different keyboard

This is that standard Mac keyboard called "English Great Britain" or "British", normally sold in that country, but also available in the US and certain other online stores.

All European keyboards (called "ISO") have the extra key next to Z and the different shaped enter key like that one, as compared to the US ("ANSI") keyboard.

What store did you buy it from?

Axel Foley wrote:

I can tell you that the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 MacBook Air's do not have the RETURN button in a reversed L shape.

That's correct for machines made for the US, Korean, Taiwan, and Thai markets. But the 29 different keyboards Apple puts in machines made for other markets all do have the reversed L shaped Return button.

Can you tell us which model MacBook Air did you buy? Is it a 2020 MacBook Air? I can tell you that the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 MacBook Air's do not have the RETURN button in a reversed L shape. Can you take a picture of the keyboard and post it here including which year MacBook Air are you referring to?

Axel F.

Some people who are used to the US keyboard do find it quite hard to adjust to the European Return key, as well as having tilde/backtik no longer ar the top left corner

Thanks Tom. It was a good learning opportunity for me. Thanks again for the information.

Axel F.