Birmingham Airport - General Thread

[Ray Finkle]

Idiot of the week goes to.......

A drunken plane-spotter was arrested just 65ft from Birmingham Airport’s runway – after scaling an 8ft perimeter fence for a “better view” of the aircraft.

Aftab Ali downed two bottles of vodka before sparking a security alert by climbing over the barrier, which was topped with razor wire, at the height of the holiday season earlier this month.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-airport-security-alert-drunk-13550533

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Idiot of the week goes to.......

A drunken plane-spotter was arrested just 65ft from Birmingham Airport’s runway – after scaling an 8ft perimeter fence for a “better view” of the aircraft.

Aftab Ali downed two bottles of vodka before sparking a security alert by climbing over the barrier, which was topped with razor wire, at the height of the holiday season earlier this month.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-airport-security-alert-drunk-13550533

One thing he wasn't, was a 'plane-spotter'! Anyone that I've known, who would describe themselves as such or as (my preferred description) an 'aviation enthusiast' will be utterly appalled by his actions.
In the past, whilst viewing from BHX's long stay car park I have been approached by the Police on a routine patrol. They saw me (with camera and long lens) and pulled over for a very polite chat. I explained my interest and they handed me a card with a phone number, asking that if I saw anything suspicious would I please call.
My point here, is those of us that love this hobby are more than happy to act as an extra unofficial level of security. The idiot reported above, is not one of us.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

I would like BHX suits upstairs to invite us enthusiasts to register as such with the airport security service and issue a card or smart badge etc. This would allow an exchange of intelligence as necessary and a minimum of harassment. No special access, just extra vigilance.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I would like BHX suits upstairs to invite us enthusiasts to register as such with the airport security service and issue a card or smart badge etc. This would allow an exchange of intelligence as necessary and a minimum of harassment. No special access, just extra vigilance.

There is this -

http://baess.blogspot.co.uk/

I assume it's still running.

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

There is this -

http://baess.blogspot.co.uk/

I assume it's still running.

Kevin

Loving that picture with bmibaby and the old tower

 

[Ray Finkle]

Another drunken row on board an aircraft with cabin crew eventually having to restrain two women and the captain threatening a divert to Iceland.

This was on a Thomson flight from Jamaica and the woman involved was 35 years old. It's goes to show that it's not just young kids on flights to Ibiza.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/new...daymaker-restrained-birmingham-plane-13581449

 

[JF57]

Another drunken row on board an aircraft with cabin crew eventually having to restrain two women and the captain threatening a divert to Iceland.

This was on a Thomson flight from Jamaica and the woman involved was 35 years old. It's goes to show that it's not just young kids on flights to Ibiza.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/new...daymaker-restrained-birmingham-plane-13581449

It implies that the drinks were served on the plane so perhaps the crew missed a trick? Not that the crew should have to count how many drinks each passenger consumes.
It needs some stiff penalties to prevent this happening.

 

[Ianbutty]

It implies that the drinks were served on the plane so perhaps the crew missed a trick? Not that the crew should have to count how many drinks each passenger consumes.
It needs some stiff penalties to prevent this happening.

She should be banned from flying ever again. Same applies to every disruptive abusive passenger. It will soon stop.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there ray and all, was speaking to my hairdresser this morning about her next holiday in Benidorm. I asked her if she was flying from Birmingham, she replied never again, she said that when she went in early June this year to Benidorm, landed back at Birmingham, but had to wait on board aircraft for an hour, due to no ground crews available, then when she went to get her baggage from carousel, had to wait two further hours because her bags hadn't even been put on truck to go into airport as none available, so by the time she finally got her luggage was something three hours later because baggage system had temporary come to an abrupt end. So she flew from East Midlands in late July for a weekend, flew back into East Midlands, and within one hour of landing had got her baggage, and was home in under one hour, whereas at Birmingham she would have still been stuck there waiting for her luggage. She then said that she wouldn't fly from Birmingham again. Now this is the type of image that Birmingham has got to resolve now, otherwise thousands and thousands of other passengers simply won't fly from Birmingham again, this will cause a negative feedback to other passengers and will deter them as well. This is where who ever is the new boss of the airport, has got to create it's own handling service to prevent this escalating further and put this issue to bed once and all.. AndyC

 

[Brum X]

Hi there ray and all, was speaking to my hairdresser this morning about her next holiday in Benidorm. I asked her if she was flying from Birmingham, she replied never again, she said that when she went in early June this year to Benidorm, landed back at Birmingham, but had to wait on board aircraft for an hour, due to no ground crews available, then when she went to get her baggage from carousel, had to wait two further hours because her bags hadn't even been put on truck to go into airport as none available, so by the time she finally got her luggage was something three hours later because baggage system had temporary come to an abrupt end. So she flew from East Midlands in late July for a weekend, flew back into East Midlands, and within one hour of landing had got her baggage, and was home in under one hour, whereas at Birmingham she would have still been stuck there waiting for her luggage. She then said that she wouldn't fly from Birmingham again. Now this is the type of image that Birmingham has got to resolve now, otherwise thousands and thousands of other passengers simply won't fly from Birmingham again, this will cause a negative feedback to other passengers and will deter them as well. This is where who ever is the new boss of the airport, has got to create it's own handling service to prevent this escalating further and put this issue to bed once and all.. AndyC

But then again Andrew , it can work both ways. I know friends who wouldnt fly from East Midlands becouse of the lack of facilities. At the end of the day on our little island called blighty, we can all vote with our feet and fly from anywhere we want.

