Birmingham-8
I find that really difficult to believe, but perhaps its true. But then where is the business case for bringing in main deck handling equipment on a promise of a couple of 777s a week, until LHR slots can be secured?
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My friend and his partner were stuck in this latest BHX shambles today and had to queue outside before queuing for ages inside. Despite arriving 3 hours before take off made their EZY flight to Kos by the skin of their teeth. They are regular (worldwide) fliers and BHX will not feature in their travel plans for the foreseeable.They said they have never experienced such a shambolic and disorganised situation anywhere, with no information being given or staff on hand to help.
My sister who lives in Berlin was delighted about the new EZY/FR flights to BHX. But the news about BHX through the joy that is social media has spread, for her next trip back she is flying to BHX but back from EMA.
Two isolated examples in thousands of monthly passengers but bad news travels far, far faster than it used to thanks to camera phones and social media and BHX has a PR disaster on its hands. These pictures just keep on coming
No one disputes the fact that new security facilities were needed and fingers crossed they will be every bit as good as we're being led to believe. But the plans to manage passenger flows and experience during the (seemingly never ending) construction works are woefully pitiful - no thought given at all to peak flow management of passengers through security: seriously, a couple of lifts, nowhere to queue when you get out of said lifts and a few scanners in operation when you finally make it to the security search area is shamefully inadequate. Did no one think that this was a s**t plan?
To add insult to injury, instead of apologising, BHX says they're taking advantage of the summery weather by letting passengers queue outside?!!! WTF?
God help passengers next week when more than likely it'll be pissing down again!!
My sister who lives in Berlin was delighted about the new EZY/FR flights to BHX. But the news about BHX through the joy that is social media has spread, for her next trip back she is flying to BHX but back from EMA.
Two isolated examples in thousands of monthly passengers but bad news travels far, far faster than it used to thanks to camera phones and social media and BHX has a PR disaster on its hands. These pictures just keep on coming
No one disputes the fact that new security facilities were needed and fingers crossed they will be every bit as good as we're being led to believe. But the plans to manage passenger flows and experience during the (seemingly never ending) construction works are woefully pitiful - no thought given at all to peak flow management of passengers through security: seriously, a couple of lifts, nowhere to queue when you get out of said lifts and a few scanners in operation when you finally make it to the security search area is shamefully inadequate. Did no one think that this was a s**t plan?
To add insult to injury, instead of apologising, BHX says they're taking advantage of the summery weather by letting passengers queue outside?!!! WTF?
God help passengers next week when more than likely it'll be pissing down again!!
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[QUOTE=To add insult to injury, instead of apologising, BHX says they're taking advantage of the summery weather by letting passengers queue outside?!!! [/QUOTE]
Yes I thought that was priceless. Next thing they will be suggesting passengers bring camping stools and a picnic!
Yes I thought that was priceless. Next thing they will be suggesting passengers bring camping stools and a picnic!
GF,
The good news is that most of the public have very poor memories. Look back two years and MAN was getting a terrible kicking, not only on social media, but also on mainstream, both broadcast and print. Did it disuade people from using MAN? Judging from the passenger numbers, probably not.
IF the design at BHX isn't unworkable, come the August peak, IF the work is completed, early S24 will be a memory that will have pretty well faded completely by the S25 "booking season".
If either of those "ifs" don't happen things could get serious.
The good news is that most of the public have very poor memories. Look back two years and MAN was getting a terrible kicking, not only on social media, but also on mainstream, both broadcast and print. Did it disuade people from using MAN? Judging from the passenger numbers, probably not.
IF the design at BHX isn't unworkable, come the August peak, IF the work is completed, early S24 will be a memory that will have pretty well faded completely by the S25 "booking season".
If either of those "ifs" don't happen things could get serious.
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Quite literally the structural issues at Birmingham and Manchester ( now easing) are fundamentally the results of a decade and half ( actually right back to 9/11) and governmental swings around security, impact assessments and latterly ending of FOM between the UK and our neighbours , oh and a certain Chatham tailed carriers leaving these markets .
The liberation of the EU market and flexible fare style carriers also massively impacted traffic ( in a good way) and the numbers of organic blobs have exponentially increased compared to the previous twenty years.
Of course now that business model in the UK does require a few tweaks to comply with the new rules.
