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Birmingham International Airport (UK)
Encyclopedia
Birmingham Airport , formerly Birmingham International Airport is an airport
located 5.5 NM east southeast of Birmingham
city centre, at Bickenhill
in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands
, England
. The airport is a base for Bmibaby
, Flybe
, Monarch
, Ryanair
, Thomas Cook Airlines
and Thomson Airways
.
BHX offers both domestic flights within the UK, and international flights to destinations in Europe
, the Middle East
, Pakistan
, North America
and the Caribbean
.
Birmingham has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P451) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
After handling a record 9.6 million passengers in 2008, passenger numbers declined to 8,572,398 in 2010, making Birmingham the seventh busiest UK airport
. Since 2006, both Luton Airport and Edinburgh Airport
have overtaken Birmingham Airport in terms of passenger numbers.
Birmingham airport has maintenance facilities for Flybe.
. It is bordered by the National Exhibition Centre
to the east, Marston Green
to the north, Sheldon
to the west, and the village of Bickenhill
to the south.
It is primarily served by the A45
main road, and is close to Junction Six of the M42 motorway
. It is connected by the elevated AirRail Link
with Birmingham International railway station
on the West Coast Main Line
.
The airport's location south-east of the city, plus the only operational runway being north-west - south-east orientated (15/33) means that depending on wind direction, aircraft land or take-off directly over Birmingham. The relatively short north-east - south-west runway (06/24) is not operational, and has been incorporated into the taxiway for aircraft departing the end of runway 33, or gaining access to runway 15.
As the airport is located within the Borough of Solihull
, all planning applications are reviewed by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council which is run separately from Birmingham City Council
. Due to this, Birmingham has little or no control over planning permission for Birmingham Airport's expansion plans.
decided in 1928 that the city required a municipal airport. Delays were caused by the Great Depression, but plans were finally submitted in 1933, identifying Elmdon
as the site for the airport. Elmdon Airport was opened on 8 July 1939 by the Duchess of Kent, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The airport was owned and operated by Birmingham City Council
. Initial services flew to Croydon
, Glasgow, Liverpool, Ryde, Shoreham
, Manchester
and Southampton
.
, the airport was requisitioned by the Air Ministry
and was used by the RAF
and the Royal Navy
as an Elementary Flying School and a base for the Fleet Air Arm
. During this time, the original grass strip was replaced by two hard runway
s: 06/24 at 2469 feet (753 m) and 15/33 at 4170 feet (1,271 m). Avro Lancaster
and Stirling
bombers manufactured at the Austin Aero Company
's shadow factory at Cofton Hackett
could not take off from the short runways at Longbridge
. Instead they were transported by road, minus the wings that would be attached at Elmdon. They were test flown from the aerodrome, and once declared airworthy they were then flown to their operational units. The aerodrome returned to civilian use on 8 July 1946, though still under government control.
. Ownership of the airport passed to the newly-formed West Midlands County Council
in 1974.
and the National Exhibition Centre
, able to handle three million passengers a year. It was first used on 4 April 1984, and was officially opened by the Queen on 30 May 1984.
The original Art Deco
1939 terminal and control tower are still visible and are in use as aviation related offices, near hangars to the west of the runway.
Take Off, a sculpture by the Polish artist Walenty Pytel
, stands in a roundabout on the approach road. It was erected in 1985 and is 1.4 m (4.6 ft) tall. The unpolished steel sculpture was designed to commemorate 40 years of peace in Europe.
In 1986, the ownership of the Airport transferred to the newly formed West Midlands Joint Airport Committee, comprising the seven West Midlands district councils. Shortly after this, The Airports Act 1986 was introduced, requiring municipal airports with turnover greater than £1m to become Public Airport Companies. On 1 April 1987, ownership of the airport was transferred to Birmingham International Airport plc, although still owned by the seven West Midlands district councils.
A second terminal, "Eurohub" opened on 26 July 1991 (with Concorde
in attendance), more than doubling the airport's capacity. This second terminal was designed for the use of British Airways
and its partners as part of a "hub and spoke" system whereby aircraft would arrive in waves from domestic and European destinations and allowed easy transfers so that a passenger from, say Edinburgh, could connect to a range of European destinations. During the 1990s, British Airways also operated a service to New York-JFK, and for a short time Toronto-Pearson as well.
In 1993, the Government limited public sector borrowing. This meant that the airport could only expand by using private sector finance. 51% of the local authority shares were sold to restructure the airport in to a private sector company, enabling a £260 million restructuring programme to begin in 1997.
In 1995 the Maglev Airport Rapid Transit system, which had been running between the airport and Birmingham International railway station
on a 600 metres (1,969 ft) track since 1984, was closed due to high cost and problems sourcing parts.
Following on from this, a total of £18 million was spent on a replacement to Maglev; the AirRail Link
people mover, which was the first in the world to be used at an airport. Along with this, the public transport interchange was built to extend Birmingham International railway station
for airport users. This has since been named Birmingham International Interchange.
Concorde made her final visit to Birmingham Airport on 20 October 2003 as part of her farewell tour.
American Airlines
operated a daily service to Chicago until 2002, when it was axed due to business executives not using the service enough and in 2009, US Airways
launched a seasonal service to Philadelphia. However, due to the global economic crisis, the route was suspended. As of April 2011, Continental Airlines
is the only carrier to serve Birmingham with year-round, nonstop service to North America
, with daily flights to Newark, NJ
.
