Birmingham: Airport Infrastructure, Construction & Developments

[rollo]

Another member poster an interesting article on the Eurohub recently, I think in the nostalga forum.

One of the things that caught my eye was that the Eurohub was owned or part owned by BA.

I wondered, is there currently any appetite, space or interest both on the airport side and the airline side of taking up a new airline owned mini-terminal, built at the airline's expense?

I can see how some airlines might like to control the terminal both in terms of how they can manage the standard of experience the passenger might receive and optimise transfers between flights?

The Eurohub was indeed funded both by BA and the airport 50/50 I believe. I think that by the summer it will be exclusive for Jet2 if it isn't already so effectively its their terminal although I stand to be corrected.

The only other airlines at BHX who could realistically use their own terminal maybe jointly are Ryanair and EasyJet and they ain't likely to fund it

 

[Kevin Farnell]

The Eurohub was indeed funded both by BA and the airport 50/50 I believe. I think that by the summer it will be exclusive for Jet2 if it isn't already so effectively its their terminal although I stand to be corrected.

I believe that the stands are currently being re-configured to allow the Jet2 A321's to be handled.

 

[rollo]

I believe that the stands are currently being re-configured to allow the Jet2 A321's to be handled.

Yes Kevin they are my only query is the terminal really is just for Jet2 ?

 

[whateverg]

The Eurohub was indeed funded both by BA and the airport 50/50 I believe. I think that by the summer it will be exclusive for Jet2 if it isn't already so effectively its their terminal although I stand to be corrected.

The only other airlines at BHX who could realistically use their own terminal maybe jointly are Ryanair and EasyJet and they ain't likely to fund it

You seem to be suggesting that Jet2 are paying a premium for having their own 'terminal'. Any evidence for this?

 

[rollo]

I'm absolutely not suggesting that Jet2 are paying a premium as I see it their size of operations fit neatly into an existing terminal to the benefit of the airport and Jet2 and making things simpler for passengers particularly when the new lounge comes into use following the security changes. In otherwords a straightforward operational arrangement to the benefit of everyone.

The post by TM3 was suggesting the possibility of a new mini terminal built at the airlines expense and in my view it would be anathema to the two viable candidates to pay to build a terminal they are more in the business of being financially insentivised to operate from airports.

 

[nwoody2001]

You seem to be suggesting that Jet2 are paying a premium for having their own 'terminal'. Any evidence for this?

Really? I dont interpret @rollo as suggesting anything of the sort in his post, merely Jet2 are the primary user of the terminal. No inference they are paying anything/premium for it!

 

[TM3]

I know it's theoretical but where would such a new mini hub be located if one were needed?

 

[rollo]

I know it's theoretical but where would such a new mini hub be located if one were needed?

At one time on one of the various versions of the master plans it showed a pier where the 80s stands are which if I recall correctly would be connected by a tunnel from the main terminal. I think also around the same time there was a suggestion of a covered walkway around the apron parallel to the railway over that way but I might be dreaming that up.

BHX is now a pretty restricted site these days all round really.

I'm sure there is plan of the tunnel proposal on here somewhere butI haven't been able to find it.

 

[IanFarquharson]

At one time on one of the various versions of the master plans it showed a pier where the 80s stands are which if I recall correctly would be connected by a tunnel from the main terminal. I think also around the same time there was a suggestion of a covered walkway around the apron parallel to the railway over that way but I might be dreaming that up.

BHX is now a pretty restricted site these days all round really.

I'm sure there is plan of the tunnel proposal on here somewhere butI haven't been able to find it.

Never going to happen

More likely they would build on car park to South of T2

 

[TM3]

TBF there is a lot of unused space in the car parking areas, it just goes back a bit. Also a considerable amount of the carparking is single story to there is some scope for consolidation if they want to go multistory on some of these areas.

Any idea where the new HS2 people mover is going to terminate at in the airport terminal area?

 

[juliet-fox-9]

TBF there is a lot of unused space in the car parking areas, it just goes back a bit. Also a considerable amount of the carparking is single story to there is some scope for consolidation if they want to go multistory on some of these areas.

Any idea where the new HS2 people mover is going to terminate at in the airport terminal area?

It will terminate outside the Eurohub, to the south, where the covered walkway from the car parks is now.

Unfortunately it is being done “on the cheap” and passengers will have to go outdoors after disembarking from the people mover. A few more yards would have brought it up to the terminal building and enabled it to be connected to an extension of the terminal frontage.

If I had to guess I’d say this is because HS2, is mostly paying for the people mover and the airport would rather spend on other things.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Going back to T2, do we know if easyjet domestic flights will continue to use it or will they be bussed from T1?

 

[SolihullSpotter]

Going back to T2, do we know if easyjet domestic flights will continue to use it or will they be bussed from T1?

Hi Ray,

From what I’ve been told yes, all domestic flights will continue to depart from the T2. Specifically gates 11-16. I believe this is the “domestic half” of the south terminal in the baggage/immigration area.

Also. Take with a pinch of salt as we will wait and see, but I was also told that whilst jet2 will be the main occupiers of T2 it won’t be exclusively “there’s”. In the summer months if they have multiple departures at the same time some of their aircraft will still depart from T1 due to them needing to push back multiple aircraft to get them away on time. When the alignment is finished I believe T2 will have 19 A321 capable stands including the 20s remotes. So more than Jet2 would need.

