Birmingham Airport

✅ Trip Verified | 6.40 am flight outbound, no problems. Arrived back at midday, waited on apron 10 minutes until it occurred to someone to actually open a door so we could get into the terminal. Then another half hour plus queuing for immigration - like a supermarket on a bad day, about 15 electronic terminals but only 5 or 6 working. At least we weren't in the even longer stationary queue for those without e-passports! Basically a shambles and a disgrace to the Midlands. Only use it because it's half an hour from home and can get there and back by taxi substantially cheaper than using the car parks. Heaven help them when the Commonwealth Games are held in 2022.

Not Verified | Horrendous special assistance. I was dreading having to deal with the crowds and queues and endless waiting that greatly exacerbate my poor mobility, mental health and anxiety. I was advised by Thomas Cook on booking flight not to worry as I would be well looked after by special assistance. What a joke. On entering the airport, there is one obscure sign directing you to SA. The desk is at the other end of the airport way past the checking in desks. We had been told by airline that we were to report directly to SA desk and they would ensure we were accompanied to fast track bag drop and through security. Well, after my poor husband managed with great difficulty to safely support me on one arm and drag the case and carry two lots of hand luggage we made it down to the SA desk to be met by a queue of 6 people who were slowly being dealt with by one very stressed young man who seemed to be way out of his depth. I was in tremendous pain and my anxiety was raising its ugly head by the time we got to the desk. We advised our luggage needed checking in and I needed a wheelchair. He advised us to take a seat and assistance would be along in 10 mins. Then we seemed to be forgotten. My husband went to the desk four times to raise concern and time to check in was getting short. I even hobbled over myself for a go. I seemed to have been forgotten but assured someone would collect us next. They didn't. Four other people were collected and several other SA assistants were standing around just chatting. I was getting more and more anxious and stressed which was causing my Asthma and pain to increase. We waited nearly two hours. Eventually enough was enough. I was in meltdown. We managed eventually to catch the eye of the supervisor who was full of apologies and then personally acquired a wheelchair and raced me to baggage drop at great speed almost knocking into people in our way. I was scared and my poor husband exhausted by trying to keep up with us. Anyway, we eventually got through to the departure lounge with 15 mins to gate opening, hardly time for me to use the toilet. On being picked up to be wheeled to the plane, we were taken to the lift by a new member of staff who suddenly realised he needed to find a supervisor with a key to activate the lift. Once again, I was abandoned as my husband had taken the stairs as the lift was too small. However we eventually got to the plane, my anxiety levels far worse for wear. On return to the UK, myself and the other disabled clients had to remain on the plane once everyone else had got off. We waited and waited for a mobile lift to come and collect us from the plane. About 30 minutes later (conservative estimate). Let down again by extremely poor quality service.

❌ Not Verified | Arrived back from Tenerife late at night had to wait 1 and a half hours for our luggage to appear. It’s a disgrace, get it sorted, it’s not like they are busy at 1.30am in the morning. Take a lesson from Dublin airport they have it perfect, your luggage is waiting by the time you get to the carousel.

❌ Not Verified | Airport was chaotic. Wait time for luggage was well over an hour. Absolutely horrible and definitely never recommending this airport to anyone not even as a transit stop. Severely in need of an upgrade and please better time management! The last thing anyone needs after a long day is an even longer wait for baggage reclaim and other formalities. Hope I never have the misfortune of having to end up travelling from/to or via Birmingham International.

✅ Trip Verified | This airport used to be great to use. 2-3 years ago I flew frequently and always chose Birmingham because it was quick and well run. After a career break I’m now back to flying frequently for business again and oh dear Birmingham. The security queues are unbearable on a Monday morning. I arrived 2 hours before my flight and had to be pulled to the front of the queue by staff the wait was that bad! It’s the same story on the return through passport control! The terminal is so crowded and well worn now it useless. All other European airports I’ve flown to have been better equipped than Birmingham is now and they have half the passenger numbers. Birmingham needs serious investment if it wants to attract passengers back because I simply won’t use it anymore. The terminal needs to be completely renovated and expanded. Bigger security and passport control areas are needed and the baggage infrastructure needs an upgrade. Definitely more seating needs to be made available and the food and drink options are crowded weatherspoons or crowded coffe bar. To Birmingham’s credit though they’ve got one thing right. The No1 lounge is impeccable but that doesn’t help your average traveller.

❌ Not Verified | Shocking level of management incompetence. Arrived on a delayed flight in the airport from the EEA and had to wait 2 hours on the plane at the gates as there was no ladder and the control tower was unreachable. On another occasion the whole EEA plane was subject to a plane "random" sniffer dog test. We had to queue one by one and be questioned by border guards right out the plane door, missing connections, trains etc. There's always under-resource on passport control and the automatic machines often fail having to queue twice. Poorly designed workflows on baggage delivery as well. Waited for two and a half to get bags from a Dubai flight.

❌ Not Verified | Arriving from Fuerteventura with Ryanair, the aircraft arrived at the stand and I waited for the air bridge to move, no! We had to wait for stairs from the aircraft, at least it was not raining. We were then faced with climbing up old metal steps with our hand luggage into a dirty old corridor finding our way to passport control. It is strange how one passport officer can clear 190 passengers without any delay at Fuerteventura. What a pain of an arrival. Departure review to follow.

✅ Trip Verified | Worst airport I’ve been to. I’m flying 4 times per week and have had in the last week several arrivals and departures from Birmingham Airport. Today, for example, I needed 45 minutes to get through security on a normal day. Comparing to all airports I’ve been to, Birmingham Airport is the worst. Please optimise your processes. Please have a look at a German Airport, for example, Frankfurt Airport and try to copy as much as you can.

❎ Not Verified | First, taxi drivers have to pay £2.00 to drop clients off. Then they charge extra to the clients. Signs are not clear as to where to drop off and entrance signs. The airport looks so basic from the entrance. Waited forever in line like cattle for security check. Another check point was less busy, but the stumpy woman that walked over should have asked us to go over there to save on time and stress, just said stay in line and move back! How rude? It was not clear that we, the cattle, had to put certain things in one tray and not to overload or what is overloading the trays? None of the rude staff helped us to get the trays out or to tell us, the cattle, what to do. One little woman with a big attitude said 'You wouldn’t even get a job here if you can’t even fill a tray'! As a result of my remarks to her we were told to go through 4 times! We were getting late for our flight. My knee was hurting so much and I couldn’t run to get my flight. We very nearly missed our flight because of security.

❎ Not Verified | As a Brummie (born and bread in Birmingham) I hate to shoot my city in the foot but there are times when you wish you could wring someones neck when an individual or organisation brings my city into disrepute. However NCP or should be renamed as the British Mafia or BM does this with ease. Its a big company the boss of which who is a multimillionaire spends his time cruising the Med, in his super luxury boat after fleecing the plebs for all they are worth. To attempt to make themselves look decent they BM have a shareholding in the airport of I believe 10% sufficient to hold sway on any votes on board meeting and sufficient to continue to rob the punters which they do with great ease. I went to the airport this afternoon to pick up my daughter returning back on a flight. The car park fees to which I am referring are disgusting or should I say criminal. The drop off point has been changed, its now £2 for 10 minutes (it was £1) if you run over by one minute this goes up to £5 for a further 5 minutes. Park in a cheaper multi and its £5.10 for up to 1 hour then £10 for 2 hours. You can of course park in the free area and have 30 minutes for nothing however there is a catch, its 10 minutes if you are fit to walk to the arrivals and 10 minutes back, add to this its all open so if its raining well tough. So that leaves 10 minutes to do your business and leave.