In 2000, Pakistan International Airlines
launched a new twice weekly service linking Birmingham and Karachi via Copenhagen (due to runway limitations at Birmingham). A year later, the service was made direct following the downgrade of aircraft. In 2003, a twice weekly service linking Birmingham with Islamabad and Chicago was launched, along with the existing Lahore-Birmingham-Toronto route. These routes were later axed and moved to Manchester. Currently, PIA operates a four weekly Islamabad-Birmingham operation using Boeing 777's, the largest aircraft to regularly serve Birmingham.
Emirates also launched a new service to Dubai in 2000, eventually going twice daily in 2005. In 2005, Air India
launched a new service linking Birmingham with Amritsar and Toronto. However, the Birmingham link was axed in 2008 and re-routed through London Heathrow Airport
in order to protect the airline's valuable Heathrow slots.
In July 2007, Birmingham was voted the best airport in Europe in the 5 million to 10 million passengers per year category.
The shorter runway (06/24) was decommissioned in January 2008. It had been used with less frequency due to its short length, noise impact, and its inconvenient position crossing the main runway making it uneconomic to continue operation. The closure also allowed for apron expansion on both sides of the remaining runway.
as the first user of the pier. The special service was the first commercial A380 flight in the UK to take place outside London Heathrow Airport.
The new Pier is a three storey construction; 240 metres long and 24 metres wide. Departing passengers will be accommodated on the top level, with arriving passengers on the middle level and office accommodation for airline and handling agents on the ground floor.
The new facility provides air-bridged aircraft parking for seven wide-bodied aircraft and enough space to serve 13 smaller aircraft at any given time and is capable of accommodating ‘next generation’ environmentally-efficient wide-bodied aircraft such as the Airbus A380
, Airbus A350
and the Boeing 787
‘Dreamliner’ as well as the larger aircraft types such as the Boeing 777
which currently serves the airport on a daily basis. The new pier also hosts a new lounge for business class Emirates
passengers.
Whilst the merger is taking place, the four security control rooms are also being merged in to one in a £1.5 million scheme. Also, the airport Information Desk will close.
The development of Terminal 1 saw improvements made to the International Pier and will see a new satellite pier to the north of the terminals. The masterplan also details the need for a third terminal. The planned extension to the main runway will also require a new control tower to be constructed. This new development was completed in February 2011 and was officially opened on 13 May 2011.
It was announced in September 2007 that plans for a second runway had been scrapped but plans to build another terminal and increase runway capacity would go ahead with works expected to finish in 2012. It was estimated that 15 million passengers will use the airport upon completion.
and Paralympics
, work is now expected to be completed in 2013. The extension will increase the runway length to 3000 m (9,843 ft), as well as including a starter strip to provide a maximum takeoff run of 3150 m (10,335 ft). The airport owners believe there is likely to be sufficient demand for long-range direct services operated by aircraft whose operations are constrained by the current runway length. At 2605 m (8,547 ft), this is short for an airport with Birmingham's passenger throughput and range of destinations, and limits aircraft to destinations on the east coast or in the midwest of North America
, in the Gulf and Middle East
, or on the South Asian subcontinent. The construction of this extension to the southern end of the runway originally required the A45 Coventry Road to be diverted into a tunnel under the extended section, but to cut costs, it will be diverted to the south of the runway instead. Plans for the extension of the airport runway and the construction of a new air traffic control tower were submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
in January 2008 and approved in March 2009.
The construction of the runway extension began in March 2011. It will extend the runway 1296 ft (395 m) from its current length. Construction of a new air traffic control tower began in march 2011 and work is expected to finish in 2013.
Taxiways will be further improved to allow for terminal expansion and to improve runway occupancy rates. A new turn off was completed in June 2006 and saw an improvement in traffic rates on southerly operations, where the only available option for landing traffic had been to travel to the end of the runway to exit.
. The station would be built on the far side of the M42 motorway
and connect to the airport using a "rapid transit people mover
". If the project is given the go ahead, High Speed Two is currently planned for completion by 2026.
. The station is on the West Coast Main Line
between Birmingham and London. London Midland
and Virgin Trains
operate from Birmingham New Street station to Birmingham International station approximately every ten minutes, with a journey time of around ten minutes. There are three services per hour to and from London Euston
, the journey time being around 70 minutes. Access between the railway station and the airport terminal is provided by the free AirRail Link
.
operates the main bus routes calling at Birmingham Airport, those being the 900 to Birmingham city centre and Coventry
, and the 966 to Erdington
and Solihull
. Other smaller operators also call at the airport. Bus stops are situated outside Terminal One.
National Express Coaches operate various long distance coaches calling at Birmingham Airport on the way to or from Birmingham Coach Station, such as the 777 and the 422.
are available at the taxi-rank outside the arrivals area of the terminals.
. From Birmingham city centre, the A45 runs directly to the airport. There are no pick-up or drop-off areas available outside the terminal. Instead, there is a "Drop & Go" car park outside the terminals for which there is a charge of £1 for 15 minutes, £2 for 30 minutes and £3 for each subsequent 15 minutes. The airport offers short and medium stay car parks close to the terminal, and long stay car parks with a free bus service to the terminal. The airport suggests using Short/Medium car parks 1/2/3 for arrivals for which there is a charge of £3.30.
