and 3 buses from Heathrow. Not strange at all.

It's not a pastime I would choose for myself, but I wouldn't think it especially strange in someone else.

Why do they not want to fly themselves? It sounds as if you have other reasons to dislike these people or think them strange.