As Birmingham Airport makes further preparations for its busiest year ever, a series of announcements around the enhanced passenger experience are expected, beginning with the launch of two additional security screening lanes in readiness ahead of summer.
Two state-of-the-art passenger screening lanes have been unveiled seeing a further investment of around £5m from the airport. These lanes are in addition to the £60 million security screening hall which opened last year. Following a last-minute rule change on liquids from the Government, the airport has worked tirelessly to ensure that long queues do not impact the customer’s summer again.
Responsible for screening cabin luggage, these new lanes (in addition to the existing) will have a capacity to successfully screen up to 3,600 passengers per hour in peak times.
However, the airport counsels that this is dependent on customer compliance around liquid rules, making sure that items not allowed in hand luggage are left at home, or packed in their checked in luggage. Current rules (as of today) make clear that no container bigger than 100ml is permissible. Liquids, pastes and electrical items can be left in bags, but large coats and belts should be removed and placed in trays in readiness for search.
Items including medicines can be carried through, but they do require correct documentation and baby food is also permissible in higher quantities but will be screened individually. The airport reminds passengers to empty any metal flasks/water bottles of any liquid where they can be refilled for free, once security screening has been completed.
Al Titterington, Terminal Operations Director at Birmingham Airport said: “Last summer, some passengers experienced unacceptable lengths of queuing, so we have focused on improving the efficiencies of our processes and how we support our customers on their journey, as quickly as possible.
“Since last summer, we have been relentless in our focus to make sure unacceptable queuing does not return this year. Over the course of several weeks, we will be making a string of announcements, unveiling new projects and partnerships that will enhance the passenger experience during what will be our airport’s busiest year.”
The new lanes (located in Zone A) will be opened on an agile basis, during peak times. Security Officers will be deployed to the additional lanes as and when passenger demand dictates this.
Since liquid restrictions of 100ml were reintroduced, the airport has remained in close dialogue with the Government with the hope that restrictions will be lifted ahead of the summer getaway. This could mean that passengers can travel with up to 2l of liquids in their bag. However, even with that change, secondary search of some items will still be required, as is the case today.
The half-term getaway saw c. 100,000 passengers fly out of Birmingham Airport with an average wait for security of under eight minutes. This was the busiest half term week the airport has had on record and comes off the back of 2024 where its numbers soared to c.13m. Its busiest year, ever.
