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Coordinates: 52°27′14″N 001°44′53″W / 52.45389°N 1.74806°W / 52.45389; -1.74806
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For the Birmingham, Alabama airport, see Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.

Birmingham Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner
  • Seven Metropolitan Boroughs of West Midlands (49%)
  • Airport Group Investments Ltd. (48.25%)
  • Employee Shares (2.75%)[1]
OperatorBirmingham Airport Ltd
ServesBirmingham, United Kingdom
LocationBickenhill, West Midlands
Elevation AMSL341 ft / 104 m
Coordinates52°27′14″N 001°44′53″W / 52.45389°N 1.74806°W / 52.45389; -1.74806
Websitebirminghamairport.co.uk
Map
EGBB is located in West Midlands county
EGBB
EGBB
Location in the West Midlands
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 3,052 10,013 Asphalt
Statistics (2014)
Passengers9,705,955
Passenger change 13-14Increase6.4%
Aircraft Movements97,346
Movements change 13-14Increase1.7%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[2]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[3]

Birmingham Airport (IATA: BHX, ICAO: EGBB), formerly Birmingham International Airport[4] is an international airport located 5.5 nautical miles (10.2 km; 6.3 mi) 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 Flybe, Monarch, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways.

The airport offers both domestic flights within the UK, and international flights to destinations in Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, North America and the Caribbean. Passenger throughput in 2014 was about 9.7 million, making Birmingham the seventh busiest UK airport.[3] However, the airport is the sixth in terms of international passengers.

Birmingham has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P451) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.

Location

[edit]

Birmingham Airport is 5.5 NM (10.2 km; 6.3 mi) east-south-east of Birmingham city centre, in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. 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 near Junction 6 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 (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.

History

[edit]
Where Birmingham Airport is now, as it was around 1921. (See[5] for a modern map of Birmingam Airport and around.)

1920 to 1939

[edit]

World War II

[edit]
  • World War II: The airport was requisitioned by the Air Ministry and was used by the RAF and the Royal Navy as RAF Elmdon, an Elementary Flying School and a base for the Fleet Air Arm. During this time, the original grass strip was replaced by two hard runways: 06/24 at 2,469 feet (753 m) and 15/33 at 4,170 feet (1,271 m).[7] 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 flown to their operational units.
  • 8 July 1946: The aerodrome returned to civilian use, though still under government control. [citation needed]

1946 – 1979

[edit]

During the post-war years, public events, such as air fairs and air races were held on the site.

  • 1 January 1960: The City of Birmingham took over responsibility again.
  • 1 April 1960: The City of Birmingham assumed full responsibility.[8]
  • 1961: An additional terminal building to handle international traffic was opened, called The International Building.
  • 1967: The main runway was extended to 7,400 feet (1.4 miles) to allow jet operations, including introducing VC-10 services to New York.
  • 1970: The Birmingham Corporation Act 1970 gave the corporation the power to attest constables for the airport, creating the Birmingham Airport Police.
  • 1974: Ownership of the airport passed to the newly formed West Midlands County Council.[7]

2 April 1966 First jet flight to Palma - BAC111

1980 – 1989

[edit]
The Maglev rapid transport system, which operated from 1984 to 1995, was the first commercial maglev system in the world
  • 4 April 1984: The current airport was first used. A new terminal was opened on the east side of the runway adjacent to the Birmingham International railway station and the National Exhibition Centre, able to handle three million passengers a year.
  • 30 May 1984: Elizabeth II opened it.[9]
  • It included a Maglev Airport Rapid Transit system, running between the airport and Birmingham International railway station on a 600-metre (1,969 ft) track.[10]
    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.
  • 1985: Take Off, a sculpture by the Polish artist Walenty Pytel, was set up, on a roundabout on the approach road. It is 1.4 m (4.6 ft) tall. The unpolished steel sculpture was designed to commemorate 40 years of peace in Europe.[11]
  • 1986: Ownership of the Airport transferred to the newly formed West Midlands Joint Airport Committee, comprising the seven West Midlands district councils. [citation needed] Shortly after this, the Airports Act 1986 was introduced, requiring municipal airports with turnover greater than £1m to become Public Airport Companies.
  • 1 April 1987: Ownership of the airport was transferred to Birmingham International Airport plc, although still owned by the seven West Midlands district councils.

1990 – 1999

[edit]
  • 26 July 1991: A second terminal, "Eurohub", opened (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. In 1980, British Airways started operating a service to New York-JFK,and Toronto-Pearson. [citation needed]
  • 1993: The Government limited public sector borrowing. This meant that the airport could only expand by using private sector finance. 51% of the local council shares were sold to restructure the airport into a private sector company, enabling a £260 million restructuring programme to begin in 1997. [citation needed]
  • 1995: The Maglev Airport Rapid Transit system[10] was closed due to high cost and problems sourcing parts.

