Security, Immigration & Border Control

[nwoody2001]

I suppose the 1st June deadline as (originally) the deadline imposed on airports by the Govt and so regardless, that was always the deadline they had to publicly achieve. Now the deadline has been pushed back, i suppose that incentive/hard deadline has softened.

We are in the position now, and its not a good one. But if an extra 6 weeks of disruption means we don't every have to experience these type of scenes again then I'm happy...

We will probably never have the smoking gun of what's to blame for the current situation - construction overruns, training/set-up delays/staffing capacity - but the faster a permanent solution is found the better!

 

[TM3]

More so than the general situation of security queues snaking out the terminal and halfway up the airport access roads?!

The situation of entering the terminal at the Air Rail station and then being made to go downstairs is stupid, but is a small symptom of the much bigger problem - seemingly a completely mismanaged project.

I know what you mean but it strkes me as a situation where staff are going to be seen as jobsworths.

Imagine if you've got a business class ticket or a fast track pass and you then get sent downstairs to join the queue to get the lift back up.

All credit to Mr Barton for replying but it seems like some of the same old PR speak. It's not just the fact that the queue is outside the airport, the queuing time is way too long.

I'd like to see recognition in the statements that the queuing time is way too long and an explanation of how whatever is in the pipeline is going to deal with that.

I am concerned that the expectations for 1 hour queues for security, even when the problem has been addressed, which are objectively bad, are being normalised.

 

[Aviador]

I am concerned that the expectations for 1 hour queues for security, even when the problem has been addressed, which are objectively bad, are being normalised.

You can't normalise queuing outside, that is not normal.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Birmingham’s transition to the new standard has come at significant impact to our customer experience but we are nearing completion of the whole project within the next six weeks. After this point I expect significant improvements, the new machinery is truly impressive allowing passengers to be able to leave all laptops and liquids in their bags in due course.

Six weeks it is then, roughly the start of the school summer holidays.

Once the completion date gets close I hope that he's out there on every media channel that will allow him to apologise for the chaos and push home just how amazing the airport experience will be from then on.

The proof will then be in the pudding as they say.

 

[Ianbutty]

Just hope the pudding is not an Eton Mess

 

[nwoody2001]

I am concerned that the expectations for 1 hour queues for security, even when the problem has been addressed, which are objectively bad, are being normalised.

Im not aware this is being normalised? You able to provide a quite/reference to this as im not aware of it...

In fact i don't even think they are even normal now, although im happy to be proven wrong if people have the detaisl?! I don't deny that at times it has been horrific and and people are rightly shouting about it, but these are still the exception (queuing outside and for numerous hours) and not the rule!

 

[Aviador]

Has the queue situation changed today as I see there's been very few delays today?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Has the queue situation changed today as I see there's been very few delays today?

Looking at social media it seems as if there were some queues this morning. One suggested 40mins for express lane and over an hour for the rest. I noted a complaint of having to queue for a lift to go down to bag drop, then join a queue for the same lift to go back up to security, then join the actual queue for security

The clock is ticking and in 6 weeks time we'll be expecting this world class security to flow freely

 

[thunderchild]

Any ideas what will become of the old security area?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Any ideas what will become of the old security area?

Up to 6 new bars/restaurants, new business lounge and a retail opportunity.

Birmingham Airport terminal transformation to deliver fresh food & beverage partnership opportunities

Under current plans, up to six new F&B opportunities will arise airside at Birmingham Airport, with outlets ranging from 150sq m to 450sq m.

moodiedavittreport.com

 

[MB1]

All credit to Mr Barton for replying but it seems like some of the same old PR speak. It's not just the fact that the queue is outside the airport, the queuing time is way too long.

All credit to one of BHX's customer service team for putting @JF57 's name at the top of a pre-preapred statement and pressing send!

 

[Aviador]

Chaos at Birmingham Airport amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules

Furious passengers are facing hours-long queues to get through security after the airport installed a new technology which allows people to travel with liquids up to two litres.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Daily Mail along with many other national newspapers are running with a story about the queue situation at Birmingham airport. They say the airport is blaming confusion due to the change in security liquid rules.

Also in a major admission of failure the airport now says it is unable to predict queue times.

Birmingham Live
@birmingham_live
BREAKING: Birmingham Airport says 'we're unable to predict queue times' after chaotic morning https://birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-airport-says-were-unable-29303709

 

[Ray Finkle]

Chaos at Birmingham Airport amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules

Furious passengers are facing hours-long queues to get through security after the airport installed a new technology which allows people to travel with liquids up to two litres.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Daily Mail along with many other national newspapers are running with a story about the queue situation at Birmingham airport. They say the airport is blaming confusion due to the change in security liquid rules.

Also in a major admission of failure the airport now says it is unable to predict queue times.

Six weeks!!!

By the time the school holidays start this new world class security area should be flowing like clockwork. If not then I have no idea what next?

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Six weeks!!!

By the time the school holidays start this new world class security area should be flowing like clockwork. If not then I have no idea what next?

It should be already Ray. Any snagging should have been sorted before the official opening!!

I await tomorrow's pathetic excuse.

 

[Ray Finkle]

It should be already Ray. Any snagging should have been sorted before the official opening!!

I agree.

Just trying to hang on to my last shred of positivity

I await tomorrow's pathetic excuse.

