Birmingham Airport’s ‘busiest summer on record’ - Here’s what the airport has prepared so far to reduce queues

Travellers can expect a variety of popular destinations and improved facilities to guarantee a comfortable journey during the summer rush at Birmingham Airport. This comes after months of long queues and delays, prompting the airport to take additional steps to improve the customer experience.

What are the top destinations this summer?

Palma, Majorca, is the busiest route this season with over 118,000 customers traveling to this summer destination. Dublin follows closely with more than 100,000 travelers, offering onward connections to the United States. Dubai remains a popular choice for Midlanders, with over 85,000 passengers booked. Other top destinations include Antalya, Dalaman, Amsterdam, Alicante, and Tenerife.

What has Birmingham Airport done for the summer rush?

Al Titterington, terminal operations director of Birmingham Airport said: “ We have built temporary facilities to aid passengers get ready for security and also have additional customer service ambassadors on hand to help. In order to help, passengers should familiarise themselves with liquid rules and advice from airlines on when to arrive for check in.”

As part of efforts to enhance the customer journey, including the introduction of a new security search area, Birmingham Airport has implemented a new service for customers who use Sunflower Lanyards to discreetly indicate their hidden disabilities.

To ensure these customers can access the Sunflower Lanyard service, a new ‘check-in’ facility will be introduced. This system will allow passengers with hidden disabilities to receive assistance from trained airport staff throughout their travel experience.

What can passengers expect in terms of wait times?

“This summer will see passenger numbers return to pre-Covid levels, and potentially exceed them, so we have put in robust plans, including extra contingency plans for issues that may occur out of our control to assist everyone on their journey through the airport.” continued Al Titterington.

Typically, most customers pass through security in under 10 minutes, with peak time queues up to 45 minutes.

What should passengers know about hand luggage rules?

Passengers are reminded that liquid rules for hand luggage are still in place, requiring all liquid containers to be under 100ml. Each airline has its own check-in time, and customers are advised to follow this guidance. Some passengers may be processed through a temporary external queuing facility to ensure hand baggage compliance for security.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with BirminghamWorld’s free emails