A uniformed commissionaire, complete with top hat, who greets passengers at the terminal entrance immediately stamps the privately owned London City Airport as something a little different.

It is one of the small but growing breed of airports tailored to meet the requirements of the business passenger. After considerable struggles in its early years it is emerging as a serious player in a highly competitive market.

An expanding route network offers flights to more than 20 cities in Europe, the UK and Ireland. Allied to swift processing of passengers it has made London City an attractive alternative to the capital's larger airports. Located only six miles from the heart of London's financial district and with improving road and rail links it is well placed to exploit the laptop and briefcase business.

Check-in times of ten minutes for departures and the joy of re-uniting arriving passengers with their luggage in just five minutes leaves the airport's rivals at a serious disadvantage.

The concept that 'small is beautiful' is given further weight by convenient car parking, helpful staff who actually seem to like the place and a range of business-oriented facilities geared to its principal source of custom.

One small gripe is that the airport could have better signage on the labyrinthine roads system in the Docklands area. That responsibility, however, lies in the hands of others and is hardly the airport's fault. The attraction of leaving a city office, doing business in Europe and being home in time for dinner is a recipe for domestic harmony and a successful airport operation.