Birmingham Airport is the location of six global car-hire firms with a dedicated return and collect car park near to the terminals.
business jet crashed on take-off from runway 15 at Birmingham. The aircraft with registration N90AG was on lease by AGCO corporation
and was carrying two company executives, two pilots and an observer. After arriving from Palm Beach International Airport
the previous evening, the aircraft was parked overnight at Birmingham where ice formed on the wings
due to the cold weather conditions. The following morning the pilots did not request de-icing of the aircraft before their flight to Bangor Airport
in Maine
. The ice on the wings caused one wing to dip on take off, the aircraft inverted, crashed into grass besides the runway and caught fire. There were no survivors. Sleeping pills taken by both pilots the night before the crash are thought to have been a factor in reducing the pilots' judgment. }}|event= Mahan Air
Airbus A310
operating a flight from Tehran
, Iran
, was involved in a serious incident while on approach to Birmingham International Airport. The aircraft descended to the published minimum descent altitude of 740 ft despite still being 11 nm from the runway threshold. At a point 6 nm from the runway the aircraft had descended to an altitude of 660 ft, which was 164 ft above ground level. Having noticed the descent profile, Birmingham Air Traffic Control
issued an immediate climb instruction to the aircraft, however, the crew had already commenced a missed approach
, having received a GPWS
alert. The aircraft was radar vectored for a second approach during which the flight crew again initiated an early descent. On this occasion, the radar controller instructed the crew to maintain their altitude and the crew successfully completed the approach to a safe landing. The accident investigation determined that the primary cause was use of the incorrect DME
for the approach, combined with a substantial breakdown in Crew Resource Management
. Three safety recommendations were made. }}|event=A TNT Airways
cargo 737-300 made an emergency landing at Birmingham with damaged landing gear. The aircraft, registration OO-TND, had been flying from Liege in Belgium to Stansted
. Due to poor visibility at Stansted the flight diverted to East Midlands Airport. As the weather at East Midlands was also poor, the aircraft performed a full autopilot approach. During this approach the autopilot momentarily disengaged causing it to deviate from the course. The aircraft hit the grass to the side of the runway, which caused the right main gear to detach. The crew initiated a go-around, declared an emergency and diverted to Birmingham. After it landed on Birmingham's main runway, the airport was closed for a number of hours. The pilots were unharmed. However, the company ascribed the incident to human error and both pilots were dismissed. The official report into the accident highlighted a number of factors contributing to the accident - poor weather forecast information; a message passed from Air Traffic Control
to the aircraft at an "inappropriate" time; the pilot accidentally disconnecting the autopilot
when attempting to respond to the message; the pilot losing "situational awareness" and failing to abort the landing. }}|event= A Cessna Citation
aircraft, registration G-VUEM, crashed at Birmingham Airport during final approach in thick fog. Reports from West Midlands Police were that there were two casualties, one critical. The aircraft was bringing a human liver from Belfast airport, for a transplant operation which was subsequently completed successfully. The airport reopened at around mid-day the following day.}}
programme exposed serious security flaws at Birmingham Airport over a six month period. Fifteen members of staff working for the security contractor "ICTS UK Ltd" were suspended and subsequently sacked for gross misconduct. Members of security were filmed asleep on duty, reading magazines whilst operating x-ray scanners, leaving aircraft unguarded, and ignoring bags sent for extra security checks, as well as being understaffed. The security lapse was deemed so serious, that it was commented upon in the United States Congress
by Bennie Thompson
, the chairman of the US Congress Homeland Security Committee, who advised that all flights to and from Birmingham Airport should cease. Despite sacking the members of staff in the programme for their actions, ICTS still claimed that the footage had been "contrived to exaggerate and sensationalise" the issues. }}|event= The West Midlands Police
helicopter (G-WMAO) was destroyed by arsonists, and subsequently written off.Pictures A year later, a new Eurocopter EC135
similar to G-WMAO was handed over to West Midlands Police at the Farnborough Airshow. Thousands of pounds have now been spent upgrading security surrounding the new police helicopter. }}|event= A faulty Archway Metal Detector (AMD) was switched off in Terminal 2 and not switched back on again, allowing hundreds of passengers to pass through unchecked. The "serious failure" was not spotted until police officers wearing metal equipment passed through and the AMDs did not sound. Birmingham Airport commented that a full and thorough investigation was under way. }}
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
located 5.5 NM east southeast of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
city centre, at Bickenhill
Bickenhill
Bickenhill is a village, civil parish and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation.-History:...
in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The airport is a base for Bmibaby
Bmibaby
Bmibaby Limited is a small British low-cost airline and a subsidiary of British Midland International. It flies to destinations in the UK and Europe from its bases at Belfast-City, Birmingham and East Midlands airports....
, Flybe
Flybe
Flybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
, Monarch
Monarch Airlines
Monarch Airlines, often shortened to and trading as Monarch, is a British charter and scheduled airline based at London Luton Airport in Luton. It is one of the United Kingdom's largest charter airlines, operating to Europe, the United States, the Caribbean, India and Africa, serving mainly leisure...
, Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
, Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines is a British charter airline based in Manchester, England. It serves main holiday resorts worldwide, from its main bases at Manchester and Gatwick.The airline also operates services from nine other bases in the United Kingdom....
and Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the UK to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The company commenced operations on 1 November 2008, following the merger and subsequent re-branding of Thomsonfly and First...
.
BHX offers both domestic flights within the UK, and international flights to destinations in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Birmingham has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P451) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
After handling a record 9.6 million passengers in 2008, passenger numbers declined to 8,572,398 in 2010, making Birmingham the seventh busiest UK airport
Busiest airports in the United Kingdom by total passenger traffic
The tables below contain CAA data from 2006 to 2009, on the busiest airports in the United Kingdom by total passenger traffic, including information on international, domestic and transit counterparts...
. Since 2006, both Luton Airport and Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
have overtaken Birmingham Airport in terms of passenger numbers.
Birmingham airport has maintenance facilities for Flybe.
Location
Birmingham Airport is situated 5.5 NM east south-east of Birmingham city centre, in the Metropolitan Borough of SolihullMetropolitan Borough of Solihull
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary...