2000 – 2010

[edit]
The AirRail Link joins the railway station to the airport, operated by a track and pulley system
Part of the Terminal 2 apron, the runway is seen beyond.
  • 3 March 2000: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the £40 million redevelopment of the airport. [citation needed] 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, and sixteen new check-in desks in Terminal 1. They also linked Terminal One with Terminal Two (previously "Eurohub") for the first time with the newly built Millennium Link. Following on from this, £18 million was spent on replacing the Maglev by the AirRail Link people mover, which was the first in the world to be used at an airport. [citation needed] The public transport interchange was built to extend Birmingham International railway station for airport users. This has since been named Birmingham International Interchange.
  • 2000: Emirates launched a new service to Dubai, eventually going twice daily in 2005. The service will operate thrice daily from August 2015. [citation needed]
  • 20 October 2003: Concorde made her final visit to Birmingham Airport on as part of her farewell tour.
  • June 2006: A new turnoff from the main runway was completed 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.
  • July 2007: Birmingham was voted the best airport in Europe in the 5 million to 10 million passengers per year category.[12]
  • November 2007: The airport published a master plan for its development up to 2030, called "Towards 2030: Planning a Sustainable Future for Air Transport in the Midlands".[13] 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. Although initial plans for a second runway were scrapped, this is now firmly back on the airport's agenda ahead of the report into Britain's aviation strategy being published. Plans for a 2nd runway on the other side of the M42 and a new terminal building and business park have been published, and they could help to create around 250,000 jobs. It has been estimated that if these plans went ahead, the airport could handle around 70,000,000 passengers annually, and around 500,000 aircraft movements.
  • January 2008: The shorter runway (06/24) was decommissioned. It had been used less often 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 main runway. However it remains open as a taxiway and a helicopter airstrip.[14]
Emirates brings the A380 to Birmingham to celebrate 70 years of the airport and the opening of the new international pier.
  • January 2008: Plans for the extension of the airport runway and the construction of the new air traffic control tower were submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
  • June 2008: Work began on building the new three-storey International Pier. It was officially opened on 9 September 2009. As part of the airport's 70th anniversary, the airport welcomed the Airbus A380 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 daily. The new pier also hosts a new lounge for business class Emirates passengers.[15]
  • March 2009: The runway extension plans were approved.[16]

2010 – present

[edit]
Thomson Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner taxing for taking off from Birmingham Airport
  • 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.[17] 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".[18]
  • November 2010: The new name started to be used.[19] 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.[20]
  • January 2011: The airport merged its two terminals into a single Terminal Building. This involved building two new floors added to the airport's terminals (& Millennium Link). The 3rd floor was built in the Millennium Link (also in the two terminals) accommodating the new Centralised Security Search area and a Lower Ground Floor, accommodating the new Arrivals and Meeting & Greeting (Meet & Greet) area. There are also plans to extend both terminals, adding another Departures and Arrivals.
  • 23 February 2011: It was reported that Birmingham Airport had announced the HS2 extension could be a solution to runway capacity problems in London, citing that will be quicker to get to London from Birmingham than from London Stansted once completed and claimed that the airport had capacity for nine million more passengers.[21]
  • March 2011: Construction of the runway extension and a new air traffic control tower began. The 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 immediate costs, it will be diverted to the south of the runway until 2020, when it will be moved into a tunnel.[22]
  • July 2011: Building a new control tower for the airport began, to replace the old tower which has stood at the airport since it was opened in 1939.
  • March 2012: The new control tower was completed.
  • 23 April 2012: An Olympic ceremony was held at the airport. The Olympic rings were unveiled on the tower and could be seen from the A45 road and the main terminal building. This was to commemorate the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic games. These rings were removed once the Olympic Games officially closed, just before 2012 Summer Paralympics began.
  • Summer 2012: By now the new control tower's equipment was installed. Testing and training began.
  • Late 2012: Work began on the runway extension (whose original target was in time for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.)
  • Summer 2013: The new control tower was fully operational.
  • August 2013: The old carriageway of the A45 road was closed and the new carriage way was opened.[23][24]
  • May 2014: The runway was completed.[25]
  • 22 July 2014: The runway extension was officially opened.

Runway Extension

[edit]
American Airlines Boeing 757 landing at Birmingham Airport

Plans for the extension of the airport runway, and the construction of the new air traffic control tower, were submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in January 2008, and approved in March 2009.[16] The construction of the runway extension, and the new air traffic control tower, began in March 2011.

The 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 immediate costs, it was diverted to the south of the runway until 2020, when it will be moved into a tunnel.[26] In August 2013, the old carriageway of the A45 road was closed, and the new carriage way was opened.[23][24]

Originally, the target for completion was in time for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. However, work began in late 2012, and the runway was completed in early May 2014.[25] The runway extension began to be used by aircraft in May 2014, and was officially opened on 22 July 2014, when China Southern Airlines operated its first charter flight between Birmingham and Beijing. This was the first aircraft that had to make use of the new runway length.

