Security, Immigration & Border Control

[TM3]

It's a shame. When you have a total clean sheet design it seems like there are numerous opportunities to get this process running quickly and smoothly.

If it's now just a matter emptying pockets and removing belts this is something that could be done before the conveyors and only people who have got all there stuff together would be able to step up to the belt, regardless of who got there first.

 

[Aviador]

Airlines like TUI are quoting 3hrs short haul which tells you what's happening.

TUI has always had 3 hour check in so it's not telling anything to be honest.

I've just watched this video. The chap who is travelling to Dublin with his son says he used to fly all the time for business. He says "it isn't too bad" and "it's because they're renovating the entire airport."

I have no doubt there has been some shocking queues with all the work that's going but there's no way to refurbish an airport without disruption.

I'm dreading when my local airport in Leeds gets to this stage with its REGEN project. At Leeds they're flipping the entire terminal layout so there's potential for more disruption than what you guys are seeing down in Birmingham.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Enter the airport directly from the railway station (a big selling point of BHX), walk past the boarding card scan point to take a lift downstairs, join the back of a queue to then take the same lift back upstairs only to return to the point you walked past 90 odd minutes ago!

I've been reserving judgment on this until the works were done but we're now into June and.......

I was really looking forward to using the new security area when I next travel in August, now I'm dreading it.

 

[Karl C]

Enter the airport directly from the railway station (a big selling point of BHX), walk past the boarding card scan point to take a lift downstairs, join the back of a queue to then take the same lift back upstairs only to return to the point you walked past 90 odd minutes ago!

I've been reserving judgment on this until the works were done but we're now into June and.......

I was really looking forward to using the new security area when I next travel in August, now I'm dreading it.

Ray I was proper dreading it too. Yet last week I did twilight check in with Jet2 and arrived at the airport at 03.45am for a 06.25am flight. Took 20 mins to get thru security. Have you seen how many flights leave between 6am and 7am on a Wednesday? A LOT ! Yet the delay on the flight was late delivery of the disability passengers, otherwise we would've gone bang on time if not early. I was sat on the plane 45 mins before take off time. Flight went 35 or 40 mins late due to this.
I wouldn't dread it too much. Still time for more streamlining and the queue went down very fast and the staff were very proactive.

 

[smitha1]

Think a lot of people’s experience will be dependent on airline/flying time. Flew to Tunisia with easyJet last Sunday. Queue was shocking - made worse by EZY only opening 2 hours before departure. Waited in queue and called through 20 mins before departure to rush to the gate. Was first in line waiting for check in to open so pity the ones who had to rush even more.

Just landed back and queue is outside the building and very long again.

Really hope the queues do improve - I worry it is giving the airport terrible negative press.

On the plus side, easyJet is a total asset to the airport, so glad we have a base with them. Flights were fantastic both ways - a smooth operation, glad to have them at the airport.

 

[Ray Finkle]

We're with Jet2 so I'll definitely be dropping the bags off the evening before and think I'll get the express lane security.

Aiming to arrive around 04:00 which gives us a little over three hours. Not sure what would be worse, 2 hours of queues or getting through quick and giving Mrs F more spending time

 

[TM3]

The time for the guy in the influencey video, based on what he said from arrival to exiting security I put at 45 minutes.

There are no queues outside the terminal when he arrived, however the queue for the lifts appears to start in arrivals, not sure if you would be expected to go there if you arrived on the railway side of the airport?

It's funny how people keep refering to passport control as the problem when there is no passport control on outbound UK flights to anywhere.

The lifts do look like a pinch point though and the fact the airport have already built a "snake" in front of the lifts is effectively an admission there is a problem.

Too late to get an escalator in there again?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Posts on social media are showing queues snaking outside then up PAST T2 towards the Hilton Hotel with quotes of 3hr 15min to clear security.

Just horrendous.

 

[Karl C]

Posts on social media are showing queues snaking outside then up PAST T2 towards the Hilton Hotel with quotes of 3hr 15min to clear security.

Just horrendous.

Nearly every flight this afternoon was delayed. Now I know the airlines won't put up with that. What to do

 

[Aviador]

So these lifts that everyone has to use to go to the first floor, is that a temporary thing? Seems crazy to expect the entire annual passenger throughput to use three lifts? Is that right, because that's how I'm understanding it?

