BHX wardens - needlessly rude?
 

Got picked up by my brother at BHX yesterday, but the parking warden was very rude in moving him on from the "set down" area. Technically, I'm not sure if he was in the right place (there did not appear to be a pickup point), but there is no place for rudeness in any customer driven market, especially as this might be the only contact with staff a visitor to the airport has. I know people have low expectations of parking wardens, but airports should be in the business of providing high levels of customer service - they are not in the same boat as town centre parking officials. Nothing on the BHX website about pick up / set down areas, despite having a fancy 3D terminal map.

I know we don't yet have the same rivalry between Midlands airports as our cousins in the Scottish Central Belt, but small things like this (together with charging £3.85 for a couple of slabs of toast, and not having any drinking water in the toilets - even greedy BAA have this!) can only do us good here Coventry, which is rapidly gaining a reputation for friendly service.

Before battle commences, I should declare that although I am a major supporter of CVT, I've never had any other problems with BHX staff, and am keen to see both my local airports flourish.

I am also not aware of any airport in the UK which gives out live arrivals information on site (not everyone has access to the internet all the time) for drivers who are picking up passengers. Berlin Tegel has a massive board just before you enter the tunnel under the taxiways - this must help relieve the congestion caused by people driving in a loop around the airport site to avoid paying parking charges if they are not going to leave the vehicle.

I don't think parking Wardens are employed directly by B'ham Airport. NCP employ some carpark staff/wardens but parking/traffic wardens are employed by the council/Police?

Fried Chicken

FC,

There were various police officers around, but they don't control parking. BHX is a private company, partially owned by the various local councils, but they wouldn't employ anyone directly on site. Not sure if the wardens would work for NCP either, but I suppose they could well be employed by a private contractor, rather than the airport itself. Still, a little customer service training can go a long way for any member of staff.

They're just as bad at MAN. I always thought it a ploy to get people to park in the very expensive car parks.:mad:

I did not fly into BHX but due to seasonal closures, I picked-up keys for a lease vehicle at Noon from BXH on New Years Eve (from the arrivals Hall). A colleague who dropped me off and parked temporarily outside the arrivals hall was questioned by two wardens/police? and allowed to wait for a short period, then politely asked if it was possible to go around again slowly. It was stressed their supervisor was on site and due to security precautions it was his duty to check the status of vehicles parked outside the terminal and monitor their stay. On my return, the warden greeted me by name (having specifically asked my colleague for my personal description and my name) and in the abscence of my colleague asked that I wait for my colleague to return giving a brief explanation for him not being able to wait. On the return of my colleague, we were both wished a Happy New Year! Thank you Birmingham for our experience and treating us with the utmost respect and courtesy. It was a pleasure to visit.

Don't forget the British official mantra:-

"Security is paramount"

It's the answer, and defence to just about anything here these days.

That doesn't apply just to BHX but to officialdom nationwide.

if u want to see rude go to heathrow when i was chauffering few years back every time i dropped of at term 3 was shouted at as soon as i dropped off very polite there. stn traffic wardens vertually ignore u thats providing u can see them.