The extension caused controversy as more than 2,000 local residents complained about the increased noise levels due to the new flight path around the airport that was required after the runway was extended.[25]

The extension increased the runway length from the previous 2,605 m (8,547 ft) to 3,052 m (10,013 ft).[citation needed] There is a loop taxiway from which planes will taxi to the runway and then takeoff. The airport owners believe there is likely to be sufficient demand for long-range direct services operated by aircraft whose operations were constrained by the previous runway length. The previous runway length was short for an airport with Birmingham's passenger throughput and range of destinations. The old length limited 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. [citation needed]

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. [citation needed]

Airlines and destinations

[edit]

Passenger

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
Aegean Airlines Seasonal: Athens
Seasonal charter: Heraklion, Rhodes[27]
Aer Lingus Dublin
Aer Lingus Regional
operated by Stobart Air 		Cork, Dublin, Shannon, Kerry
Air France Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Air India Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai ,Thiruvananthapuram
Air Malta Seasonal: Malta
Air Transat Seasonal: Toronto-Pearson
American Airlines New York–JFK, Boston
Austrian Airlines Seasonal: Innsbruck
BH Air Seasonal: Burgas, Varna
British Airways London-Gatwick
British Airways operated by BA Helicopters (2016) Isle of Scilly, London Heliport
Brussels Airlines Brussels
Brussels Airlines
operated by Flybe 		Brussels
China Southern Airlines Seasonal: Beijing
Delta Air Lines Detroit
Eastern Airways Newcastle upon Tyne Southampton
Eastern Air Lines Miami
EasyJet Belfast-International
Seasonal: Geneva, Grenoble, Lisbon, Naples, Nice, Toulouse
easyJet Switzerland Seasonal: Geneva
Emirates Dubai-International
EVA Air Bangkok
Flybe Amsterdam, Belfast-City, Berlin-Tegel, Bordeaux, Düsseldorf, Edinburgh, Glasgow-International, Guernsey, Hannover, Lyon, Milan-Malpensa, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Stuttgart
Seasonal: Avignon, Bastia Bergerac, Biarritz, Brest, Chambéry, Deauville, Geneva, Ibiza, Innsbruck, Kittilä, La Rochelle, Newquay, Palma de Mallorca
Seasonal charter: Lleida
Freebird Airlines Seasonal charter: Antalya, Dalaman
Flynas Riyadh
Germania Seasonal charter: Chambéry, Ibiza
Germanwings
operated by Eurowings 		Düsseldorf, Hamburg
Hainan Airlines Seasonal charter: Beijing-Capital
Icelandair Reykjavík-Keflavík
KLM Amsterdam
KLM
operated by KLM Cityhopper 		Amsterdam
Lufthansa Frankfurt, Munich Berlin
Lufthansa Regional
operated by Lufthansa CityLine 		Munich
Monarch Airlines Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gibraltar, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Larnaca, Málaga, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Rome-Fiumicino, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Venice-Marco Polo
Seasonal: Bodrum, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Grenoble, Heraklion, Ibiza, Menorca, Preveza (begins 24 May 2015), Salzburg, Turin
Norwegian Air Shuttle Barcelona, Las Palmas, Madrid, Málaga, Tenerife-South
Pakistan International Airlines Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore
Ryanair Alicante, Barcelona, Bratislava Bydgoszcz, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura<, Gdańsk, Gran Canaria, Katowice, Kaunas, Kraków, Lanzarote, Málaga, Malta, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife-South
Seasonal: Ibiza, Murcia, Perpignan
Scandinavian Airlines Copenhagen, Oslo
Swiss International Air Lines Zürich
Swiss International Air Lines
operated by Helvetic Airways 		Zürich
Thomas Cook Airlines Alicante, Antalya, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Malaga, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South
Seasonal: Almería, Banjul, Bodrum, Burgas, Corfu, Djerba, Enfidha, Grenoble, Heraklion, Hurghada, Ibiza, Izmir, Kalamata, Kefalonia, Kos, Larnaca, Menorca, Mytilene, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Reus, Rhodes, Salzburg, Santorini, Turin, Zakynthos
Thomson Airways Alicante, Antalya, Boa Vista, Cancún, Enfidha, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Lanzarote, Málaga, Marrakech, Montego Bay-Sangster, Orlando-Sanford, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Punta Cana, Sharm el Sheikh, Tenerife-South
Seasonal: Agadir, Alghero, Almería, Barbados, Bodrum, Bourgas, Catania, Chambéry, Chania, Corfu, Dalaman, Djerba, Dubrovnik, Enontekiö, Faro, Geneva, Genoa, Gerona, Heraklion, Ibiza, Innsbruck, Izmir, Kavala, Kefalonia, Kos, Larnaca, Menorca, Naples, Porto Santo, Pula, Reus, Rhodes, Rovaniemi, Sal, Salzburg, Santorini, Skiathos, Sofia, Split, Verona, Zakynthos
Turkish Airlines Istanbul-Atatürk, Van
Turkmenistan Airlines Ashgabat
United Airlines Newark, Chicago
VLM Airlines Waterford, Rotterdam
Virgin Atlantic Orlando
Vueling Barcelona

