Birmingham Airport hits back at Which? survey ranking it one of the UK's worst for queues

Birmingham Airport has recently been ranked among the worst airports in the UK for queues at security, according to a survey conducted by Which?.

The survey, which gathered feedback from nearly 5,000 British travellers, highlighted significant issues with long waiting times at various stages of the airport experience, including check-in, security, and passport control.

The average wait time reported at Birmingham Airport was 29 minutes, placing it just above Manchester Airport’s Terminal 3, which was ranked the worst overall.

The survey results come as many travellers who experienced chaotic scenes at Birmingham Airport during May and June.

The airport faced severe criticism on social media, with passengers describing the situation as “carnage” and “an absolute shambles.” Many reported waiting for up to 90 minutes to get through security, with queues stretching outside the terminal building.

The chaos was attributed to ongoing construction works and a significant increase in passenger numbers during the busy holiday period.

In response to the survey, a spokesperson for Birmingham Airport hit back at the findings, stating:

“We are investing significantly in passenger experience and as a result, our Net Promoter Score is rated as ‘Good.’ We survey thousands of passengers each month, providing a far more accurate picture than one taken from a sample size that can represent less than 1% of passengers in some cases. So far this year, nearly 70% of our passengers surveyed said they were satisfied with the overall airport experience, with an above target of 76% in August.

“This was achieved during our busiest month ever and is testament to the hard work of our colleagues in providing a great service. Improvements to security over the past few months has seen the average wait drop to around 10 minutes. Like many other UK airports, Birmingham doesn’t recognise these results given direct feedback captured on a weekly basis from passengers, that have travelled through recently.”  

Birmingham was ranked 19th out of the 29 airports. It did, however, gain three stars out of five for queues at bag drop, the check-in desk and for its toilets.

With the busy holiday season approaching, the airport notes effective upgraded measures will enhance the overall travel experience for passengers.

What are your thoughts on this ranking? Have you experienced long queues at Birmingham Airport yourself?

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