First off, London Heathrow's Terminal 5 is like no airport I have ever experienced before. From the moment my TfL Rail train sped into the platform from Paddington, to the moment the wheels left the tarmac, it was like being a celebrity. 

Of course, to most passengers using this service, typically frequent flyers, it is simply where you have to go to start your journey. For me, it wasn't quite like that. As soon as I stepped off the escalator (I never use lifts), BA were welcoming me 'to their home'. The high, arched roof gives a sense of space, and luxury, while the large panelled glass windows allow what seems like unlimited light into the building.

Sadly, once you pass check-in, the joy ceases. Whether you join the queue for Northern or Southern security, you will still be channelled through a thin passage like cattle in a market, and security was the most stressful I've had yet. While it could just be that it was my first time back in the skies for two-and-a-half years, I was, as usual, selected for a 'random' spot check. Maybe I just look dodgy.

After we were through the horror show, and had retrieved our bags, also on a 'random' spot check, we were met with what seemed like a wall of people. The only way I can think of to properly represent how it felt, is to ask you to imagine a music festival crowd, that is always moving in different directions, inside a building which, due to it being February, had the heating on. It was stuffy. Suffice to say, we found a quiet corner to regroup.

For our evening meal, we had booked a table at Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food - one of the top-rated restaurants in the airport. While I do not regret this, as it was a fantastic experience, it was on the pricey end. £200 for six people. That was for two-courses each though, so I suppose its not all too surprising.

When the gate was finally announced though, and I headed over there to board, I was greeted by  yet another new concept; the boarding group. While I have encountered 'priority' lanes for boarding before, what I have not is 14 GROUPS for a 220-seat aircraft. I can't help but feel it is a little excessive. Fortunately, I was in Group nine, so it was not long before I boarded.

Now, not only is this my first domestic flight, it's also my first onboard a Full-service carrier, if you don't count Virgin Atlantic. The level of service, therefore, is not something that I am used to. After a long taxi to Runway 27R, we eventually spooled up, and I left the ground for the first time since October of 2019. Bliss!

The thing about domestic flights is that they are never very long, time-wise, so cabin crew do not have much time to deliver a service. On this occasion then, we were provided with free water, and a packet of Kettle Ready Salted crisps, which I kept for supper later on in the Premier Inn.

The aircraft cabin is very loud. The wailing babies certainly do not help the matter, but it seems no soundproofing is fitted at all. If this is supposed to be a noise reduction, I dread the time I must fly on a ceo.

As expected, no IFE is provided, but you should not expect it to be on a domestic like this. You effectively spend your time climbing until you're above York, and then you start descending again. The world really is quite small at 30-odd-thousand feet.

Edinburgh is most definitely one of my favourite approaches - but that's not saying much, as I love all approaches - when you pass down and through the clouds, you are over the capital, and have a good view of John Lewis, Edinburgh Castle, and the Princes St. Gardens. Once you are out over the Firth of Forth, you make a left bank, and those on the right hand side of the aircraft have a wonderful view of the Three Bridges.  At that point you're on final approach, and you butter onto the tarmac (unless you're on Ryanair). As we taxi back to the gate, an easyJet 319 from Palma lands alongside, and we turn onto stand next to a CityFlyer Embraer.

Edinburgh Airport is not, in my opinion, fantastic. There is no segregation whatsoever between departing and arriving passengers, which must surely, at busy times, cause a muddle. Once you are through customs though, over to your right, you will see their state-of-the-ark computer system in operation, which will be a joy I am sure.

The benefits of Edinburgh though, are connectivity. While Glasgow has no direct rail link to the city centre, Edinburgh's Tram system services the airport up to every 4 minutes, which is fantastic, but expensive, even for just a couple stops up the line.

So what then is the takeaway? Well, if you're going to be flying domestic in the UK, it doesn't really matter which airline you go for. Obviously, if BA is the same price, or cheaper than an ULCC, then go for it, but it won't bring you many benefits. Same aircraft. Same seats. Same routes. It only really has a benefit if you're hungry, and, for the difference you could be saving, you can just get your crisps from Boots.