Glad to know I'm not the only one to have lost it at an airport! January last year a very, very kind security lady at Stavanger let me sit in their staff room and gave me a cup of tea and just talked with me while I tried to pull myself together.

Had broken up with longterm boyfriend the night before and then had to say goodbye again at security. We were both flying out at the same time - he was going back to Sydney (he is Norwegian) and I was going to Oslo (I'm Australian)! Was not pretty. Tried so hard not to cry but the floodgates opened as he walked away towards the international terminal. All terribly embarrassing. Thankfully I was given the chance to indulge in my tears in private and managed to board the plane dry (but somewhat red and puffy) eyed.

I've since worked in an international airport and have had the chance to 'repay' that act of kindness and have made a cup of tea and offered words of comfort while a stranger has taken a moment to cry in our staff room.