Birmingham Airport passengers are reporting “carnage” and long snaking queues this morning, Friday May 24. Pictures shared by anxious travellers on X, formerly Twitter, show lengthy queues to get inside of the terminal.
The queue is travelling through check-in areas downstairs before even reaching main security, and is similar to scenes last week at BHX, which one passenger described as ‘bedlam.’ Friday morning is expected to be a busy travel day ahead of the Bank Holiday, with holidaymakers jetting off to sunnier climates in destinations like Tenerife, Faro and Ibiza.
This morning, one Twitter user shared a picture of the queue at 5:39am saying: “Absolute carnage trying to get through security at Birmingham airport…. Queues out of the airport door after an hour queue for bag drop…. Shocking considering half term is kicking off!”
Another posted at 6:49am: “Polite warning to anyone flying from Birmingham airport… it is busy.” The race is on to get the new security area at Solihull-based BHX ready for its June 1 deadline. BHX hit back last week claiming ongoing construction works to build the airport’s new security search area meant passengers had found themselves queuing in “unfamiliar areas”. And they added given the sunny conditions they were queuing passengers up outside, away from the construction works.
The airport’s travel boards show there are no delays to departures this morning. We have contacted Birmingham Airport for an update this morning.
Are you travelling through Birmingham Airport today? Email our reporter – naomi.desouza@reachplc.com
This is a live incident and updates will follow below.
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11:13Naomi DeSouza
Is it worth using the Express Lane option?
Birmingham Airport’s express lane remains in operation despite ongoing security building works, but passengers should be ready to check certain things before they fly. The separate queueing system, which passengers have to pay for, has been designed to get travellers through security as quickly as possible. However, there has been some concern from holidaymakers over how effective the express lane option is amidst delays. All you need to know on the fast track option can be found here.
11:04Naomi DeSouza
Advice from landing passenger
@sash_tbhh took to X, formerly Twitter, to advise fellow passengers of ‘crazy’ queues this morning. She warned: “Just landed back at Birmingham Airport and the queues for departures were crazy. It’s an absolute joke so be prepared if you’re flying from Birmingham Airport today.”
10:44Key Event
‘We turned up three hours before our flight – this is what happened’
Our reporter Emily Chaplin flew on the last Bank Holiday weekend of May 6, when around 100,000 customers jetted off from BHX. Emily arrived three hours before her flight, here’s what she encountered.
10:41Naomi DeSouza
‘Hoping for the best’
@prospectdad took to X to share a picture of the snaking queues this morning, and said he was “hoping for the best” to make his flight. He wrote: “Security line at Birmingham Airport (BHX) this morning at 06:30 ahead of the bank holiday weekend. Line snaked through the entire interior of the airport. Started outside in this mess – got here 3 1/2 hours early – hoping for the best.”
10:28Naomi DeSouza
Birmingham Airport has ‘happiest Wetherspoons’
A pre-flight pint has become something of an institution for holidaymakers and it is fair to say the happiest Wetherspoons probably exists in BHX’s departures lounge. Our reporter Emily Chaplin took to the pub after a smooth-sailing security experience before her flight, read more here.
10:21Key Event
First picture of queues early this morning
Traveller Rich Green took this picture just before 7am as he queued to get into the terminal. Rich said: “Polite warning to anyone flying from Birmingham airport… it is busy.”
10:14Naomi DeSouza
‘Well done Birmingham Airport’
A BHX traveller has been in touch to say he travelled earlier this week and encountered minimal disruption, and even got to trial the new security scanners. Clive Gore told us: “At 630 am there were no queues for security and all 8 of the new xray machines were installed and working.
“We were told we did not have to take liquids or laptops out and all through in 10 minutes. Well done Birmingham Airport.” Read our full guide on how rules will change for BHX travellers, here.
09:39Naomi DeSouza
Queues last week
Below is a picture of queues this time last week, on the morning of Friday May 17. We have asked airport bosses this morning about the upcoming security hall deadline, and if the rebuild is on track to be completed by June 1. If so, this means queues should return to normal in time for the summer holidays as the new security hall will be operating.
09:16Key Event
Security hall latest
BHX passengers face imminent changes to how they queue, transit to airside and carry liquids as work on its new security hall nears completion. We understand that the airport is sticking to its June 1 deadline, but have asked them for an update this morning.
The security hall upgrade is essential to get the airport in line with regulations by June 2024, which will end the need to remove liquids and laptops during pre-flight security checks. The new security checkpoint will feature a specific type of x-ray scanner, which will allow passengers to leave their liquids and electronics in their hand luggage.
08:39Naomi DeSouza
Queues pictured just before 6am
Traveller Chloe Pardoe shared these pictures on X, formerly Twitter, at 5:39am that show long winding queues into the terminal. Here’s what she had to say.
08:27Naomi DeSouza
Bank Holiday getaway rush
Birmingham Airport is expected to be very busy this weekend as travellers jet off to warmer climates for the long weekend. The late May bank holiday also marks the start of half-term for most UK schools. More than 100,000 customers used BHX on the May 6 Bank Holiday, with similar numbers expected this weekend.
08:14Key Event
Why are there queues?
The airport is currently carrying out building works to build a “more streamlined” security area. BHX’s “state-of-the-art” security hall upgrade, a project costing £60 million after ‘inflationary costs’ drove up the re-build by millions of pounds, will see the terminal transformed by June 1. However, as a result of this building work, passengers have been forced to queue in different areas to reach lifts that take them up to the scanning hall.
08:11Naomi DeSouza
What are passengers saying?
This morning, one traveller shared a picture of the queue at 5:39am saying: “Absolute carnage trying to get through security at Birmingham airport…. Queues out of the airport door after an hour queue for bag drop.”
08:10Naomi DeSouza
Queues at Birmingham Airport this morning
Good morning and welcome to our live updates as queues build at Birmingham Airport ahead of a busy Bank Holiday travel weekend.