Birmingham Airport renaming?

[News Guru]

[textarea]Ozzy Airborne: Bid to rename Birmingham Airport after Black Sabbath frontman

Council chiefs are considering following in the footsteps of Liverpool and Belfast airports by honouring a hometown star

If an idea to rename a city airport after one local hero takes off, Black Sabbath fans will be very happy.

Birmingham could be called after the band’s legendary frontman Ozzy Osbourne.

Council chiefs are considering following in the footsteps of Liverpool and Belfast airports by honouring a hometown star.

Jim Simpson, the record company boss who discovered the heavy metal band, backed the plans.

He said: “I believe it would be a masterstroke that would instantly confound the cynics.

“How does The Ozzy Osbourne International Airport resonate?

Full Story: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bi ... zy-1507939[/textarea]

 

[CL44]

Should BHX be renamed? Yes. Should it be named after someone famous? Yes. Should it be named after Ozzy Osbourne? NO!!!

I do not like the idea of naming anything after someone when they are still alive. By all means name it after someone who resided in Birmingham and actually contributed to the West Midlands area in previous years.

Or why not go the whole hog and rename the Airport Elmdon Airport. To many people (and I am one of them) Elmdon conjours up the image of when flying was still a privelidge and people dressed up to go away on holiday. I still remember going away (upteen years ago) dressed in a suit and tie and no-one blinked an eye because that was the expected thing. To this day whenever we fly as a family (me, my wife and two children), we always ensure that we dress appropriatley (the curse of staff travel STAND-BY!).

I know this probably sounds very old fashioned, but I make no excuse for this. I have always insited to my children that they treat others as they would wish to be treated. By turning up to fly in an old pair of ripped jeans (as I saw last time I flew) and a t-shirt that would struggle to get into my car cleaning kit (also seen recently), you show disrespect to everyone who will be sitting with you. (RANT OVER).

Back on topic, if BHX is to be renamed then yes by all means do so but think carefully which name should be used. Most of the names that fit the bill would require explaining to most (if not all) of the potential travellers we hope to attract. What seems obvious to us here in Birmingham is not so obvious to other people (for example ask an Australian who La Guardia was). Does anyone know who Lester B. Pearson was (Toronto for those who are interested).

BHX has been very busy recently in trying to attract other Airlines to open up new routes to this Airport. The last thing we want to do is scare them away by renaming ourselves after a bat-chewing, ant-snorting musician.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I don't like the idea of naming airports after individuals, dead or alive.

I can't see the point.

An airport should identify the city region it serves.

No-one suggests naming railway stations or bus stations after people so far as I'm aware, so why airports?

 

[Ray Finkle]

A total non-story and confirmed so by the airport on Twitter. The council are discussing ways to honour Ozzy/Sabbath, the record boss suggests renaming the airport, the Mirror then being what they are add 2 and 2 and get 5. Why let the truth get in the way of a sensationalistic story though 🙄

 

[Aviador]

Totally agree with CL44 about naming airports while the person is still alive is silly. In fact, I'd wait a good few years before even considering a so called "famous" person's name for an airport. The good folk of Leeds wanted to name the airport there after Jimmy Saville prior to his dirty antics coming out in the wash. Needless to say that's all gone quiet now but it just goes to show it's not always a good idea. Some names seem to work. Liverpool John Lennon seems okay as does New York John F Kennedy airport. Others don't, Doncaster Robin Hood is just plain ridiculous as are some others. Some airports have names that just aren't famous in any way to a foreigner so it makes it a pretty pointless exercise if nobody outside a country can associate with the name.

 

[Ray Finkle]

After branding BHX 'Birmingham Airport - Shakespeare's Airport' in China it seems a similar tactic could be about to follow in the USA. Interestingly it was the Chinese PM who first suggested the idea.

There is also a discussion at the end of the article about the possibility of 'London - Birmingham Airport' when HS2 opens. It's the second time I've heard Mr Kehoe suggest it will up to his successor to decide so it seems he isn't planning on being around by then.

My initial reaction was 'please, no' but on reflection if it means new routes and increased passenger numbers would it really be that much of a bad thing?