. It is bordered by the National Exhibition Centre
National Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
to the east, Marston Green
Marston Green
Marston Green is a village of around 5000 residents in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, approximately 7 miles from Birmingham.The village is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre...
to the north, Sheldon
Sheldon, West Midlands
Sheldon is an area of eastern Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. It is close to the border with the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull and Birmingham International Airport....
to the west, and the village of Bickenhill
Bickenhill
Bickenhill is a village, civil parish and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation.-History:...
to the south.
It is primarily served by the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
main road, and is close to Junction Six of the M42 motorway
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
. It is connected by the elevated AirRail Link
AirRail Link
The AirRail Link is a people mover linking Birmingham Airport with Birmingham International railway station and the National Exhibition Centre , in the United Kingdom...
with Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
.
The airport's location south-east of the city, plus the only operational runway being north-west - south-east orientated (15/33) means that depending on wind direction, aircraft land or take-off directly over Birmingham. The relatively short north-east - south-west runway (06/24) is not operational, and has been incorporated into the taxiway for aircraft departing the end of runway 33, or gaining access to runway 15.
As the airport is located within the Borough of Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
, all planning applications are reviewed by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council which is run separately from Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
. Due to this, Birmingham has little or no control over planning permission for Birmingham Airport's expansion plans.
1920s to 1939
Birmingham City CouncilBirmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
decided in 1928 that the city required a municipal airport. Delays were caused by the Great Depression, but plans were finally submitted in 1933, identifying Elmdon
Elmdon, West Midlands
Elmdon is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the county of West Midlands, England.The name Elmdon means hill of the elms. It is primarily a residential area. It was formerly home to Elmdon Aerodrome, which is now Birmingham Airport...
as the site for the airport. Elmdon Airport was opened on 8 July 1939 by the Duchess of Kent, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The airport was owned and operated by Birmingham City Council
Government of Birmingham
Birminghamshown within West MidlandsThis page is about the Government of Birmingham, England.-Civic history:Most of Birmingham was historically a part of Warwickshire, though the modern city also includes villages and towns historically in Staffordshire or Worcestershire.Until the 1760s, Birmingham...
. Initial services flew to Croydon
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
, Glasgow, Liverpool, Ryde, Shoreham
Shoreham Airport
- Sussex Police Air Operations Unit :The Sussex Police Air Operations Unit is headquartered at Shoreham Airport. The unit has been equipped since February 2000 with a MD Explorer, registered as "G-SUSX". The unit is headed by a Police Inspector, assisted by a Police Sergeant and two Police...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the airport was requisitioned by the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
and was used by the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as an Elementary Flying School and a base for the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
. During this time, the original grass strip was replaced by two hard runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: 06/24 at 2469 feet (753 m) and 15/33 at 4170 feet (1,271 m). Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
and Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
bombers manufactured at the Austin Aero Company
Longbridge plant
The Longbridge plant is an industrial complex situated in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, United Kingdom. It is currently owned by SAIC Group and is a manufacturing and research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary....
's shadow factory at Cofton Hackett
Cofton Hackett
Cofton Hackett is a village and civil parish in the Bromsgrove District of north east Worcestershire, England. It is situated 10.3 miles south west of the city centre of Birmingham and 24 miles north east of Worcester...
could not take off from the short runways at Longbridge
Longbridge
Longbridge is an area of Birmingham, England. For local government purposes it is a ward within the district of Northfield.Since 1905, the area has been dominated by the Longbridge plant, which produced Austin, Nash Metropolitan, Morris, British Leyland, and most recently MG Rover cars...
. Instead they were transported by road, minus the wings that would be attached at Elmdon. They were test flown from the aerodrome, and once declared airworthy they were then flown to their operational units. The aerodrome returned to civilian use on 8 July 1946, though still under government control.
1946 - 1970s
During the post-war years, public events, such as air fairs and air races were held on the site. The City of Birmingham took over responsibility again on 1 January 1960 and assumed full responsibility on 1 April 1960. An additional terminal building to handle international traffic was opened in 1961, called The International Building. The main runway was extended to 7,400 feet in 1967 to allow jet operations, including the introduction of VC-10 services to New York. The Birmingham Corporation Act 1970 gave the corporation the power to attest constables for the airport, creating the Birmingham Airport PoliceBirmingham Airport Police
Birmingham Airport Police is a defunct police force of the United Kingdom, formerly responsible for policing Birmingham International Airport, in Birmingham, England.-Basis:...
. Ownership of the airport passed to the newly-formed West Midlands County Council
West Midlands County Council
The West Midlands County Council was, from 1974 to 1986, the upper-tier administrative body for the West Midlands county, a metropolitan county in England....
in 1974.
1980s - 2000
1984 saw the birth of the current airport. A new terminal was opened on the east side of the runway adjacent to the Birmingham International railway stationBirmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
and the National Exhibition Centre
National Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
, able to handle three million passengers a year. It was first used on 4 April 1984, and was officially opened by the Queen on 30 May 1984.
The original Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
1939 terminal and control tower are still visible and are in use as aviation related offices, near hangars to the west of the runway.
Take Off, a sculpture by the Polish artist Walenty Pytel
Walenty Pytel
Walenty Pytel is a Polish-born contemporary artist based in the United Kingdom, recognised as a leading metal sculptor of birds and beasts. His creations are often inspired by nature and his artworks include the Jubilee Fountain in Westminster, a piece titled Take Off which is located at Birmingham...
, stands in a roundabout on the approach road. It was erected in 1985 and is 1.4 m (4.6 ft) tall. The unpolished steel sculpture was designed to commemorate 40 years of peace in Europe.