Both airports infrastructure to the turn of the last millennium were incited and designed to accommodate the needs of that Chatham tailed carrier , both airports built infrastructure to allow for a hub for them with little indeed no friction between flight transfers.
The move to near passport free (The UK were expected to join Schengen at some point ) travel across the EU demanded little in the way of supporting infrastructure ( some would remain for none EU travel) inbound sure.
However changing departure security measures other than random bag checks and (some back of house profiling) simply weren’t addressed by airport operators largely because they were NOT CONSULTED nor adequately prepared by central government with time and funds ( typically British)
Some of the major issues neither airport could address within their infrastructure was that of segregation of arrivals and departures particularly within the EU . Consecutive administrations determined that only GB border clearances would be acceptable .
So you have infrastructure built with a limited friction design philosophy to smoothly and quickly move the passengers kerb and door in both directions now having to somehow implement massive changes at the behest of central government.
The results are here to see . Queues landslide at several airports and right now they aren’t going away and time soon.
Birminghams oldest terminal was designed to have several security points outbound and that was indeed great at the time . Not so much today , simply to many pinch points and a requirement for way to many security people .
The Euro terminal was never designed as a low cost terminal either.
The liberation of the EU market and flexible fare style carriers also massively impacted traffic ( in a good way) and the numbers of organic blobs have exponentially increased compared to the previous twenty years.
Of course now that business model in the UK does require a few tweaks to comply with the new rules.
Both airports infrastructure to the turn of the last millennium were incited and designed to accommodate the needs of that Chatham tailed carrier , both airports built infrastructure to allow for a hub for them with little indeed no friction between flight transfers.
The move to near passport free (The UK were expected to join Schengen at some point ) travel across the EU demanded little in the way of supporting infrastructure ( some would remain for none EU travel) inbound sure.
However changing departure security measures other than random bag checks and (some back of house profiling) simply weren’t addressed by airport operators largely because they were NOT CONSULTED nor adequately prepared by central government with time and funds ( typically British)
Some of the major issues neither airport could address within their infrastructure was that of segregation of arrivals and departures particularly within the EU . Consecutive administrations determined that only GB border clearances would be acceptable .
So you have infrastructure built with a limited friction design philosophy to smoothly and quickly move the passengers kerb and door in both directions now having to somehow implement massive changes at the behest of central government.
The results are here to see . Queues landslide at several airports and right now they aren’t going away and time soon.
Birminghams oldest terminal was designed to have several security points outbound and that was indeed great at the time . Not so much today , simply to many pinch points and a requirement for way to many security people .
The Euro terminal was never designed as a low cost terminal either.
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certainly baggage reclaim in T2 is in noway adequate for holiday arrivals. Wonder what the plans are for this area,as it seems to be wasted space at the moment
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When we got through we still had to wait for bags. Surprising for Jet2, usually have better experiences.
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No it didn't - Eurohub as it was then called was designed for a flag carrier to get passengers from Scotland and Northern Ireland to cities across Europe via Birmingham at a time very different to now when EDI and GLA only had very limited direct services to European cities.
Fast forward a few years, BA ditch BHX, low cost then becomes a thing and it takes BHX about 15 years to catch up. Now it has it's bursting at the seams!
Fast forward a few years, BA ditch BHX, low cost then becomes a thing and it takes BHX about 15 years to catch up. Now it has it's bursting at the seams!
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No it didn't - Eurohub as it was then called was designed for a flag carrier to get passengers from Scotland and Northern Ireland to cities across Europe via Birmingham at a time very different to now when EDI and GLA only had very limited direct services to European cities.
Fast forward a few years, BA ditch BHX, low cost then becomes a thing and it takes BHX about 15 years to catch up. Now it has it's bursting at the seams!
Fast forward a few years, BA ditch BHX, low cost then becomes a thing and it takes BHX about 15 years to catch up. Now it has it's bursting at the seams!
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Ryanair
Tiny rumours of Wroclaw and Rzeszow coming to be bhx.
Rzeszow is not on sale for EMA and Wroclaw not on sale for NCL
we could also see Gdnask being possible as it’s not on sale at NCL.
anyway I’m not holding my hopes up
Rzeszow is not on sale for EMA and Wroclaw not on sale for NCL
we could also see Gdnask being possible as it’s not on sale at NCL.
anyway I’m not holding my hopes up
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Even until 2020 it was mostly regional, full service and package holidays with relatively little low-cost. The only other airports that seem to have managed to keep the low-cost invasion away is NCL and some extent GLA whilst both maintaining a relatively strong mix of full service and leisure packages.