 

[Jerry]

Are UK airports allowed to have their handling in-house? It would seem to be a better option especially for smaller airports to do it themselves.

 

[Jerry]

But then again Andrew , it can work both ways. I know friends who wouldnt fly from East Midlands becouse of the lack of facilities. At the end of the day on our little island called blighty, we can all vote with our feet and fly from anywhere we want.

We are lucky in this country that most of us have good access to and a lot of good airports close by.

 

[Coathanger16]

Are UK airports allowed to have their handling in-house? It would seem to be a better option especially for smaller airports to do it themselves.

I doubt they'd want to - if something went wrong they'd have nobody to blame

 

[Ray Finkle]

Things do seem to be getting a little better, possibly because the peak school holiday period is over.

Look at the replies to a Tweet by Travel Tom, some just won't seem to accept that a good journey through BHX is possible, they seem to have it in their minds that it's all bad no matter what. As said, I arrived back last weekend, well in the main peak period and from aircraft to leaving the building was well inside half an hour, it appears that others have had similarly good experiences.

https://twitter.com/thetomstokes/status/906116222919606272

I'm not making excuses but wonder if people are generally less patient than they used to be a few years ago? We do seem to live in an 'I want it now' society. When we arrived on stand last week people were stood up getting their luggage before the aircraft had fully stopped, the seat belt signs were still illuminated. Obviously it takes time to manoeuvre a jet bridge and connect it up but within a couple of minutes I could hear moaning. Emptying a full 757 through just one door also takes time and as we were towards the rear of the aircraft we were some of the last off, people around us were really complaining with one guy shouting that there should be rear steps. I wonder if these same people would then be the ones moaning that they had to walk down steps and across the apron rather than use a jet bridge? I just don't remember it being like this 15/20 years ago?

It has been bad at times this summer but Birmingham is far from alone, lots of airports have very similar complaints. Things do appear to be improving though and hopefully lessons have been learnt for next summer.

 

[Seasider]

As has been said many times before, people find it easier to complain than congratulate.
People are less patient, less considerate and more selfish nowadays.
It amazes me that people are up out of their seats as soon as possible after landing. If you are sitting in the middle of the plane, it will be 5 mins after first disembarkation before you will move.

 

[Coathanger16]

And its not just British people that stand up as soon as the plane stops, or even before in some cases. I arrived on an A380 into Auckland recently, and considering we were at the very back - with around 400 people to disembark before us - the majority of people still stood up when the seat belt signs were turned off. There was then a 10 to 15 minute wait before people started moving.

In that case after a long flight I can appreciate people don't want to sit any longer than they have to, but whats 15 minutes more?

When airlines board aircraft, they often do so by rows. I wonder how long it will be before some more formal procedure appears for disembarking aircraft.

 

[paul]

Same thing happened on my flight this morning to Amsterdam people jumped up everywhere for what no one moved for ten minutes just sat there laughing at them all

 

[Ray Finkle]

Same thing happened on my flight this morning to Amsterdam people jumped up everywhere for what no one moved for ten minutes just sat there laughing at them all

The same happened with us.

Numerous people were stood up, some in what looked like very uncomfortable positions and nothing moved for 10 mins. We were at the back with 200 or so people in front of us, what did they expect?

I know there has definitely been issues at BHX and some days have been horrendous but I have to wonder if some pax just jump on the bandwagon and make things out to be much worse than they actually are.

When airlines board aircraft, they often do so by rows. I wonder how long it will be before some more formal procedure appears for disembarking aircraft.

That seems like a good idea but I wonder if it could work in practice?

 

[Coathanger16]

That seems like a good idea but I wonder if it could work in practice?

Besides a system whereby say they allow certain rows to disembark, and if anyone in another row gets up from their seat, disembarking is stopped until they sit down again, I'm not sure.

I guess the issue is does people standing up as soon as the aircraft stops at the gate cause any problem? I've had it before where the aircraft has stopped before reaching the gate and people start getting up, in which case their is small safety risk if the aircraft were to start moving again. But if the aircraft has stopped at the gate and won't move again, besides being frustrating to fellow passengers, does it actually cause a problem.

The thing that annoys me more is that if you stay sitting in your seat, when it comes your rows 'turn' to disembark, people that are standing up in rows behind you often try to walk past and block you in your seat. Doesn't happen all the time, but the 'fear' of it happening is probably why people stand up as soon as possible.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I guess the issue is does people standing up as soon as the aircraft stops at the gate cause any problem?

It doesn't bother me at all, I'm usually one of those who is off last preferring to let others take part in the scrum

It was more of an observation of how people seem so impatient these days and whether that impatience spills over into complaints about horrendous waiting times, when actually things may not seem to bad to you or I?