In 1986, the ownership of the Airport transferred to the newly formed West Midlands Joint Airport Committee, comprising the seven West Midlands district councils. Shortly after this, The Airports Act 1986 was introduced, requiring municipal airports with turnover greater than £1m to become Public Airport Companies. On 1 April 1987, ownership of the airport was transferred to Birmingham International Airport plc, although still owned by the seven West Midlands district councils.
A second terminal, "Eurohub" opened on 26 July 1991 (with Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
in attendance), more than doubling the airport's capacity. This second terminal was designed for the use of British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and its partners as part of a "hub and spoke" system whereby aircraft would arrive in waves from domestic and European destinations and allowed easy transfers so that a passenger from, say Edinburgh, could connect to a range of European destinations. During the 1990s, British Airways also operated a service to New York-JFK, and for a short time Toronto-Pearson as well.
In 1993, the Government limited public sector borrowing. This meant that the airport could only expand by using private sector finance. 51% of the local authority shares were sold to restructure the airport in to a private sector company, enabling a £260 million restructuring programme to begin in 1997.
In 1995 the Maglev Airport Rapid Transit system, which had been running between the airport and Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
on a 600 metres (1,969 ft) track since 1984, was closed due to high cost and problems sourcing parts.
2000 - 2010
On 3 March 2000, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the £40 million redevelopment of the airport. The redevelopment introduced a new customs and immigration hall, twelve new shops, a new baggage reclaim area, a new arrivals concourse, a new pier with three air bridges, sixteen new check-in desks, and linked Terminal One with Terminal Two (previously "Eurohub") for the first time.AirRail Link
The AirRail Link is a people mover linking Birmingham Airport with Birmingham International railway station and the National Exhibition Centre , in the United Kingdom...
people mover, which was the first in the world to be used at an airport. Along with this, the public transport interchange was built to extend Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
for airport users. This has since been named Birmingham International Interchange.
Concorde made her final visit to Birmingham Airport on 20 October 2003 as part of her farewell tour.
American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated a daily service to Chicago until 2002, when it was axed due to business executives not using the service enough and in 2009, US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
launched a seasonal service to Philadelphia. However, due to the global economic crisis, the route was suspended. As of April 2011, Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
is the only carrier to serve Birmingham with year-round, nonstop service to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, with daily flights to Newark, NJ
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
.
In 2000, Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...
launched a new twice weekly service linking Birmingham and Karachi via Copenhagen (due to runway limitations at Birmingham). A year later, the service was made direct following the downgrade of aircraft. In 2003, a twice weekly service linking Birmingham with Islamabad and Chicago was launched, along with the existing Lahore-Birmingham-Toronto route. These routes were later axed and moved to Manchester. Currently, PIA operates a four weekly Islamabad-Birmingham operation using Boeing 777's, the largest aircraft to regularly serve Birmingham.
Emirates also launched a new service to Dubai in 2000, eventually going twice daily in 2005. In 2005, Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
launched a new service linking Birmingham with Amritsar and Toronto. However, the Birmingham link was axed in 2008 and re-routed through London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
in order to protect the airline's valuable Heathrow slots.
In July 2007, Birmingham was voted the best airport in Europe in the 5 million to 10 million passengers per year category.
The shorter runway (06/24) was decommissioned in January 2008. It had been used with less frequency due to its short length, noise impact, and its inconvenient position crossing the main runway making it uneconomic to continue operation. The closure also allowed for apron expansion on both sides of the remaining runway.
New international pier
In June 2008 work began on the construction of the new ‘International Pier’. It was officially opened on 9 September 2009. As part of the airport's 70th anniversary, the airport welcomed the Airbus A380Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
as the first user of the pier. The special service was the first commercial A380 flight in the UK to take place outside London Heathrow Airport.
The new Pier is a three storey construction; 240 metres long and 24 metres wide. Departing passengers will be accommodated on the top level, with arriving passengers on the middle level and office accommodation for airline and handling agents on the ground floor.
The new facility provides air-bridged aircraft parking for seven wide-bodied aircraft and enough space to serve 13 smaller aircraft at any given time and is capable of accommodating ‘next generation’ environmentally-efficient wide-bodied aircraft such as the Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
, Airbus A350
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
and the Boeing 787
Boeing 787
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It seats 210 to 290 passengers, depending on the variant. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use...
‘Dreamliner’ as well as the larger aircraft types such as the Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
which currently serves the airport on a daily basis. The new pier also hosts a new lounge for business class Emirates
Emirates Airline
Emirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
passengers.
Passenger fees and charges
The airport recently introduced charges for passengers using its luggage trolleys and was amongst the first airports in the world to do so. Passengers currently pay a non-refundable charge of £1/€2 for the use of a baggage trolley with payment accepted in coins or by card. The airport explained that the provision of a free bus service should reduce demand for trolleys.Terminal redevelopment
In January 2010, Birmingham International Airport announced they were to spend £13 million on merging Terminals 1 & 2 together. The merger is hoped to "improve passenger flows and operational efficiency, as well as creating a larger centralised passenger security search area, an enlarged meeting and greeting arrivals point, and an improved shopping and catering offer in both landside and airside areas."Whilst the merger is taking place, the four security control rooms are also being merged in to one in a £1.5 million scheme. Also, the airport Information Desk will close.
The development of Terminal 1 saw improvements made to the International Pier and will see a new satellite pier to the north of the terminals. The masterplan also details the need for a third terminal. The planned extension to the main runway will also require a new control tower to be constructed. This new development was completed in February 2011 and was officially opened on 13 May 2011.
