Monster suggestion

Back in 2015 a bid was made to rebrand Inverness Airport  as the Loch Ness International Airport in an effort to capitalise on the global appeal of the world famous loch and its equally famous monster.

The then North Highland MSP Rob Gibson (SNP) wrote to airport operators Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, suggesting the monster name change.

"Inverness is the gateway to the Highlands and this simple change of name to Loch Ness International could be worth millions to the region," said Mr Gibson.

Sadly, the bid by Mr Gibson failed, and Nessie never made it on to the departures board.

So far, Ireland remains, largely, untrammeled with airport names. Dublin Airport is exactly that, although from there you can fly to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, John Lennon Airport, Liverpool, and Marco Polo Airport, Venice.

In the unlikely event of your ever needing to know, Tirana’s international airport is called Mother Teresa. Probably the only internationally famous Albanian (and one from the small Albanian Christian community), she was run out of Belfast at the height of the Troubles. This fast exit was not caused by loyalists / IRA, or other terrorists. She got her marching orders from the Catholic Church. (It's too long a story for here I'm afraid. Another time, maybe.)

But the point is, Mother Teresa left, as it happens, via the George Best International Airport. George himself would have smiled at this, and were he still with us would probably tell us the story of the bed, the money, where it all went wrong . . . oh no, sorry. That was with Miss World.