Cargo

[edit]
Cello Aviation British Aerospace 146 parked on Elmdon apron at Birmingham Airport
AirlinesDestinations
Aviavilsa Minsk-National, Plovdiv, Saarbrücken, Vilnius
Atlantic Airlines Isle of Man
BinAir Bilbao, Cologne/Bonn, Katowice, Porto
FedEx Express Manchester, Paris-Charles de Gaulle
TNT Airways Belfast-International, Brussels

Traffic and Statistics

[edit]

Passenger numbers

[edit]

Birmingham handled a record 9.7 million passengers in 2014, making Birmingham the seventh busiest UK airport.[3]

Number of
Passengers[28]		 Number of
Movements[29]		 Birmingham Airport Passenger Totals
1997–2014 (millions)
1997 6,025,485 79,880
1998 6,709,086 88,332
1999 7,013,913 98,749
2000 7,596,893 108,972
2001 7,808,562 111,008
2002 8,027,730 112,284
2003 9,079,172 116,040
2004 8,862,388 109,202
2005 9,381,425 112,963
2006 9,147,384 108,658
2007 9,226,340 114,679
2008 9,627,589 112,227
2009 9,102,899 101,221
2010 8,572,398 95,454
2011 8,616,296 93,145
2012 8,922,539 92,632
2013 9,120,201 95,713
2014 9,705,955 97,346
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority[3]

Route statistics

[edit]
Thomson Airways Boeing 757 taking off from Birmingham Airport
A Turkmenistan Airlines Boeing 757 preparing for departure
Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-300 taxiing at Birmingham Airport
Monarch Airlines Airbus A321 taxiing at Birmingham Airport
Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 taxiing at Birmingham Airport
CityJet Avro RJ85 taxiing at Birmingham Airport
Busiest by country (2014)[30]
Rank
Country/Region
Passengers handled
% change 2013/14
1  Spain 1,955,329 Increase00.3
2  United Kingdom 1,315,803 Increase07.8
3 Republic of Ireland Ireland 984,932 Increase025.9
4  Germany 914,586 Increase08.6
5  France 563,555 Increase09.7
6  United Arab Emirates 527,859 Increase05.7
7  Netherlands 507,896 Increase010.4
8 Turkey Turkey 428,955 Increase04.7
9 Greece Greece 313,586 Increase01.5
10  Italy 297,808 Increase07.5
11 Portugal Portugal 271,679 Increase021.3
12 Croatia Croatia 186,771 Increase0231.1
13 Switzerland Switzerland 165,891 Increase01.1
14 Cyprus Cyprus 164,608 Decrease023.7
15 Poland Poland 164,568 Decrease013.7
16 Egypt Egypt 149,998 Decrease00.9
17 Belgium Belgium 119,913 Increase012.1
18  United States 112,836 Decrease00.9
19  Denmark 95,671 Increase019.5
20 Pakistan Pakistan 82,437 Decrease015.3
Busiest domestic and Crown dependency routes (2014)[3]
Rank Airport Passengers handled % change
2013/14
1 Edinburgh 284,021 Decrease00.0
2 Belfast-City 260,330 Decrease02.6
3 Glasgow International 229,415 Increase012.8
4 Belfast-International 179,503 Increase013.1
5 Aberdeen 125,059 Increase029.2
6 Jersey 56,206 Increase045.3
7 Isle of Man 44,341 Increase06.4
8 Derry 42,230 Decrease019.3
9 Inverness 41,224 Increase018.4
10 Guernsey 25,089 Decrease027.1
Busiest international routes to and from Birmingham Airport (2014)[3]
Rank Airport Passengers handled % Change
2013/14
1 Dublin 661,611 Increase017.9
2 Dubai 527,859 Increase05.7
3 Amsterdam 507,396 Increase010.4
4 Paris-Charles de Gaulle 386,403 Increase05.6
5 Frankfurt 302,968 Increase08.1
6 Alicante 301,859 Increase02.6
7 Tenerife South 276,432 Increase00.4
8 Palma de Mallorca 265,025 Increase02.3
9 Malaga 242,881 Decrease03.6
10 Lanzarote 217,921 Increase015.9
11 Faro 203,982 Increase015.0
12 Düsseldorf 198,477 Increase07.4
13 Munich 176,941 Increase01.4
14 Dalaman 166,286 Decrease01.1
15 Barcelona 140,404 Increase015.7
16 Brussels 119,658 Increase011.9
17 Sharm el-Sheikh 118,921 Decrease011.2
18 Istanbul 118,890 Increase07.9
19 Fuerteventura 113,281 Increase00.8
20 Ibiza 106,520 Decrease012.2

