Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
Birmingham airport
SunnyShiner · 09/05/2022 08:52
Anyone been through here recently? We're flying from here at lunchtime next week and I'm wondering what the queue situation has been like recently.
MsMiaWallace · 09/05/2022 19:53
Watching this thread as we're flying next month at 8:20am
CeeJay81 · 09/05/2022 20:06
Also following, flying on 24th with tui. Booked fast passes, will this make a difference?
ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 20:07
We are travelling in 3 weeks at lunchtime...but with my mum who we gave booked assistance for
I'm concerned!
Might give it 3 hours rather than 2
TruffleShuffles · 09/05/2022 21:12
We flew out last Tuesday, thank God it was with jet2 and not tui. Jet2 had quite a big queue but they were managing it really well with a couple of members of staff going up and down it and pulling people to the front in order of flights out. We turned up about 2.5 hours before our flight and we were took straight to the front of the queue and dropped our bags off straight away.
Security area was busy, we had to queue for about 15 minutes before we even got to the split for normal security and fast track, luckily we booked fast track and got through security in minutes. I’d definitely get a fast track pass if they are still available as it probably took at least 45 minutes off queuing time. I’d say from walking into the airport to getting to duty free was about 25 minutes.
Tui looked like a shit show to be quite honest, the queue was out the doors, it must have taken at least an hour just to check in and drop off bags, I didn’t see any staff directing the queue. The Ryanair bag drop off in comparison was dead so I think it really depends who you are flying with and if you have fast track.
TruffleShuffles · 09/05/2022 21:22
bobisbored · 09/05/2022 21:17
How do you book fast track please?
www.birminghamairport.co.uk/at-the-airport/terminal-facilities/express-lane-security/
Hopefully that works.
TruffleShuffles · 09/05/2022 21:24
TruffleShuffles · 09/05/2022 21:22
www.birminghamairport.co.uk/at-the-airport/terminal-facilities/express-lane-security/
Hopefully that works.
bobisbored · 09/05/2022 21:17
How do you book fast track please?
Sorry! Just realised it says they are no longer taking bookings for fast track, we only booked a couple of days before our flight last week so it must only have been within the last few days.
bobisbored · 09/05/2022 21:24
Oh bugger! Thanks anyway. We don't fly till end of July so hopefully things will be better by then.
SunnyShiner · 09/05/2022 21:30
I've booked fast track but wasn't sure if that would help or not. I'm not sure where to go for it? Is it obvious? I don't want a row with people who think I'm queue jumping 
SunnyShiner · 09/05/2022 21:30
TruffleShuffles · 09/05/2022 21:13
Just to add this was at 4am.
We're TUI 
ivykaty44 · 09/05/2022 21:46
ChiswickFlo when I booked assistance for my dad, we didn't go through the normal queue but a different one - which would hopefully make life much easier for you all
also the 15000 passengers leaving Birmingham today - 7500 flew at dawn, so maybe later lunch time flights will be less congested
ive just booked for late June
in the BBC article it states a new law coming into effect later in May to prevent this queue chaos ?
ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 21:49
ivykaty44 · 09/05/2022 21:46
ChiswickFlo when I booked assistance for my dad, we didn't go through the normal queue but a different one - which would hopefully make life much easier for you all
also the 15000 passengers leaving Birmingham today - 7500 flew at dawn, so maybe later lunch time flights will be less congested
ive just booked for late June
in the BBC article it states a new law coming into effect later in May to prevent this queue chaos ?
Oh I see...does that include all of us? (Party of 5)
ElCoh · 09/05/2022 21:54
Flew with Ryanair on 7th. Long but fast moving queues. 2 hours was more than enough.
ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 21:55
Forst time travelling with mum since her health declined so feeling a bit anxious
TruffleShuffles · 09/05/2022 22:00
SunnyShiner · 09/05/2022 21:30
I've booked fast track but wasn't sure if that would help or not. I'm not sure where to go for it? Is it obvious? I don't want a row with people who think I'm queue jumping
Just go to security like normal and the queue splits in two, you can’t miss it.
CeeJay81 · 09/05/2022 22:00
I'm glad we are staying at airport hotel. We can do bag drop the evening before. Although we are with tui, will only have to go through security with fast passes at dawn. Will do online check in, which I think will open tomorrow(2 weeks before). So should be OK fingers crossed.
SunnyShiner · 09/05/2022 22:15
Thanks @TruffleShuffles I've been worried about that (first holiday since the pandemic and stressing over everything)
ivykaty44 · 10/05/2022 05:09
CeeJay81 What time can you do bag drop the evening before?
CeeJay81 · 10/05/2022 05:56
Theredjellybean · 10/05/2022 06:06
Been flying out of Birmingham last few months at least once a week for work.
Early morning 7am flights.
I only ever fly with cabin luggage.. It took 25 mins to get from parking car to wandering around duty free.
Walking past the check in desks there were normal holiday queues at tui desk at 5:30am...nothing anywhere else.
mycatallowsmetolivehere · 10/05/2022 06:09
I flew from there in November - was busy but not as bad as Fuerteventura where the queues were out of the door , snaked around like ants , it was so bad the staff were taking pictures.
Flying again Saturday , planning to be there 3 hrs prior instead of 2 .
SunnyShiner · 10/05/2022 06:46
Theredjellybean · 10/05/2022 06:06
Been flying out of Birmingham last few months at least once a week for work.
Early morning 7am flights.
I only ever fly with cabin luggage.. It took 25 mins to get from parking car to wandering around duty free.
Walking past the check in desks there were normal holiday queues at tui desk at 5:30am...nothing anywhere else.
Thank you that's reassuring
CeeJay81 · 10/05/2022 06:50
@Theredjellybean that's good to know. Flown on a Tuesday? Our flight is 8.05 on Tuesday 24th. Will only have to manage security in the morning, as checking bags in night before.
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