E Gates were working tonight! Like any airport there are good days and bad days. I have been off a flight at T5 and on the tube in less than 30mins at LHR yet have landed and been waiting for bags at INV for more than half an hour, two very different airports just my experiences on the day! I think on the whole BHX does well with its sizeable peaks and troughs and there are always staff there directing the flow of pax. I agree with others that it is Border Control that calls the shots in Immigration which will affect how things run on the day. My recent experiences of BHX have been very good. Tonight is very typical: we landed from TXL at 18.32, parked up on Gate 57 and I made the 19.14 train from Intl to Leamington, including picking up a bag from the carousel on the way.....
Changing tack, I am just back from my third return trip BHX-TXL with LH in two months, the good news: all flights at a rough guess have been about 80% full (tonight 100%!!), the not so good news, I have yet to see anyone travelling Business Class, indeed on Sundays it is not even offered, the A319 is all economy seating. I just hope yield holds up on this route as for me personally it is a god send not having to trek up to EMA or LHR.