Accidents and incidents

[edit]
  • 19 January 1973 (1973-01-19): A Vickers VC8 passenger jet G-AZLR inbound from Leeds Bradford Airport suffered a severe port undercarriage failure upon landing.[31]
  • 4 January 2002 (2002-01-04): A Bombardier-CL604 business jet crashed on take-off from runway 15 at Birmingham.[32] 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 beside 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.
  • 23 February 2006 (2006-02-23): 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.[33]
  • 15 June 2006 (2006-06-15): A TNT Airways cargo 737-300 made an emergency landing at Birmingham with damaged landing gear.[34] 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.[35] However, the company ascribed the incident to human error and both pilots were dismissed.[36] 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.[37] Follow this link for a more detailed report and Official reports from the AAIB.[38]
  • 19 November 2010 (2010-11-19): 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.[39] The airport reopened at around mid-day the following day.
  • {{Timeline-event|date=[[Start date|2017|2|22|df=y}}|event= Eastern Airways Flight 2239 from Southampton to Birmingham operated by and BAe Jetstrem 41 crashed onto the moterway inbankment of the A45, after striking runway apporach ligts to runway 33. The aircraft exploded on impact, killing all 18 passengers and crew on board. The cause of the accident was pilot error in poor weather during approach.

Security incidents

[edit]
  • 6 June 2007 (2007-06-06): The Tonight with Trevor McDonald programme exposed serious security flaws at Birmingham Airport over six months. Fifteen members of staff working for the security contractor "ICTS UK Ltd" were suspended and subsequently dismissed for gross misconduct.[40] 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 Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the US Congress Homeland Security Committee, commented on it in the United States Congress and advised that all flights to and from Birmingham Airport should cease.[41] ICTS dismissed the members of staff shown in the programme for their actions, but still claimed that the footage had been "contrived to exaggerate and sensationalise" the issues.[42]
  • 8 June 2009 (2009-06-08): The West Midlands Police helicopter (G-WMAO) was destroyed by arsonists,[43] and subsequently written off.[44] 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.[45]
  • 17 July 2014 (2014-07-17): A member of the public got onto the airfield through a restricted area of the terminal by crawling through the opening of a baggage carousel and getting onto the airport's tarmac apron, and then got aboard a Lufthansa Embraer-195 plane.[46]

Ground transportation

[edit]

Public transport

[edit]

Train

[edit]

Birmingham Airport is served by Birmingham International station. The station is on the West Coast Main Line between Birmingham and London. London Midland, Virgin Trains, Arriva Trains Wales and CrossCountry. Access between the railway station and the airport terminal is provided by the free AirRail Link.[47]

Preceding station   AirRail Link   Following station
Birmingham International   AirRail Link   Terminus
Birmingham International railway station/Birmingham Interchange

Proposed High Speed Two

[edit]
The proposed 'Birmingham Interchange'

As part of the proposed High Speed Two rail link, a new railway station called Birmingham Interchange would be built to serve both the airport and the National Exhibition Centre. 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.[48]

Bus and coach

[edit]

National Express West Midlands 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. Additionally service 97A to Birmingham via Chelmsley Wood now runs to the airport 24hrs a day.[49] Other smaller operators also call at the airport. Bus stops are situated outside Terminal One.[50] Most buses are operated by National Express West Midlands, who do not give change when selling tickets, so foreign travellers will need to ensure they have British coins when taking a local bus.[51]

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

[edit]

Black cabs are available at the taxi-rank outside the arrivals area of the terminals.

Car

[edit]

Birmingham Airport is accessible from the north and south via Junction Six of the M42 motorway. From Birmingham city centre, the A45 runs directly to the airport. There are no pick-up or drop-off areas available outside the terminal.

Bicycle

[edit]

The only cycle route available heads south over the A45 travelling towards Solihull. Birmingham Airport have however published "recommended routes" for cyclists.[52] Free short term cycle parking is available close to Terminal One. For longer stays, bicycles must be stored in Left Luggage for a charge.[53]