Future
The airport has published a master plan for its development up to 2030, called "Towards 2030: Planning a Sustainable Future for Air Transport in the Midlands". This sets out details of changes to the terminals, airfield layout and off-site infrastructure. As with all large scale plans, the proposals are controversial, with opposition from environmentalists and local residents. In particular the requirement for a second parallel runway based on projected demand was disputed by opponents.It was announced in September 2007 that plans for a second runway had been scrapped but plans to build another terminal and increase runway capacity would go ahead with works expected to finish in 2012. It was estimated that 15 million passengers will use the airport upon completion.
Runway extension
The first major element is an extension to the runway, the only airport in the UK to have gained planning consent for such work. Originally targeted for completion in time for the 2012 London Olympics2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
and Paralympics
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
, work is now expected to be completed in 2013. The extension will increase the runway length to 3000 m (9,843 ft), as well as including a starter strip to provide a maximum takeoff run of 3150 m (10,335 ft). The airport owners believe there is likely to be sufficient demand for long-range direct services operated by aircraft whose operations are constrained by the current runway length. At 2605 m (8,547 ft), this is short for an airport with Birmingham's passenger throughput and range of destinations, and limits aircraft to destinations on the east coast or in the midwest of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, in the Gulf and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, or on the South Asian subcontinent. The construction of this extension to the southern end of the runway originally required the A45 Coventry Road to be diverted into a tunnel under the extended section, but to cut costs, it will be diverted to the south of the runway instead. Plans for the extension of the airport runway and the construction of a new air traffic control tower were submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary...
in January 2008 and approved in March 2009.
The construction of the runway extension began in March 2011. It will extend the runway 1296 ft (395 m) from its current length. Construction of a new air traffic control tower began in march 2011 and work is expected to finish in 2013.
Taxiways will be further improved to allow for terminal expansion and to improve runway occupancy rates. A new turn off was completed in June 2006 and saw an improvement in traffic rates on southerly operations, where the only available option for landing traffic had been to travel to the end of the runway to exit.
Airport rebrand
In September 2010 an announcement was made that following the merging of Terminals 1 & 2 in 2011, the airport would drop the International from its official name to become Birmingham Airport. A Midlands based marketing agency was recruited to "create a new corporate identity that reflects [Birmingham Airport's] current position in the market place, as well as its future potential". Figures from Birmingham Airport show that 8 million people live within a one hour's drive of the airport, but less than 40% of them use it. It is hoped that the rebrand will make the airport "more visible to the market". However, the new name was used from November 2010. The new logo, interlocking circles in shades of blue, and slogan, "Hello World", were designed to reflect the airport's new positioning as a global travel hub.High Speed Two
As part of the proposed High Speed Two rail link, a new railway station called Birmingham Interchange would be built to serve the both airport and the National Exhibition CentreNational Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
. The station would be built on the far side of the M42 motorway
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
and connect to the airport using a "rapid transit people mover
People mover
A people mover or automated people mover is a fully automated, grade-separated mass transit system.The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerably more complex automated...
". If the project is given the go ahead, High Speed Two is currently planned for completion by 2026.
Train
Birmingham Airport is served by Birmingham International stationBirmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
. The station is on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
between Birmingham and London. London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
and Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
operate from Birmingham New Street station to Birmingham International station approximately every ten minutes, with a journey time of around ten minutes. There are three services per hour to and from London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
, the journey time being around 70 minutes. Access between the railway station and the airport terminal is provided by the free AirRail Link
AirRail Link
The AirRail Link is a people mover linking Birmingham Airport with Birmingham International railway station and the National Exhibition Centre , in the United Kingdom...
.
Bus and coach
National Express West MidlandsNational Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
operates the main bus routes calling at Birmingham Airport, those being the 900 to Birmingham city centre and Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, and the 966 to Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
and Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
. Other smaller operators also call at the airport. Bus stops are situated outside Terminal One.
National Express Coaches operate various long distance coaches calling at Birmingham Airport on the way to or from Birmingham Coach Station, such as the 777 and the 422.
Taxi
Black cabsHackney carriage
A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire...
are available at the taxi-rank outside the arrivals area of the terminals.
Car
Birmingham Airport is accessible from the north and south via Junction Six of the M42 motorwayM42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
. From Birmingham city centre, the A45 runs directly to the airport. There are no pick-up or drop-off areas available outside the terminal. Instead, there is a "Drop & Go" car park outside the terminals for which there is a charge of £1 for 15 minutes, £2 for 30 minutes and £3 for each subsequent 15 minutes. The airport offers short and medium stay car parks close to the terminal, and long stay car parks with a free bus service to the terminal. The airport suggests using Short/Medium car parks 1/2/3 for arrivals for which there is a charge of £3.30.
Birmingham Airport is the location of six global car-hire firms with a dedicated return and collect car park near to the terminals.
Bike
The only cycle route available heads south over the A45 travelling towards Solihull. Birmingham Airport have however published "recommended routes" for cyclists. Free short term cycle parking is available close to Terminal One. For longer stays, bikes are required to be stored in Left Luggage for a charge.Airlines and destinations
Cargo services
Other users
- West Midlands Police Air Operations
- Cello Aviation
- EurojetEurojetEurojet may refer to:* Eurojet Airlines , a French Airline* Eurojet EJ200 a military turbofan, the powerplant of the Eurofighter Typhoon* Eurojet Italia , an Italian Airline* Eurojet Limited* Eurojet Romania , Airlines of Romania...
- NetjetsNetJetsNetJets, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, offers fractional ownership and rental of private business jets.-History:NetJets Inc., formerly Executive Jet Aviation, was founded in 1964 as one of the first private business jet charter and aircraft management companies...