As Mr K put it 'Birmingham Airport on the tin and Shakespeare in support'.

All the worlds a stage! 🙂

With flights from the airport to JFK in New York set to re-start next month, Mr Kehoe said the Shakespeare brand was worth considering.

He said: "The reason we used Shakespeare for the Chinese is there is a lot of interest there.

"When the Chinese Premier came here, he wanted to see the RSC and he said to us through an interpreter that Shakespeare was very big in China and we should make the most of it.

"We are still debating it. Personally, I think Shakespeare is still right for America. The average person in Chattanooga may not enjoy much Shakespeare but the sophisticates on the east and west coast do."

Meanwhile, Mr Kehoe said the HS2 station at the airport meant it would be so convenient for the capital it would rival the likes of Heathrow, Gatwick and Standsted.

He said this could raise questions over whether "London" should be added to the airport's name.

The Chinese delegation which headed over to the city with the premier handed the airport an artwork which translates to "Welcome to EngerLondon".

Mr Kehoe accepted the capital was always going to be a major draw for tourists.

He said: "The day HS2 opens, this airport effectively moves 70 miles closer to London. My successor will have to ask themselves 'What do we call this airport now?'

"We will only be ten minutes further than terminal five. Does that make it a London airport?"

Full article: http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/busines ... am-9091925

 

[DaveBham]

Well if New York can have JFK and Newark, London Heathrow and Gatwick, Liverpool John Lennon and Washington Reagan, why can't Birmingham have Shakespeare? It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but it does distinguish in one neat title both its home city, and yet another reason to go there.

Thankfully Birmingham is starting to stand on its own merits and become noticed for them - I certainly don't think we need to sully the airports name with that of another city. On that point I disagree with Mr Kehoe.

Maybe if the polar ice caps melt any more, we'll be looking at Birmingham Heathrow or Birmingham Luton Airport lol 🙂

 

[Brum X]

I actually like the name "Birmingham Shakespeare Airport".I think it should be taken seriously and adopted asap.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I actually like the name "Birmingham Shakespeare Airport".I think it should be taken seriously and adopted asap.

BSA instead of BHX? Yet another local link! :s_omg

 

[thunderchild]

Personally I think Birmingham-Jasper Carrott could be a winner!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Using Shakespeare seems quite popular.

At the moment Stratford-Upon-Avon generally seems to be done on a day trip from London along with the likes of Oxford. What if the relevant agencies in the region can pull together and promote BHX as a gateway for a break that takes in Stratford, Oxford, Bicester Village, The Cotswolds, South Derbyshire, South Wales and even day trips to London? Combine that with the retail offering in Central Birmingham and entertainment at the likes of Resorts World and they could be on to a winner?

Personally I think Birmingham-Jasper Carrott could be a winner!

😆

I can imagine the announcements "Dey gut now cowin Bovril!" 🙂

 

[nwoody2001]

I cant help but think at many people are getting too bogged down, patriotic and nostalgic in a name.

At the end of the day, an opportunity to promote the airport has been identified, and when tested, it appears to have bared fruit. BHX is a commercial being, and as such, anything that helps improve the business will be done. If changing the name of the airport helps attract new routes and airlines, the adding shakespeare to the name should be something that should be seriously considered. At the moment, there are very few people that are actually talking about changing the name of the airport, more how the brand it when abroad, but still, if calling the airport 'Birmingham Shakespeare Airport' helps us attract direct flights to foreign lands, then people will soon be eating their words!

 

[Aviador]

I cant help but think at many people are getting too bogged down, patriotic and nostalgic in a name.