References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Birmingham Airport". Airport Watch. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  2. ^ Birmingham – EGBB
  3. ^ a b c d e f CAA: UK Annual Airport Statistics
  4. ^ "We're Saying 'Hello World' As We Relaunch Our Brand". Birmingham Airport.
  5. ^ http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=b26+3qj&hl=en&ll=52.45397,-1.734638&spn=0.042524,0.111494&sll=52.966838,-2.136841&sspn=1.255536,2.463684&geocode=FX5UIAMdU3Ll_yk7oWPg3rBwSDEak9TBX8Gc9Q&mra=ls&t=m&z=14
  6. ^ "BIRMINGHAM – British Pathe". Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  7. ^ a b "The History of Birmingham International Airport". Birmingham International Airport. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  8. ^ The Aeroplane and Astronautics. Temple Press. 1959. p. 252.
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ a b Vladimir Zakian (2005). Control Systems Design: A New Framework. Springer. p. 328. ISBN 1-85233-913-6.
  11. ^ Noszlopy, George Thomas; Jeremy Beach (1998). Public Sculpture of Birmingham. Liverpool University Press. p. 12. ISBN 0-85323-692-5.
  12. ^ "Birmingham Airport Award". Airports Council International. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
  13. ^ "Birmingham Airport Master Plan". Birmingham Airport.
  14. ^ "Airport closes its oldest runway". BBC. 28 December 2007. Archived from the original on 4 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Emirates opens £1,3 million lounge for passengers at Birmingham". Birmingham Mail.
  16. ^ a b Birmingham Airport Runway Planning Notice
  17. ^ "Birmingham Airport changes name". Birmingham Mail.
  18. ^ "New Agency to Manage Rebrand Announced". birminghamairport.com.
  19. ^ "Birmingham Airport (home page)". Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  20. ^ Communicate magazine Birmingham Airport says 'Hello' to a new identity, Communicate magazine, November 2010
  21. ^ "HS2 'will bring Birmingham Airport closer to London'". BBC News. 23 February 2011.
  22. ^ "runway scheme back on track". Birmingham Mail.
  23. ^ a b "Birmingham Airport runway extension work starts". BBC News Online. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  24. ^ a b "Preferred Contractor Announced for Runway Extension Scheme".
  25. ^ a b c http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100462/birmingham-airport-runway-extension-ready-next-. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ^ {reference gone missing?}
  27. ^ http://bhxflightguide.blogspot.gr/2014/05/news-aegean.html
  28. ^ Number of Passengers including domestic, international and transit.
  29. ^ Number of Movements represents total takeoffs and landings during that year.
  30. ^ http://www.caa.co.uk/
  31. ^ [2]
  32. ^ "AAIB Report on N90AG accident"
  33. ^ "Report on the serious incident to Airbus A310-304, registration F-OJHI, on approach to Birmingham International Airport on 23 February 2006". UK AAIB. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
  34. ^ "AAIB Report on OO=TND incident"
  35. ^ "Aviation safety network summary of TNT accident"
  36. ^ "BBC News article, 27 July 2006 – Cargo plane crash pilots sacked"
  37. ^ "Cargo flight 'a near catastrophe'". BBC News Online. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  38. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20060615-0. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  39. ^ "Birmingham airport plane crash: Liver transplant operation goes ahead successfully – Top Stories – News – Birmingham Mail". Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  40. ^ "Airport at centre of security row". Birmingham Mail. 4 June 2007.
  41. ^ "AIRPORT SECURITY WHO WOULD RATHER READ SLEEP THAN X-RAY BAGS". The Express.
  42. ^ "Airport security lapses exposed". BBC News. 4 June 2007.
  43. ^ "Arson attack on police helicopter". BBC News. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  44. ^ http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=WMAO
  45. ^ "west midlands police ready to take off with new chopper". Birmingham Mail. July 2010.
  46. ^ "Man accused of Birmingham Airport security breach". BBC News.
  47. ^ "Birmingham International Station". Birmingham Airport.
  48. ^ "High Speed Rail Command Paper" (PDF). DfT.
  49. ^ "Network West Midlands". Route 97.
  50. ^ "Coach or Bus". Birmingham Airport.
  51. ^ http://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/tickets-prices/cash-fares
  52. ^ "recommended cycle routes". Birmingham Airport.
  53. ^ "By Bike". Birmingham Airport.


Coventry Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPatriot Aviation Group
OperatorCoventry Airport Ltd.
ServesCoventry
LocationBaginton, Warwickshire, England
Elevation AMSL267 ft / 81 m
Coordinates52°22′21″N 001°28′47″W / 52.37250°N 1.47972°W / 52.37250; -1.47972
Websitewww.coventryairport.co.uk
Map
EGBE is located in Warwickshire
EGBE
EGBE
Location in Warwickshire
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 2,008 6,586 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
m ft
H1 100 328 Grass
Statistics (2009)
Movements51,147
Movement Change 07-09Decrease 6.87%
Passengers167
Passenger Change 07-09Decrease 99.97%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Coventry Airport (IATA: CVT, ICAO: EGBE) is located 3 NM (5.6 km; 3.5 mi)[1] south southeast of Coventry city centre, in the village of Baginton, Warwickshire, England, and about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) outside Coventry boundaries. The airport is owned by Patriot Aviation Group, and has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P902) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee, Coventry Airport Limited.[3]

First opened in 1936 as Baginton Aerodrome, Coventry Airport has been used for general aviation, flight training, and commercial freight and passenger flights, as well as being a World War II fighter airfield. In 1994-5, it became a focus for animal rights campaigners who protested at the export of live animals from the airport as freight. In 1982, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass with a crowd of around 350,000 on his only UK visit. From 2004 to 2008, Thomsonfly operated scheduled jet passenger flights from temporary hub facilities at Coventry. A controversial plan to build permanent passenger terminal facilities was rejected by the High Court in 2007. Following financial problems, the airport was briefly closed in 2009, before re-opening as a commercial airport in 2010.

