Having until very recently always used MXP for Milan business trips I had the opportunity two weeks ago to use LIN for the first time - big mistake!

I somehow managed to achieve the almost impossible task, despite being sat in 1A, of being virtually last through immigration on a very full BA flight (my earlier BA LHR-LIN flight had been cancelled). We disembarked onto two buses (one at the forward steps, one at the rear steps) - sod's law dictated that the bus at the rear steps arrived at the terminal first, where there was only one queue for 'all passports'; it took the best part of 30 minutes to clear passport control.

If I thought that was the only long queue I would have to endure that day I was sadly mistaken. The queue for taxis was at least as time-consuming. Even though I was travelling with hand baggage only it took me at least one hour after landing to leave the airport, thereby negating any advantage that LIN might have over MXP from a proximity to city centre point of view.

The departures experience 40 hours later wasn't much better. A large party of Saga customers checking-in for the flight after the one I was trying to check-in for made for a slow and painful experience in a departures area that looks like something out of the 50s. And don't even get me started on the non-existent air-conditioning on the terminal to aircraft buses.

My Italian business colleagues readily admit that Italian airports generally are of a poor standard, but to me LIN is definitely one to avoid - give me the relative delights of MXP and the train connection into the city anytime.