Airport News

Airport News

Birmingham Airport opened its new purpose-built transit facility yesterday (September 22) allowing travelers with a connecting flight to remain airside without passing through immigration or security again.

The new £1m (US$1.6m) facility is intended to help the airport cater for long haul services following the 400m (1,312ft) extension of the runway. The extension has meant that direct range flights to destinations such the Far East, the West Coast of the US, South America and South Africa are possible for the first time.

Paul Kehoe, CEO for Birmingham Airport, said, “The completion of our new passenger transit facility is another string to our bow in terms of what we can offer passengers and airlines focused on long haul travel. This valuable piece of infrastructure enables us transfer passengers traveling between destinations, allowing them extra time to relax and enjoy the excellent facilities we have available in the departure lounge.

“The timing of this new facility could not be better. The airport recently recorded the busiest month in its 75-year history, as over one million passengers passed through the terminal during August. Over the past five months, we’ve achieved consecutive growth and seen records smashed, including our long haul traffic. This demonstrates the strong demand that exists for passengers who want to fly further afield on long haul services or those who are looking for other options to connect within the UK. The arrival of this new facility means we are ideally placed to deliver this demand.”