Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[Ray Finkle]

Not everyone is happy to use lifts?

I know at least two people who are so claustrophobic that lifts are just not an option

 

[nwoody2001]

That is correct Matt
The space saved by not have escalators creates a lot more floor space so this with the old screening area becoming extra lounge / retail space takes some pressure off the current set up and should mean the airport can get to 18m without re-strarting the planned lounge extension.

I’m sure there were stairs in the new extension but don’t have access to the plans on my mobile. All it would take is for one power cut to render the entire terminal redundant if lifts were the only way… let alone if there was a fire.

 

[Timberwolf]

That is correct Matt
The space saved by not have escalators creates a lot more floor space so this with the old screening area becoming extra lounge / retail space takes some pressure off the current set up and should mean the airport can get to 18m without re-strarting the planned lounge extension.

Are there any other similar sized airports in Europe that have no escalators to get you upstairs after check in ?

Not that well travelled but can't link of any that I have been to ?

Hopefully someone can provide a list of them.

 

[rollo]

What about fire regulations? I thought lifts weren't supposed to be used during a fire evacuation.

Exactly their must be an alternative option available at all times, presumably that will be stairs then again if there's room for a staircase how about an escalator.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Exactly their must be an alternative option available at all times, presumably that will be stairs then again if there's room for a staircase how about an escalator.

Or, do away with the staircase and have an escalator. If there's a power cut, the escalator can still function as a staircase. A power cut to a lift and it's useless.

 

[rollo]

Or, do away with the staircase and have an escalator. If there's a power cut, the escalator can still function as a staircase. A power cut to a lift and it's useless.

That's what I was meaning.

 

[nwoody2001]

Seems that in terms of day to day use, the lifts will be the primary means of access but there will be 2 stair cores included for fire escape purposes but will only provide access to externally...

So safety is all sorted but in terms or people that arent a fan of lists lol....

https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.uk/online-applications/files/B93A4EA5B522B008EA8B31DE3B2CC12D/pdf/PL_2022_01445_PPFL-FLOOR_PLANS_GROUND-1753060.pdf

https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.u...2022_01445_PPFL-FLOOR_PLANS_FIRST-1753061.pdf

A few things i probably knew but didnt really appreciate until now having looked at these plans are the following:

- how much extra space will be provided. the check-in area will appear significantly larger with a) the extension of the building footprint and b) the removal of the escalaters which will be good

- the completion of these works meant the demise of the air-rail? has this already ben shut????

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

The Airport is a mess.
For me get rid of costa,Greggs and all other stores.Getting a wider expansion of arrivals area.

 

[nwoody2001]

The Airport is a mess.
For me get rid of costa,Greggs and all other stores.Getting a wider expansion of arrivals area.

bit of a harsh judgement it ill take youre word

 

[Matt995]

The Airport is a mess.
For me get rid of costa,Greggs and all other stores.Getting a wider expansion of arrivals area.

Curious to know Ant, why you say the airport is a mess? When did you last travel through the terminal, to give this opinion?

Airports have to make money, renting out shop units, and making a percentage from the takings is a must, getting rid of shops, and enlarging the arrivals area, won't help the airport make any money. How can the airport expanded/develop with less income, if the shops were removed?

 

[Brum X]

The Airport is a mess.
For me get rid of costa,Greggs and all other stores.Getting a wider expansion of arrivals area.

Leave my 24/7 Greggs alone, the first place I head for when I arrive at 2am for a coffee and a sausage roll whilst waiting for the X1 bus back into the city centre

;-)

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

bit of a harsh judgement it ill take youre word

My point being is that.If we’re getting nearly 20 Asian destinations through the door and more holiday destinations than I think we should remove the food chains in a more accessible and appropriate way.
If we’re going to get 2 daily Qatar 2 daily emirates 3 weekly Spice jet 6 weekly Air India,4 weekly Saudia,4 weekly PIA 18 weekly Turkish,3 weekly Pegasus.Then it’s time to expand the arrivals area.Keep the Whs smith where they are due to it being there for a few decades.
Put costa,M&S and greggs somewhere more accessible but not in a busy area of the airport.
Security times and security it’s self are actually decent .