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- Global Express
- Olympic AirOlympic AirOlympic Air is the largest Greek airline by destinations served, formed from the privatisation of the former national carrier Olympic Airlines. Olympic Air commenced limited operations on 29 September 2009, after Olympic Airlines ceased all operations, with the official full-scale opening of the...
(Dash 8 Deliveries to Athens) - Scot Airways (Newcastle United Charters)
- TAG Aviation
Accidents and incidents
|event=A Bombardier-CL604Bombardier Challenger 600
The Bombardier Challenger 600 series is a family of business jets designed by Bill Lear and produced first by Canadair until that company was bought by Bombardier Aerospace in 1986.-Development:...
business jet crashed on take-off from runway 15 at Birmingham. The aircraft with registration N90AG was on lease by AGCO corporation
AGCO
AGCO is an agricultural equipment manufacturer based in Duluth, Georgia, USA. As a leading global manufacturer of agricultural equipment, AGCO offers a full line of tractors, combines, hay tools, sprayers, forage and tillage equipment, which are distributed through more than 2,700 independent...
and was carrying two company executives, two pilots and an observer. After arriving from Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
the previous evening, the aircraft was parked overnight at Birmingham where ice formed on the wings
Icing conditions
In aviation, icing conditions are those atmospheric conditions that can lead to the formation of water ice on the surfaces of an aircraft, or within the engine as carburetor icing. Inlet icing is another engine-related danger, often occurring in jet aircraft. These icing phenomena do not...
due to the cold weather conditions. The following morning the pilots did not request de-icing of the aircraft before their flight to Bangor Airport
Bangor International Airport
Bangor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located west of the city of Bangor, in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is owned and operated by the City of Bangor and was formerly a military installation known as Dow Air Force Base. The airport possesses a single...
in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. The ice on the wings caused one wing to dip on take off, the aircraft inverted, crashed into grass besides the runway and caught fire. There were no survivors. Sleeping pills taken by both pilots the night before the crash are thought to have been a factor in reducing the pilots' judgment. }}|event= Mahan Air
Mahan Air
Mahan Airlines, doing business as Mahan Air, is a private airline based in the Mahan Air Tower in Tehran, Iran. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe...
Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
operating a flight from Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, was involved in a serious incident while on approach to Birmingham International Airport. The aircraft descended to the published minimum descent altitude of 740 ft despite still being 11 nm from the runway threshold. At a point 6 nm from the runway the aircraft had descended to an altitude of 660 ft, which was 164 ft above ground level. Having noticed the descent profile, Birmingham Air Traffic Control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
issued an immediate climb instruction to the aircraft, however, the crew had already commenced a missed approach
Missed approach
Missed approach is an instrument flight rules procedure which is a standard component segment of an instrument approach. Generally, if the pilot flying or the pilot in command determines by the time the aircraft is at the decision height or missed approach point , that the runway or its...
, having received a GPWS
Ground Proximity Warning System
A ground proximity warning system is a system designed to alert pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground or an obstacle. The United States Federal Aviation Administration defines GPWS as a type of terrain awareness warning system...
alert. The aircraft was radar vectored for a second approach during which the flight crew again initiated an early descent. On this occasion, the radar controller instructed the crew to maintain their altitude and the crew successfully completed the approach to a safe landing. The accident investigation determined that the primary cause was use of the incorrect DME
Distance Measuring Equipment
Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
for the approach, combined with a substantial breakdown in Crew Resource Management
Crew Resource Management
Crew resource management or Cockpit resource management is a procedure and training system in systems where human error can have devastating effects. Used primarily for improving air safety, CRM focuses on interpersonal communication, leadership, and decision making in the cockpit...
. Three safety recommendations were made. }}|event=A TNT Airways
TNT Airways
TNT Airways, a subsidiary of TNT Express, is a cargo and passenger airline, operating chartered flights to mainly European destinations...
cargo 737-300 made an emergency landing at Birmingham with damaged landing gear. The aircraft, registration OO-TND, had been flying from Liege in Belgium to Stansted
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
. Due to poor visibility at Stansted the flight diverted to East Midlands Airport. As the weather at East Midlands was also poor, the aircraft performed a full autopilot approach. During this approach the autopilot momentarily disengaged causing it to deviate from the course. The aircraft hit the grass to the side of the runway, which caused the right main gear to detach. The crew initiated a go-around, declared an emergency and diverted to Birmingham. After it landed on Birmingham's main runway, the airport was closed for a number of hours. The pilots were unharmed. However, the company ascribed the incident to human error and both pilots were dismissed. The official report into the accident highlighted a number of factors contributing to the accident - poor weather forecast information; a message passed from Air Traffic Control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
to the aircraft at an "inappropriate" time; the pilot accidentally disconnecting the autopilot
Autopilot
An autopilot is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. An autopilot can refer specifically to aircraft, self-steering gear for boats, or auto guidance of space craft and missiles...
when attempting to respond to the message; the pilot losing "situational awareness" and failing to abort the landing. }}|event= A Cessna Citation
Cessna Citation
The Cessna Citation is a marketing name used by Cessna for its line of business jets. Rather than one particular model of aircraft, the name applies to several "families" of turbofan-powered aircraft that have been produced over the years...
aircraft, registration G-VUEM, crashed at Birmingham Airport during final approach in thick fog. Reports from West Midlands Police were that there were two casualties, one critical. The aircraft was bringing a human liver from Belfast airport, for a transplant operation which was subsequently completed successfully. The airport reopened at around mid-day the following day.}}
Security incidents
|event= The Tonight with Trevor McDonaldTonight (TV series)
Tonight is a British television newsmagazine, produced by ITV Studios and ITN for the ITV network. Since 1999, Tonight replaced the long-running investigative series World in Action...