 

[Ray Finkle]

So these lifts that everyone has to use to go to the first floor, is that a temporary thing? Seems crazy to expect the entire annual passenger throughput to use three lifts? Is that right, because that's how I'm understanding it?

Nope, your choice is one of four lifts, that's it! All of the free flowing escalators have now gone.

Courtesy of @ Cengizquatra on X.

 

[Aviador]

Nope, your choice is one of four lifts, that's it! All of the free flowing escalators have now gone.

Well there's a brucy bonus, you get four lifts to choose from. Hmm now, if the lifts are anything like the travelators and don't work properly then that's a problem? Wow, if that's the case heads will roll.

 

[MB1]

Complete silence on BHX Social Media channels.

I expect another standard extremely poor statement to Birmingham Mail and BBC tomorrow.

 

[JF57]

Well don't get too downbeat about it. The area still looks like a building site so I'm sure things will improve as the weeks progress. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I imagine the airport wished they'd completed by April, as opposed to mid summer.

Sincerely hope you are right or a lot of people will simply use other airports. I certainly wouldn't risk or tolerate getting frozen or soaked outside in a queue for an hour.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Well there's a brucy bonus, you get four lifts to choose from. Hmm now, if the lifts are anything like the travelators and don't work properly then that's a problem? Wow, if that's the case heads will roll.

It gets better. Upon arrival if you then have a train to catch you have to join the queue to get the lifts back upstairs to the air rail link The walk isn't far (for those that are capable) but it's a complicated one for folk who are unfamiliar with the area.

I think most reasonable people would put up with some disruption whilst works are ongoing but 3.5 hours to clear security is a shambles. It isn't a one off either, although I've never seen it like that before.

Can't see airlines being happy constantly having to hold flights to wait for pax. I can't see the retailers being happy that pax will be running past their shops and restaurants rather than stopping to spend.

 

[TM3]

Nope, your choice is one of four lifts, that's it! All of the free flowing escalators have now gone.

Courtesy of @ Cengizquatra on X.

It seems crazy to me that even if you arrive on the first floor and don't need to use the lifts they are sending you down to the ground floor to queue for the lifts.

Also I note the fast track entry is just outside the lift exit on the first floor, is the a way to access that without queuing outside for the lifts? If not it seems like it will not save much time.

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Rather queue for Morrison’s at Christmas 20 times than queue at X files airport

 

[Ray Finkle]

Also I note the fast track entry is just outside the lift exit on the first floor, is the a way to access that without queuing outside for the lifts? If not it seems like it will not save much time.

I'm not sure if anybody knows what's what anymore?

Some posts on social media have suggested that the express lane was being used for those pulled out of the queue as departure time was getting close.

 

[rollo]

Just looked at the BHX departures board - still total carnage tonight.

I refuse to comment much further on the bases I would end up breaking every forum rule in the book.

I do have a question though. How does the fast pass work in the current fiasco because do you go directly to the boarding card scanners after checking in otherwise it ain't fast pass.

We have the privilege to experiencing this dogs dinner on 12th June at 06:40 with TUI to Verona, bag drop not really practical for us due to the distance we live from the airport.

It's just pathetic.

 

[Otisblue]

For high level projects like the new security hall, one of the hardest things to do is come out to the public and admit you got it wrong. But if BHX come out and admit that, I think the majority of people who have been affected, although not being happy, but would accept it and cut the airport a bit of slack.

I think Barton should come out tomorrow, apologise sincerely to affected passengers and the airlines, admit they have got it wrong, and say that they are working urgently on a phase 2 to increase the size of the security hall, increase the number of scanners, and investigate the options they have for moving passengers between the ground and first floors.

They will be able to use some of the space from the old security area for this, but they would have to give up some of the concessions they were going to build there. If they start the planning and approval process now, they would probably have time to get this ready for Summer 2025.

Do I think they will do it, nope. I really think they are too arrogant to be able to admit they have got this wrong. If anybody involved in this project really thought what they have built ( 8 scanners.....come on ) was enough to process 9mppa, heads should roll.....including Barton's.

I hope I am wrong here, but i think what has gone on, and will go on all summer. will set the airport back years in terms of airline expansion plans and passenger numbers.......and will continue to until the airport come out and say they are going to add capacity to the security area and an alternative to lifts only to get between floors.