Airports are the most underrated networking events in the world

Everyone hates the waiting time at airports. But not me.

After travelling to 52 countries for work, conferences and family, those few hours at the gate have become some of my favourite moments.

The habit

While most people plug in their earphones and disappear into their phones, I keep mine in my bag.

It sounds like a small thing. But it has opened doors to some of the most interesting conversations of my life. On one trip, I ended up having unplanned chats with film director Venkat Prabhu and Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan, simply because I was looking up instead of down.

None of it was planned. No agenda, no badges, no pitch. Just people waiting for the same flight.

Why airports work

• Everyone has time. Nobody is rushing to their next meeting. The flight decides the schedule.
• Everyone is curious. Travel puts people in an open, slightly adventurous state of mind.
• There's no hierarchy. At the coffee counter, a CEO and a student are both just passengers.

How to try it

• Put your phone away for the first 20 minutes at the gate
• Sit near the coffee counter or charging points, where conversations happen naturally
• Ask simple questions: "Heading home or away?"
• Don't sell anything. Just listen.

What travel has taught me

The best opportunities in my life rarely came from planned networking. They came from being present. A reply to a LinkedIn message led me to my bitsCrunch co-founder. A chat in a queue has led to friendships that lasted years.

So next time you're at an airport, look up. Your next co-founder, customer or friend might be sitting right next to you, also waiting for their flight.