Birmingham Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 428 reviews
3/10
No Skytrax Rating
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1/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

It's so frustrating that our local airport seems to have gone from bad to worse. Arrivals have always been a nighmare at BHX but departures are now almost as bad. Arriving 2 hours before a flight now leave no time for eating drinking or browsing the shops such are the queues at check in and security, which even has a queue to join a queue! Once through we had hoped for breakfast but found big waiting times at the three eateries we tried. We queued for 15 minutes for a cup of tea at Burger King who seemed to have 3 members of staff trying cope with the "cooking" and serving. Boarding had started so just time to grab a sandwich from Boots, the only place which seemed to have its act together, plenty of staff and the tills ringing. Arrival was chaos. Once through immigration it was over a very long and boring hour before our carousel decided to kick into life and start to do its thing. I frequently read that the airport has big plans to add more routes and airlines. All I can say is best of luck to the passengers if this does happen as I dread to think of what it will be like if it's any busier. I'll be flying from elsewhere.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJuly 2015
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
1/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

This is one of my least favourite airports and one I shall try to avoid in future. Problems lining up steps to aircraft. Bus to terminal from airport appearing to get lost. Lots of stairs while carrying heavy bags. Slowness of luggage appearing, then stopping, then eventually turning up on another conveyor belt. Lack of frequent enough buses to car parks, meaning it was quicker to walk. All in all, organised chaos.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJuly 2015
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
2/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

I am writing to complain about the disgusting state of the smoking area outside of the Meridien Bar at Birmingham airport. I am a smoker and was extremely shocked at the dirtiness of the balcony, not just cigarettes but glasses, cups, and litter. The ashtrays were overflowing. I have added some images of the area taken on the 1st June 2015. I would like to quote Imperial Tobacco's announcement of the opening of this area. The UK’s leading tobacco company, Imperial Tobacco, is delighted to announce the opening of a state of the art airside smoking area at Birmingham Airport. Travellers can now enjoy their chosen tobacco product free from the wind and rain in a dedicated area, accessible from the airport’s new departure lounge bar. This purpose built and unique facility provides lighting, shelter, hand gel and litter solutions. There is also a departures board to ensure travellers can keep track of their flights. If you are going to open a smoking area, which is much appreciated, please do not treat travelers like third class citizens and expect them to smoke in such a dirty disgusting place. I have included the first photos of the Birmingham airport smoking area and the latter of a comparison with Bodrum airport outside smoking area within the departure lounge.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2015
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
yes
1/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

I have used it hundreds of times over the years and it still seems to have a dated culture. Departing is usually not the problem but arriving and waiting for gates and sometimes steps or an air bridge is a joke, it often appears as if the plane has "dropped in" unexpectedly and taken them by surprise. Luggage collection is also a bit of a joke, can wait up to an hour for luggage to appear on carousel. It's worth noting that BHX is trying for more long haul flights now that the runway has been extended for larger aircraft, but heaven help arriving passengers if this come to be, it'll be a nightmare under the present system of baggage handling on arrival. It lags well behind the likes of Manchester Airport. The £1.00 charge for a 10 minute drop off is extortion at it's very best.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitJune 2015
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
1/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United States)

I live just 3 miles from BHX however would rather travel 80 miles to Manchester airport for a much better experience and ultimately a much faster return to home after waiting to clear border control and even longer waiting for cases to be put on the luggage belt. I have travelled from and to this airport dozens of times yet always it takes an age to get cases onto the luggage belts. Border control staffing levels also leave a lot to be desired. I honestly believe that this airport is the worst in the UK and amongst the bottom section in the whole world! For the second city of the UK this airport is an embarrassment and a disgrace. It should remove the "international" from its title as it is totally misleading as this airport is no more than a local airstrip with no customer orientation at all!
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitJanuary 2015
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
no
8/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

I travel on holiday from Birmingham Airport at least 4 times per year. When going through security/baggage screening on the last 3 occasions my cabin luggage has been selected for further investigation. I have had all my personal possessions removed and thoroughly examined one by one on each occasion. I quite understand this, my only concern is that other people who are waiting in line for their bags to be checked can stand and watch every personal item unloaded and examined from my bag (after all what else have they to do at the time?). As I always carry my jewellery in my hand luggage, I feel that my bag itself is at risk after the contents being exposed to the public. Would it not be possible to have some sort of screen that hides personal belongings which are being examined from other passengers?
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitApril 2015
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity N/A
yes
na

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

I travel frequently - about ten times per annum - to Jersey and back via BHX. I have noticed a gradual deterioration in the standard of ground handling for these flights at BHX. This dates from the change of terminals which now requires Jersey passengers having walked through the hideous perfume shops in the first terminal to walk a long way to the Jersey terminal where there is now only one inadequate junk food outlet apart from a small Boots and Smiths and a souvenir shop. BHX authorities have also removed most of the flight arrivals and departures boards including the most vital information board which is the one where you initially arrive in the terminal. One could be forgiven for thinking that the BHX authority has a prejudice against flights to Jersey and the other flights to UK destinations which leave from the same terminal and is determined to take it out on the passengers. However the main substance for my complaint is the truly awful level of ground handling for incoming Flybe Jersey/BHX flights which I have experienced in the last five flights I have made into BHX on this route. Invariably the aircraft is made to wait for its stand. Invariably there is a delay in getting the passengers off the aircraft. Invariably they are made to wait in the bus which takes them to the airside stairs to baggage reclaim. Yesterday for example there was a delay of 45 minutes from the time the aircraft on BE 502 stopped its engines before the passengers were able to retrieve their baggage and exit the customs area. 15 minutes in the aircraft before the doors were opened and the passengers loaded into a bus. A full 25 minutes waiting with locked doors in the bus before the passengers were allowed onto the airside stairs and another 5 minutes waiting in the covered walkway before we were allowed access to our luggage which had clearly been on the carousel for a long time. This is as I am sure everyone would agree totally unacceptable from a passenger point of view. It is also clear where the blame lies. Namely with the BHX ground handling organisation. Unless this is considerably improved I shall simply stop using BHX and I imagine so will many other potential UK destination customers. Yesterday was merely the worst of a long series if such delays in handling incoming flights from Jersey at BHX.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
6/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

Flew with Ryanair to/from Dublin. Has been a good few years since flying from Birmingham. Has improved but still nothing special. Queues for Security were good was through in around 10/15 minutes. Departure lounge is not great. Adequate choice of facilities low ceilings quite small and just a bit boring. Same has to be said about the Ryanair/Flybe pier. Arrival was pretty much the same. Flight was delayed until around 1am so the Terminal was pretty much closed so no queuing. Narrow corridors and not the most inviting of places. Only reason I'd consider BHX is because it's quite convenient and quite well served by public transport.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
na

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

No seats for customers downstairs. Rip off prices in food outlets and for everything else. Not enough Border Force staff for the number of arrivals or is it just bad management (one hour delay at my last arrival) like a third world country set up. We were herded and corralled and the staff thought this was an acceptable situation worst airport experience we've ever had.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
3/10

Birmingham Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

Worst airport in the UK. Every other UK airport has high service levels and quick processes. We have now been waiting 1 hour 15 minutes for our baggage and I would say half of the plane passengers are in the same position. Sort it out BHX.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no