On arrival you are likely to have to ask for the landing card. Fill in both sides identically and they will return one for you to retain. It is your exit card.

Baggage is x-rayed on arrival and officialdom seemed quite relaxed. However patience is a virtue and were a plane with more passengers than our 25 or so it would tax the system to its limit.

There are no arrival facilities - no taxis or buses, no shops, only about six or eight seats for meeters / greeters, no public phone, only limited and Russian language literature available.

The terminal is temporary and the domestic terminal on the other side of the airfield is being extended to handle international flights.

On departure for your international flight get your taxi to follow the "International Sector" sign and after about 2km there is a turning on your right to the terminal which stands about 300 metres up an unsignposted road. My taxi driver passed it twice - in each direction - before I pointed it out to him. It is not obvious.

Arrive at least one hour before your flight - despite any attempt to tell you 30 mins will do. I saw evidence of that and was glad that I insisted on being "early".

Departure was relaxed but leisurely. There is s duty free shop but no coffee or tea bar. There is a toilet and .. that's it.

However my Air Baltic left 10 minutes early just as it had arrived early.

In practical terms the airport "works". Just make sure your work within its substantial limitations.

The Kaliningrad oblast is full of friendly people, reasonable service and food, and is eminently affordable. Go while it is still chic. I met no other UK passport holder during my visit.

There isn't any public transport from the international airport. The only transport i.e. buses go from the domestic airport.