MAN and BRS by comparison let the low-costs flood in years ago and while it maybe sad to see the traditional stuff diminish, have seen some tremendous growth as a result. BHX is well and truly the next airport going through that transition and it's only a matter of time I feel before the likes of NCL and GLA go the same way as this is the model that now reflects the commercial reality.
It will understandably take some time to adjust the infrastructure accordingly but it won't be transformational. North Terminal Gatwick, built as a second BA hub now dominated by EZY A320's. Sat 1&2 at Stansted built for long-haul now fudged to suit the low-cost model. T3 at MAN historically a more regional facility now a Ryanair fortress. There's plenty of examples of the same things happening elsewhere.
From you comments, you don't seem to regard Jet2 as low-cost? I've never heard NCL described as trying to keep the low-cost invasion away - on the contary, early Go/EZY base.
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Ryanair used to operate Rzeszow from BHX, can’t recall when it ended or whether it was moved to EMA. Wizz recently ended Wroclaw despite the excellent loads so definitely possible. And if EasyJet start Copenhagen from BHX I’m fully expecting Ryanair to do the same.
I was flying on a full Easyjet flight AGP-BHX yesterday, early days but seems to be doing very well. After Arrivals and making my way to Air Rail link there were very long queues immediately from the outside with passengers waiting to go through security. Fortunately they did have several staff on duty and a dedicated lift for those exiting for the station so it was quick. It is getting very busy hopefully the work will be finished on schedule.
I was flying on a full Easyjet flight AGP-BHX yesterday, early days but seems to be doing very well. After Arrivals and making my way to Air Rail link there were very long queues immediately from the outside with passengers waiting to go through security. Fortunately they did have several staff on duty and a dedicated lift for those exiting for the station so it was quick. It is getting very busy hopefully the work will be finished on schedule.
Whether the pictures are from today who knows. Reach aren't known for letting facts get in the way of good clickbait!
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I am potentially using Birmingham on an arriving flight Friday 7th June with Ryanair around 12.30pm.
How are the immigration queues in relation to security? I want to book a train around an hour after landing but I am very hesitant given the recent reports of queues!
How are the immigration queues in relation to security? I want to book a train around an hour after landing but I am very hesitant given the recent reports of queues!
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Immigration
- EK39 STA 12.25 
.There isn't any building work as such and it will be down to the e-gates working and you should be fine and reports today they were dedicating one of the 4 lifts for arriving pax going onwards to the station. All the issues are actually getting into the lifts on departure usually first thing in the morning or early afternoon, there were queues outside again this morning.
The only issue I had on 1st May was the gate rejected my passport but I got through very quick as the desks had plenty of BF officials and at 12.30 with EK due it should be the same. The only issue you will have is if the EK beats you in
Pete
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You know how to pick your times - EK39 STA 12.25 .
There isn't any building work as such and it will be down to the e-gates working and you should be fine and reports today they were dedicating one of the 4 lifts for arriving pax going onwards to the station. All the issues are actually getting into the lifts on departure usually first thing in the morning or early afternoon, there were queues outside again this morning.
The only issue I had on 1st May was the gate rejected my passport but I got through very quick as the desks had plenty of BF officials and at 12.30 with EK due it should be the same. The only issue you will have is if the EK beats you in
Pete
- EK39 STA 12.25 .There isn't any building work as such and it will be down to the e-gates working and you should be fine and reports today they were dedicating one of the 4 lifts for arriving pax going onwards to the station. All the issues are actually getting into the lifts on departure usually first thing in the morning or early afternoon, there were queues outside again this morning.
The only issue I had on 1st May was the gate rejected my passport but I got through very quick as the desks had plenty of BF officials and at 12.30 with EK due it should be the same. The only issue you will have is if the EK beats you in
Pete
Yes, my first thought was the timing, but I have now booked my flight based purely on price. I am flying in from Toulouse, my local airports are normally Manchester or Liverpool but as there are no direct flights to these airports, I found a very reasonable €47 one way flight to BHX!
Ref the train, I will leave plenty of time between scheduled arrival and train departure, so I have time on my side…hopefully!