History

[edit]

Creation and growth

[edit]

In 1933 Coventry City Council decided to develop a civil airport on land that they owned to the south-east of the city in Baginton. Coventry Airport was opened in 1936. Armstrong Whitworth, aircraft manufacturers based nearby at Whitley Aerodrome, built an aircraft factory on the airport site soon afterwards.

During World War II the airport was utilised as a fighter station, RAF Baginton, by the Royal Air Force. It was damaged in the 1940 Coventry Blitz bombing raid by the Luftwaffe.

After the war the airport was returned to civil use as a passenger and freight terminal. In the 1950s Jersey Airlines operated De Havilland Heron and Douglas Dakota aircraft on services to the Channel Islands.[4] In the 1960s British United Airways flew Dakota, Carvair (which also carried passengers' cars) and Handley Page Heralds to the Channel Islands.[5] During the 1980s West Midlands based travel agents Hards Travel started using the Airport with its Viscount and Dart Herald aircraft for holidays to Spain, Italy and Austria, flying to Beauvais in France and Ostend Airport, operating under the Janus Airways banner. The holiday brands they used were Summer-Plan, and HTS Holidays. In the late-1980s, Coventry City Council sold the airport lease to Air Atlantique.

Papal visit

[edit]

Pope John Paul II visited the airport on 30 May 1982 as part of his six-day visit to Britain. He arrived in a gold and blue British Caledonian helicopter, and just after 10.00 a.m. he set off in a popemobile from the helipad to visit a crowd of about 350,000 people. He celebrated Mass and administered the sacrament of confirmation, and there was a carnival when he had lunch. He left in the helicopter at about 3.15 p.m.[6]

Live veal calf export

[edit]

From 5 November 1994 to 4 May 1995 live veal calves were exported from Coventry Airport to Amsterdam for distribution across Europe, and the locality became a focus for animal rights demonstrators. On 21 December 1994 Air Algérie Flight 702P, a Boeing 737, used for exporting calves crashed in Willenhall Wood, Willenhall, Coventry near to houses, on approach to the airport in bad weather, and all five people on board were killed.[7] The aircraft was owned by Air Algerie and on lease to Phoenix Aviation. On 1 February 1995, Jill Phipps, an animal rights activist aged 31 years, was crushed to death under the wheels of a lorry carrying live veal calves into Coventry Airport.[8]

Scheduled jet flights

[edit]
Two Thomsonfly Boeing 737s and a Farnair Switzerland ATR 72F on the ground
A Thomsonfly Boeing 737 landing

In February 2004 the airport lease was sold to TUI AG, who started scheduled international flights from a temporary passenger terminal building in March 2004 under the brand Thomsonfly using two Boeing 737s. The operation drew vociferous opposition from environmental campaigners, some local residents and Warwick District Council, but was supported by Coventry City Council.[9] Warwick District Council unsuccessfully sought an injunction to stop flights, claiming that the temporary facilities were built without planning permission.[10] Flights expanded through the following years, while the airport sought planning permission for a permanent passenger terminal and facilities. Thomsonfly expanded operations with more European flights and up to six aircraft based at the airport, while WizzAir also began regular flights to Poland.

After planning permission for a permanent passenger terminal was initially denied by Warwick District Council in 2004, two public inquiries took place, followed by an unsuccessful appeal by the airport owners to the UK government planning inspectorate, and finally to the High Court in 2008.[11] The planning battle affected the confidence of flight operators. On 1 September 2008, Wizz Air confirmed they would not continue their seasonal service from Coventry to Gdańsk and Katowice. On 15 October 2008, Thomsonfly confirmed that they would cease operations at Coventry Airport, citing their increased focus on charter services after their the merger with First Choice Airways. Scheduled passenger flights from Coventry ended on 9 November 2008.[12] The airport continued with cargo operations, and was a base for executive jet services, general aviation and flight training, and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.[13]

Closure, sale and re-opening

[edit]
Control tower

In May 2009, Coventry Airport was put up for sale.[14] The owners outsourced security, and also air traffic control to Marshall Aerospace. On 1 December 2009, it was reported that a petition was made by HM Revenue & Customs in the High Court to wind up the company,[15] to the concern of local businesses.[16] A hearing was due to take place at London’s Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, 9 December 2009.[17] On 8 December 2009, the CAA closed the airport with immediate effect, filing of a Notice to Airmen withdrawing its operating licence.[18] All commercial flying and flight training was suspended, although the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance continued to use the airport as a base.[19][20] The airport re-opened as an unlicensed airfield the following week, without air traffic control, to private traffic.