On the contrary "Birmingham-Jasper Carrott" is surely a winner. 😀

Seriously though, although I'm not a huge fan of airports naming themselves, the Americans, the Japanese and the Chinese have a huge respect for Shakespeare and "Shakespeare country" so the idea might not be as daft as it seems.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi ray and all, about this rebounding a name, firstly,Birmingham Airport is not in Warwickshire, but the West Midlands, so to rename it after the bard would be inappropriat.... Andyc

 

[Brum X]

Hi ray and all, about this rebounding a name, firstly,Birmingham Airport is not in Warwickshire, but the West Midlands, so to rename it after the bard would be inappropriat.... Andyc

Neither is Edgbaston Cricket Ground, home of Warwickshire County Cricket. Sometimes barriers and borders have to come down and the traditional county for Birmingham was in Warwickshire so i think there are enough connections for this to be appropriate, however i understand your concern and no doubt the debate will carry on, maybe for years and years. Just like the debate that the folk in Coventry have about whether they are part of a "Greater Birmingham" or are they in the "West Midlands" or indeed are they in "Warwickshire"


However we are all "MIDLANDERS" and we should be proud of that.

 

[nwoody2001]

Hi ray and all, about this rebounding a name, firstly,Birmingham Airport is not in Warwickshire, but the West Midlands, so to rename it after the bard would be inappropriat.... Andyc

Well using that logic, shouldn't we be calling our airport Solihull Airport, given that Birmingham Airport isn't actually located within Birmingham!!!

 

[Brummiegem]

This is a great debate subject,but I also think that maybe it should also be put to the vote of the local community and businesses who use BHX.
Shakespeare would definitely get my vote.He is a well known and well respected historical figure and allegedly spoke with a Brummie accent.Tourists,scholars,students and those who love stage shows come to the Stratford area for the Shakespeare experience.If we could get more people using BHX because of this then that is great.
As for Jasper Carrott he once described a local radio DJ in Brum as "World famous in Birmingham".
This is what BHX has to contend with.I noticed this morning that LHR is back in the news,saying that a decision on it's expansion could be made after the election.We await to see what happens there,but anything that can put the attention back into the regions in this country then that has to be a good thing.

How about some other possible names for BHX.

BHX Cadbury airport.
BHX Balti airport.
BHX Ozzy Osbourne airport.
BHX JLR airport.

All famous and well known brands in their own right.What does everybody else think???

 

[nwoody2001]

Whilst they are all well known brands, few of those are world wide brands, and even less have appeal in attracting international tourists. The entire town of Stratford and a large area of Warwickshire is purely dependent of the tourist pull of Shakespeare. In comparison,

- Cadbury World is well know nationally but not internationally. it certainly will not attract flights form outside the UK
- Most people outside the UK has no clue what a balti is
- Ozzy Osborne, not a chance. He's still alive and would struggle to sell out an arena, let along have inbound tourists flock to Birmingham
- JLR, other than businesses traffic, there is nothing to see in the region for tourists. If there was a world famous 'Jaguar resort' then maybe, but there isn't!

Shakespeare is the only real candidate name... know world wide, has a huge tourist pull, is established and not likely to go out of fashion etc...

 

[User0001]

Cadbury World is well know nationally but not internationally. it certainly will not attract flights form outside the UK

While I don't advocate it in an airport name, I can assure you Cadbury is very well known around the world.

As a younger airport worker at LHR for American Airlines, I worked on the Kuwait Airways contract and it was not uncommon for Kuwaitis to have suitcases full of Cadbury chocolate, and often paid hundreds of pounds in excess baggage as getting the chocolate was the purpose of the trip. Cadbury chocolate is very very popular around the middle east.

Having spent a LOT of time in the USA, most convenience stores and superstores stock Cadbury chocolate, and on my travels around Asia, Chocolate was not a common sweet, but, when it was available, it was either Cadbury or Godiva.

So, don't be quick to write off Cadbury's international credentials.

 

[Brummiegem]

Whilst my suggestions were slightly tongue in cheek as user 001 has pointed out Cadburys is an internationally known brand which is now owned by an American group.
Recently an order was placed for a large number of Balti meals to be sent over to the USA to feed attendees at a convention or some sort of get together.The order was suggested by someone who had been to Brum and was so impressed with the meals he had while over here he arranged for others to sample the delights of the Brummie curry.
The point I am making is if potential visitors can associate a name to a city then that type of advertising has worked has it not??
JFK New York,O'Hare Chicago,Schipol Amsterdam names we in this country are all familiar with,if BHX can be titled with a name that is known and can be associated with Birmingham and the region as a whole then it has done it's job!!