I was also told that all easyJet departures domestic and international would use T2 after the 8am morning wave of departures.

Finally, that T2 will and can be used by any airline that doesn’t wish to park on the T1 remotes requiring them to have to pay for buses from the terminal to the stand (if all stands around the pier are in use).

Whilst I trust the word of the person who told me this it was a few months ago so plans could have changed since then, as they often do.

So we will have to wait and see

 

[Ray Finkle]

Many thanks for the info @SolihullSpotter

 

[SolihullSpotter]

Many thanks for the info @SolihullSpotter

Not a problem 🙂

Hopefully what I was told was correct. It does make some sense I guess, the press release about the £10m stand realignment in January did quote someone high up at the airport saying that this will enable the airport to direct inbound aircraft to T2 stands if none are available at T1… or along those lines if I’m correct.

Guessing it’s cheaper for the airport to use up the capacity of T2 and spread out the passengers than carry on with the extension to T1?

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Flew in on KL1433 on Thursday.

E-gate worked for the first time in a long time and picked up baggage off C6 immediately.
Was through the airport in no time at all, unlike going out last Sunday (KL1426).

Of the 4 lifts to departures / people mover, only 2 were working on Thursday - is this maintenance or just to restrict usage during quiet periods?

Security @ Schiphol already has the next generation scanners fitted - so much quicker than the last time I travelled through there - bodes well for BHX come June.

 

[JF57]

From an article in today's Sunday Telegraph, Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted all look set to miss the June deadline for the new upgraded security scanners. They may be in a position to offer a partial service, but it could cause confusion for passengers in peak holiday season.
Nick Barton, CEO Of Birmingham Airport explained how 4 lifts had to be installed just to get the scanners up to the first floor, due to their size!. Birmingham is on course to meet the June deadline.

How does installing 4 lifts help getting the large scanners up to the first floor? You cannot spread one item of equipment across more than one lift.
On the subject of lifts will there be any alternative to lifts once the construction is completed to get up from check in level?
Some people don't like lifts and for going up one floor lifts seem overly complicated, expensive, will produce queues and people can get stuck if they break down.
In London the worst tube stations are those with lifts. Escalators are much better.

 

[Nibbles]

How does installing 4 lifts help getting the large scanners up to the first floor? You cannot spread one item of equipment across more than one lift.
On the subject of lifts will there be any alternative to lifts once the construction is completed to get up from check in level?
Some people don't like lifts and for going up one floor lifts seem overly complicated, expensive, will produce queues and people can get stuck if they break down.
In London the worst tube stations are those with lifts. Escalators are much better.

This question re lifts has popped up many times. I think its a red herring.

The lifts will be high capacity, operating only across two floors. They'll operate like a shuttle - if at the bottom, go up; if at the top, go down. I suggest that 4 lifts is heavily over-spec'd in case of breakdowns, and in reality most of the time lifts will have only a handful of people in. In any case, with 4 lifts operating concurrently i find it very unlikely that there will be a wait of more than a few seconds to get in - it's likely there will be one with its doors open on the ground floor, one with its doors open on the first floor, one travelling downwards and one travelling upwards at all times and, with a total journey of probably no more than 10 seconds up or down, there'll be a door opening very regularly.

The only gripe really likely is that the doors will probably take longer to open and close than the time for the actual vertical journey - but that is the modern world for you.

The lifts replace escalators which generally, in my view, use space inefficiently. The space opened up where the escalators were previously situated provides plenty of circulation space at the back of the check-in areas - which is basically non-existent currently - whilst also providing significant extra space on the first floor for security or for addition commercial use - as well as making everything much brighter.

Of course, you are probably right that in an ideal world building in a sandbox without space constraints, escalators (lots of them) would probably be a better solution overall. But we dont have that here.

From the plans i saw previously, i think there are stair cores either side of the lift lobby, if people are really desperate.

 

[Deleted member 8277]

How does installing 4 lifts help getting the large scanners up to the first floor? You cannot spread one item of equipment across more than one lift.
On the subject of lifts will there be any alternative to lifts once the construction is completed to get up from check in level?
Some people don't like lifts and for going up one floor lifts seem overly complicated, expensive, will produce queues and people can get stuck if they break down.
In London the worst tube stations are those with lifts. Escalators are much better.

The lifts are large and the scanners have been in place for ages (but I doubt they will fit the 50+ people each if they have wheeled carry on luggage). They must have to have stairs in case of a fire but I suspect they will be for fire/emergency use only.
New scanners or not I feel the queues are not going away having seen the new security area and the queues already that build up for the lifts when the departure lanes are full.
Top tip, if there are big queues downstairs and you are already online checked in come in via the monorail from international station as it meets the queue from the lifts exits into departures upstairs and bypasses the queue downstairs. The pax from the monorail who need to check have to use the lift to go down to check in area, now this is a problem as these passengers don't realize this and if there is a queue for departures it goes back into the monorail area and they wait unwittingly in the queue for departures until they realize they should walk past to the lift and down to check in.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I'm sure it's been discussed previously, but surely there has to be an alternative to lifts for fire regulations. I was taught from a young age, never to use lifts in a fire evacuation and I believe that their operation is stopped under such circumstances.