programme exposed serious security flaws at Birmingham Airport over a six month period. Fifteen members of staff working for the security contractor "ICTS UK Ltd" were suspended and subsequently sacked for gross misconduct. Members of security were filmed asleep on duty, reading magazines whilst operating x-ray scanners, leaving aircraft unguarded, and ignoring bags sent for extra security checks, as well as being understaffed. The security lapse was deemed so serious, that it was commented upon in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
by Bennie Thompson
Bennie Thompson
Bennie G. Thompson, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993, and the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security since 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, the chairman of the US Congress Homeland Security Committee, who advised that all flights to and from Birmingham Airport should cease. Despite sacking the members of staff in the programme for their actions, ICTS still claimed that the footage had been "contrived to exaggerate and sensationalise" the issues. }}|event= The West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England.Covering an area with nearly 2.6 million inhabitants, which includes the cities of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and also the Black Country; the force is made up...
helicopter (G-WMAO) was destroyed by arsonists, and subsequently written off.Pictures A year later, a new Eurocopter EC135
Eurocopter EC135
The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
similar to G-WMAO was handed over to West Midlands Police at the Farnborough Airshow. Thousands of pounds have now been spent upgrading security surrounding the new police helicopter. }}|event= A faulty Archway Metal Detector (AMD) was switched off in Terminal 2 and not switched back on again, allowing hundreds of passengers to pass through unchecked. The "serious failure" was not spotted until police officers wearing metal equipment passed through and the AMDs did not sound. Birmingham Airport commented that a full and thorough investigation was under way. }}
Passenger numbers
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Route statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled | % Change 2009 / 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  DublinDublin Airport Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon... |
534,982 | 8 |
| 2 |  DubaiDubai International Airport Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai... |
497,362 | 14 |
| 3 |  Amsterdam |
427,004 | 4 |
| 4 |  Paris Charles de Gaulle |
314,227 | 1 |
| 5 |  AlicanteAlicante Airport Alicante Airport , , originally named El Altet, is the sixth busiest airport in Spain, and the main airport for the Province of Alicante and the Region of Murcia. The airport is situated southwest of Alicante and east of Elche in the municipality of Elche on Mediterranean coast. Up to eighty... |
293,507 | 6 |
| 6 |  EdinburghEdinburgh Airport Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements... |
288,035 | 14 |
| 7 | Malaga Málaga Airport Málaga Airport , also known as Malaga Costa Del Sol Airport and Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, is the fourth busiest airport in Spain after Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. It is an important airport for Spanish tourism as it is the main international airport serving the Costa Del Sol.... |
280,250 | 8 |
| 8 | Tenerife South Tenerife South Airport Tenerife South Airport , previously known as Tenerife South-Reina Sofia Airport, is one of two international airports located on the island of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands . Between its opening and the end of 2006, a total of 173,912,207 passengers passed through the airport... |
276,874 | 12 |
| 9 |  FrankfurtFrankfurt Airport Frankfurt Airport may refer to:Airports of Frankfurt, Germany:*Frankfurt Airport , the largest airport in Germany*Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, a general aviation airport*Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , a converted U.S... |
254,282 | 10 |
| 10 | Palma de Mallorca Palma de Mallorca Airport Palma de Mallorca Airport is an airport located east of Palma, Majorca, adjacent to the village of Can Pastilla. Also known as Son Sant Joan Airport or Aeroport de Son Sant Joan, it is the third largest airport in Spain, after Madrid's Barajas Airport and Barcelona Airport... |
233,425 | 24 |
| 11 | Glasgow International Glasgow International Airport Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire... |
212,624 | 21 |
| 12 |  FaroFaro Airport -Incidents and accidents:*On 21 December 1992, Martinair Flight 495 skidded off the runway in bad weather at Faro Airport killing 54 passengers and two crew out of a total of 340 people on board.... |
196,199 | 11 |
| 13 |  DalamanDalaman Airport - Traffic Statistics :Source: DHMI.gov.tr... |
184,390 | 29 |
| 14 | Lanzarote |
169,635 | 21 |
| 15 | Düsseldorf Düsseldorf International Airport Düsseldorf International Airport is the largest airport in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and the third largest airport in Germany, handling 18.99 million passengers in 2010.... |
151,872 | 10 |
| 16 |  Zurich |
142,972 | 10 |
| 17 |  Sharm El SheikhSharm el-Sheikh International Airport Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport , formerly known as Ophira International Airport, is an international airport located in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt... |
133,049 | 15 |
| 18 |  LarnacaLarnaca International Airport Larnaca International Airport is an international airport located southwest of Larnaca, Cyprus. Larnaca International Airport is Cyprus' main international gateway and the larger of the country's two commercial airports, the other being Paphos International Airport on the island's southwestern... |
124,635 | 6 |
| 19 | Munich |
120,511 | 6 |
| 20 | Ibiza Ibiza Airport Ibiza Airport is the airport serving the Balearic islands of Ibiza and Formentera in Spain, used by 95% of all people who arrive at or depart from these two islands... |
110,842 | 23 |
External links
- Birmingham Airport - Official website
- Airport Consultative Committee
- Opening ceremony, 1939 Pathé newsreelPathe NewsPathé Newsreels were produced from 1910 until the 1970s, when production of newsreels was in general stopped. Pathé News today is known as British Pathé and its archive of over 90,000 reels is fully digitised and online.-History:...