A Swiss firm announced its interest in acquiring the airport in early 2010, but did not conclude a bid.[21] Sir Peter Rigby's Patriot Aviation group took over ownership of Coventry Airport on 28 April, and it was fully re-opened in summer 2010.[22][23] As of June 2010, Air Traffic Control services at Coventry have been provided by SERCO.[24]

Cancelled second Papal visit

[edit]

As part of Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Britain in September 2010 it was announced that the centrepiece of the visit, the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, would take place on 19 September at the airport, following the success of the 1982 visit of Pope John Paul II.[25][26] However, it was subsequently announced in June 2010 that the preferred venue had changed to the smaller Cofton Park, in Birmingham.[27]

Triumph in the Skies II

[edit]

Hong Kong TVB filmed flight training scenes for their series Triumph in the Skies II at the airport using facilities and aircraft owned by Aeros Flight Training.

Airlines and destinations

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
British Airways operated by Eastern Airways for BA CityFlyer London-City
Flybe Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Blackpool, Carlisle, Exeter, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey
Flybe operated by Loganair Dundee, Stornoway, Wick
KLM operated by KLM Cityhopper Eindhoven, Groningen, Maastricht/Aachen
Ryanair Glasgow, Derry
Jet2.com Belfast-International, Ibiza Malaga
Links Air Anglesey, Cardiff, Doncaster, Norwich, Brighton, Lydd (via Brighton)

Cargo

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
Nightexpress Frankfurt
RAF-Avia Lille
West Atlantic Dublin, Lille, Maastricht
Jet2.com Belfast-International

Tenants

[edit]

Accidents and incidents

[edit]
  • On 15 April 1969, Douglas DC-3D N4296 of Aviation Enterprises was destroyed by fire at Baginton Airport.[28]
  • On 21 December 1994 an Air Algerie Boeing 737[29] aircraft crashed in Willenhall Wood on approach to Coventry. Five crew were killed.[7]
  • On 17 August 2008, five people were killed when two light aircraft collided on their final approach into Coventry Airport.[30] The aircraft involved were a Cessna 402C and a Rand KR-2.[31][32] The Air Accident Investigation Board's report of crash concluded that: The two aircraft collided because their respective pilots either did not see the other aircraft, or did not see it in time to take effective avoiding action.[33] In 2012, an inquest jury criticised poor monitoring and communication by staff at Coventry Airport. The jury also said the tower controller at the airport provided the Cessna 402 with "inaccurate information" about the other aircraft.[34]
  1. ^ a b Coventry - EGBE
  2. ^ UK Airport Statistics: 2007 - annual
  3. ^ "Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences" (PDF). Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  4. ^ "Baginton (Coventry) airport History-page 2".
  5. ^ "Baginton-Coventry airport".
  6. ^ Douglas, Alton (February 1991). Coventry: A Century of News. Coventry Evening Telegraph. pp. 114–115. ISBN 0-902464-36-1.
  7. ^ a b "Aeroplane crash dead remembered". BBC. 21 December 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  8. ^ "Live exports that sparked protests". BBC. 8 March 2006. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
  9. ^ "Fight or flight at Coventry Airport". Coventry Telegraph. 7 April 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  10. ^ "Council drops airport court case". BBC. 18 June 2004. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  11. ^ "Coventry Airport expansion appeal is rejected". Coventry Telegraph. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  12. ^ "Passenger flights end at Coventry". BBC News Online. 9 November 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  13. ^ "Latest news". Coventry Airport. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  14. ^ "Coventry Airport For Sale". Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  15. ^ "Airport facing wind-up petition". BBC News Online. BBC. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  16. ^ "Coventry Airport: Solution must be found, say business leaders". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  17. ^ "Coventry Airport closed by owners". BBC News Online. BBC. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  18. ^ "Coventry Airport To Close Immediately". Sky News. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  19. ^ "Coventry Airport closed". Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  20. ^ Woodman, Peter (8 December 2009). "Coventry Airport shuts down". The Independent. London. Press Association. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  21. ^ Switzerland Firm ADP Pulls Out of Coventry Airport Deal. BBC News Online. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  22. ^ "Firm in talks on takeover of Coventry Airport". BBC News Online. BBC. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
  23. ^ "Firm completes Coventry Airport takeover". BBC News Online. BBC. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  24. ^ "Coventry Airport gears up for business". 15 June 2010.
  25. ^ Walker, Tim (15 December 2009). "Pope Benedict will be sent to Coventry for climax of his visit". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  26. ^ "Mass to be held at Coventry Airport by Pope Benedict". BBC News Online. BBC. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  27. ^ "Pope's Coventry visit moved to Birmingham". BBC News. 24 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  28. ^ "N4296 Accident Description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
  29. ^ "Phoenix plane crashes near houses in Coventry". Jill Phipps. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  30. ^ "Five killed as two planes collide". BBC. 17 August 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  31. ^ "PRESS STATEMENT" (pdf). Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
  32. ^ Victims of air crash named, Birmingham Post 20 August 2008, Accessed 17 June 2012
  33. ^ Air Accident Investigation Report of the cause of the crash, published 7 December 2010, accessed 17 June 2012
  34. ^ Coventry fatal air crash caused by 'poor communication BBC News report 15 October 2012, accessed 16 October 2012
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