Chaos continues at Birmingham Airport as huge queues in the pouring rain mass as it is claimed wrongly packed baggage is taking 20 minutes each case to clear

Huge queues at Birmingham Airport are continuing to cause chaos as passengers are accused of causing the long waits due to incorrectly packing their bags.

The airport has received criticism on social media after disruption began on Thursday when long lines formed amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules and 3D baggage scanners.

Furious passengers are waiting hours to get through security after the Government temporarily re-introduced rules preventing people from travelling with liquids in excess of 100ml in their hand luggage until further notice.

Birmingham Airport said it had already been complying with this rule due to an ‘outstanding regulatory approval on its new screening machines’, but claimed it was continually seeing daily non-compliant bags.

According to Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport, these non-compliant bags were taking 20 minutes each to clear through security. 

Mr Barton advised customers to check their hand luggage before arriving at the airport to ensure it complies with the new restrictions and prevent further delays. 

Disruption began on Thursday when long lines formed amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules and 3D baggage scanners

Long queues outside Birmingham Airport can be seen on Sunday in a video posted to X

Furious passengers have waited hours to get through security after the government temporarily re-introduced rules preventing people from travelling with liquids in excess of 100ml in their hand luggage until further notice

He told the BBC: ‘Since opening our new security area, and despite being one of the first UK airports to comply, we have been limited on the use of our multi-million-pound equipment due to an outstanding regulatory restriction meaning we had to limit liquids to 100ml.

‘Despite the 100ml rule still being in place, we continually have non-compliant bags with liquids over the allowance which have led to inefficiencies of our equipment and resulted in extended queuing time for customers.

‘It is now imperative that all customers comply with the nationwide rule to ensure a smoother and simpler transition through the airport.’

On Sunday, it was claimed by insiders that the queues currently seen at the airport could last for months and the airport is ‘understaffed’, leaving employees ‘overworked’ and ‘struggling’. 

The rules, which have been re-introduced as part of a government directive, prevent passengers from leaving Birmingham Airport with liquids, pastes and gels in excess of 100ml in their hand luggage until further notice. 

The issue was originally believed to have stemmed from a shortage of staff and the time it has taken to complete the new security hall upgrade, with the source adding that the airport should have employed extra security staff to combat these problems.

In response, airport bosses said a ‘continual recruitment campaign for security officers’ is in place and added that missed or delayed flights are ‘not necessarily’ their fault.

The issues started on Thursday, with long queues forming as the new rules for carrying liquids sparked confusion amongst passengers. 

The chaos wasn’t eased up as on Friday and over the weekend people turned up three hours early for their flight but still found themselves stuck in long lines at security. 

Frustrated passengers have been facing hours-long queues as they make their way through airport security

Huge lines have been seen outside the terminal, snaking around the side of the building 

The disruptions began on Thursday when long lines formed amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules and 3D baggage scanners

Birmingham Airport said in a statement that alongside the security delays with the new technology, ‘on-going building works on-site’ have added to the ‘usual busy morning’ as customers have waited in ‘long and skinny queues’.

The most recent statement given to MailOnline by Birmingham Airport says: ‘The airport has invested £60m of privately funded money into its new security search area. An area that was designed, and resourced, to accommodate the increase to two litres being carried in cabin baggage, this currently cannot be operated with the temporary restriction.

‘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. 

‘Following the new 100ml restriction we have today installed “liquid check stations” at all entrances to the terminal where colleagues are directly assisting passengers to ensure liquids containers over 100ml are removed. The outdoor queues seen today are from “liquid check stations”.

‘With these additional checks we have seen a large proportion of customers still arriving with liquids over 100ml in their bags and these have to be regrettably removed and disposed of. Containers that can carry more than a 100ml are permitted but, need to be completely empty. 

‘Our security flow rate has been continuous today, helped by these extra checks and we welcome and appreciate the co-operation of our passengers in eliminating oversize liquids from their cabin baggage.

‘It is now, more than ever, imperative that customers abide by the 100ml rule. This additional layer of control risks slowing down the security process without the support of passengers.

‘We have continually planned for this transition from our old security area, to our new, and had considered the impact of the building works, new equipment, and the unfamiliar queuing areas. 

‘We have around a million passengers use our airport each month, the majority of whom have a good experience despite the ongoing construction works.

‘In addition to the changes we have made for our customers we have also catered for our colleagues. As part of the building works a new colleague welfare area has been created to include a large breakout area, dedicated toilets, a prayer room and a quiet room. 

‘We have worked with our teams since the start of the development works, with colleagues inputting into the design of both the new security search hall and their welfare area, and we continue to do so.

‘We have a continual recruitment campaign for security officers, as the process is rightly lengthy, with assessment centres and classrooms scheduled every month throughout the year to support the recruitment and training of new colleagues.’