Long and skinny

They said: “We had a usual busy morning at Birmingham Airport, with customers queuing in unfamiliar areas.

"The queue was long and skinny in parts however it moved quickly through the terminal.

 

[MB1]

I agree.

Just trying to hang on to my last shred of positivity



Long and skinny

They said: “We had a usual busy morning at Birmingham Airport, with customers queuing in unfamiliar areas.

"The queue was long and skinny in parts however it moved quickly through the terminal.

Perhaps the PR spokesperson was ordering their Costa Coffees whilst on the phone to the Birmingham Mail and some wires got crossed? I can't think of any other rational explanation for such a pathetic statement?

 

[Otisblue]

Chaos at Birmingham Airport amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules

Furious passengers are facing hours-long queues to get through security after the airport installed a new technology which allows people to travel with liquids up to two litres.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Daily Mail along with many other national newspapers are running with a story about the queue situation at Birmingham airport. They say the airport is blaming confusion due to the change in security liquid rules.

Also in a major admission of failure the airport now says it is unable to predict queue times.

I am assuming the 6 weeks Barton was referring to is to coincide with the full opening of the new
security hall. Not sure what else it can be unless someone has more information.....

Looking at this queue, it has gone through terminal 1, past arrivals and M&S, then outside, headed
back towards arrivals, then uturned back up to the Hilton..........one question immediately springs to
mind is will all of those passengers fit in the new security hall ? Looking at that picture I would say definitely not, so there will still be queues on the ground floor at least in 6 weeks time......also, we have not even reached peak passenger throughput yet......you can probably add another 10% volume on from mid July.

Imagine arriving by rail and now having to join the back of that queue after walking past security......awful customer experience.

I was trying to work out what is happening volume wise. The article Ray posted the other day stated that the new security set up throughput was 4000 per hour. Current nightstoppers of about 40 aircraft, average of 200 per flight - 8000, so spread over 2 - 3 hours departure window, there should not be a problem processing this number through security at 4000 per hour.

Are the airport just making it worse by asking people to arrive earlier.....are all scanners open/working during peak.....and maybe the crux of the issue, are they getting the 4000 throughput per hour....I suspect that is the issue more than anything else.

I believe there are 8 scanners, happy to be corrected on that, so 4000/8=500/60=8.333.......so each scanner has got to process just over 8 passengers a minute to hit the 4000, or one every 7.5 seconds.

Not experienced it myself yet, but that seems very ambitious to achieve hour after hour.

I wonder if anyone is checking the volumes they are actually processing per scanner per hour......if they are not hitting the 4000 or so on a consistent basis, all of the calculations and assumptions they have made will be wrong, and they will need to re-evaluate quickly and as i mentioned the other day, plan for getting more scanners asap.

It makes you wonder what sort of throughput analysis and calculations they have gone through if they are coming out with quotes like they 'cant predict the queue times'......as the passenger says in the article......you know the passenger volumes and the capacity, you should be able to work out the queuing times.......I know there is the variable about how long before a flight people will actually turn up, but I actually think people are panicking and turning up way too early which is just making things worse.

I suspect management are beginning to panic a bit, that quote today seemed a bit of rabbit in a headlines quote......I really hope the 6 week figure improves things, but unless you are magically going to get people quicker through the scanners, not sure how it is going to get better.

More Social Media posts today of people moving their flight from BHX to EMA.

At least Blues now have a new manager

 

[Ray Finkle]

Are the airport just making it worse by asking people to arrive earlier.....are all scanners open/working during peak.....and maybe the crux of the issue, are they getting the 4000 throughput per hour....I suspect that is the issue more than anything else.

That's the issue for me, we have no idea why things are the way they are.

I've seen quotes on social media of 'only two scanners working'. Obviously that is unsubstantiated but it sure would explain a lot. If there really are only two in use at the moment then there must be a reason? Short of staff, training, just not operating yet for whatever reason?....Why not just tell people and give some reassurances that it will be better in the near future?

In many peoples minds the new area is up and running with the rest of the work purely cosmetic and this is to be the new normal.

Communication is key.

 

[TM3]

I believe there are 8 scanners, happy to be corrected on that, so 4000/8=500/60=8.333.......so each scanner has got to process just over 8 passengers a minute to hit the 4000, or one every 7.5 seconds.

Not experienced it myself yet, but that seems very ambitious to achieve hour after hour.

This is a useful bit of analysis that you would expect someone at the airport to have done at least at this level.

I haven't seen the current setup but when you describe it as "ambitious" I think you are being diplomatic. I don't think I could name any airport where they are getting a passenger through security in less than 8 seconds. Are they just talking about the speed of the conveyor here? I actually think 1 per minute is probably still quick IMO. And this is before you consider random searches, bags that get checked etc.

I really hope the people reponsible didn#t believe that number as I think anyone who observed security checking in progress should have known that number was completely unrealistic.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I saw a family with a young child and a group of four adults lugging suitcases across the B4438 this morning. I did wonder if they were heading to the train station and couldn't bear that queue just to get upstairs to the air-rail link


More queueing again today and more anger on social media.

What concerns me is the comments in various articles from a spokesperson.

.......the airport was naturally busy as you would expect for a Friday getaway'.

'Queues can be seen daily at peak times, which is natural for any airport. A picture of a queue is subjective, and in the moment, at that time.

No apologies. No reasons given. No assurances about the future.