 

[Ianbutty]

My point being is that.If we’re getting nearly 20 Asian destinations through the door and more holiday destinations than I think we should remove the food chains in a more accessible and appropriate way.
If we’re going to get 2 daily Qatar 2 daily emirates 3 weekly Spice jet 6 weekly Air India,4 weekly Saudia,4 weekly PIA 18 weekly Turkish,3 weekly Pegasus.Then it’s time to expand the arrivals area.Keep the Whs smith where they are due to it being there for a few decades.
Put costa,M&S and greggs somewhere more accessible but not in a busy area of the airport.
Security times and security it’s self are actually decent .

Airports are shopping centers with some thumping big bits of transport infrastructure attached. It is the retail that makes the money that keeps the transport bits function.

So if you start taking you mega renters away from where they can maximise their income and the airport maximise it's rent, then the retailers will leave.

Retailers love footfall and the best frontage....just look at the John Lewis flop in Grand Central. Right store in the most lousy location. It rightly flopped.

So keep the retailers where the footfall is the highest.

I recently travelled through Gatwick South and I could not believe the lack of non-retail space. There is no vast open areas of days gone by. It did not stop us from finding somewhere to sit and, yes, sup on a very nice* early morning coffee and blueberry muffin...

* It obviously was not a Costa

 

[IanFarquharson]

My point being is that.If we’re getting nearly 20 Asian destinations through the door and more holiday destinations than I think we should remove the food chains in a more accessible and appropriate way.
If we’re going to get 2 daily Qatar 2 daily emirates 3 weekly Spice jet 6 weekly Air India,4 weekly Saudia,4 weekly PIA 18 weekly Turkish,3 weekly Pegasus.Then it’s time to expand the arrivals area.Keep the Whs smith where they are due to it being there for a few decades.
Put costa,M&S and greggs somewhere more accessible but not in a busy area of the airport.
Security times and security it’s self are actually decent .

BHX like all airports make lots of money from retail / food outlets, without this revenue BHX's cash flow / profits would be much lower.
BHX takes a % of all money taken at all outlets.
So if anything they need to get more shops etc not less !

 

[Brum X]

I wonder why you don't see McDonalds at airports, only Burger King ?

Surely people would go to McDonalds ??? Any idea why ?

I am sure a McDonalds in the Jet2 terminal would do a roaring trade during the peak holiday season ;-)

 

[Seasider]

Cost of the rent?

 

[IanFarquharson]

Cost of the rent?

High rent plus % of takings

 

[rollo]

You'd have to pay me to go to either how they can define themselves as restaurants is beyond me.

Each to their own I suppose.

 

[MB1]

Still not sold on the lift idea. When you have large numbers of people to move from one place to another the key is to maintain a constant flow. Escalators and even staircases can do this. With lifts you are creating waves by design which will cause bunching of passenger groups, and I fear a less desirable experience for all concerned.

Hope I'm wrong, but as others have touched on above, is there anywhere else that does it this way? Or maybe BHX have hit upon something really clever that no one has thought of before? I do hope so, but I remain to be convinced.

Covent Garden tube station and Coventry Ikea spring to mind. And both are/were a complete nightmare.

I wonder why you don't see McDonalds at airports, only Burger King ?

Surely people would go to McDonalds ??? Any idea why ?

I am sure a McDonalds in the Jet2 terminal would do a roaring trade during the peak holiday season ;-)

Catering at BHX (and most UK airports and major rail stations for that matter) is a virtual monopoly by the mega franchise operator SSP. And they franchise with BK not McD.

 

[Onlinespeedy]

In other news, stand 8C is now closed with hoardings up and road diversions in place already. I can only assume this is for the new covered holding area they are building. I didn’t expect work on this to start so soon!

The road diversions are already causing a few long diversions for buses collecting pax at stands 12 and 13, with buses having to go all the way to north and double back on themselves as they can’t make the right turn towards gate 7. As you could imagine, pax are not best pleased, but it is what it is.

Not sure what the timeframe on this project is, but they have been doing really well with the standardised stands project. They have been completing each phase in quite a timely manner, so I would expect the same from this next phase.