Forums › Other › Destination advice › BHX Birmingham airport hell; move over, Manchester!
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I forgot about this thread, so asked this question in chat yesterday (but got no replies).
Flying from Birmingham in 3 weeks time. Qatar airlines to Doha. Flight is at 8.10am. We’re in business class.
Would 3 hours beforehand be enough do people think, or do we need to go for 4 (I hope now)?
I’ve flown twice from BHX in the last month and no issues either time:
1) August bank holiday Saturday, 8AM flight with paid fast pass, through in 5 mins at around 6AM. With the new scanners I don’t believe the fast pass lane really saved more than 5 mins.
2) Another Saturday at 8:30AM in early Sept. No fast pass and again through in 5-10 mins at around 6:30AM.
I’d figured the scare stories were now over as it was plain sailing for me both times. Given your similar flight time (and business fast pass) I wouldn’t stress.
Also re the train link, both times I parked at B’ham international and it was just a case of ignoring the security queue and walking to the far left lift which was dedicated for the rail link. I may have been lucky on time of day, but both mornings I was from the plane and back in my car in 15 minutes.
3hrs is fine. Even when it is chaos, they will pick people out of the line based on your flight/departure time and prioritise you – so missing the risk of missing a flight it minimal… it’s just the hell of standing and stressing rather than being through and relaxing.
Thanks both. An extra hour in bed will definitely be welcome!
I’m really hoping it isn’t too chaotic. I’ve got special assistance booked, as I can’t stand for long, so I’m a bit worried if their is a massive queue outside as to whether I can even special assistance.
I flew into BHX yesterday on QR35 which will form the flight you head back out on.
Walking through landslide, there’s a very large “assistance area” about opposite the Spar and before the tensa barriers started. There was no queue in these barriers at all, around 640am (we landed a bit early).
I then had to take the lift up to get the tram to the NEC. The lift was running ok but had staff physically stopping people from getting into a lift car once it was full enough, making sure they took the next one.
So I can’t see why they are still queuing outside but if you’ve got assistance booked I guess you just find a seat downstairs then you’re at their mercy as to what time they take you to security and the gate.
Inside the airport does look like an absolute shambles now, mind. And it feels like these temporary enhancements will be here for a long time.
It also made me wonder what happened if you need to get to the nec but there are queues for the lift. What are you supposed to do? Line up for half an hour with the departing passengers?
It also made me wonder what happened if you need to get to the nec but there are queues for the lift. What are you supposed to do? Line up for half an hour with the departing passengers?
There is a separate queue to the left for the left hand lift, but don’t be thinking it’s always a quick option.
This is one of the critical design failures – mixing arriving with departing passengers through the same area.
There is a separate queue to the left for the left hand lift, but don’t be thinking it’s always a quick option.
I assume the issue here is the inevitable argument with the jobsworth if you’re travelling HBO who will think you’re trying to cut the line for security rather than get to the NEC/station?
Think i’ll continue to give the place a wide berth where possible…
Flying out of there next month and it’s an early morning flight, which means I might be stuck in security, given there are still so many issues at this airport.
I’m guessing fast track security pass is advisable in my case.
Flying out of there next month and it’s an early morning flight, which means I might be stuck in security, given there are still so many issues at this airport.
I’m guessing fast track security pass is advisable in my case.
Very!! Especially if it’s in the second half of the month, which will be half term.
The problem I have with fast track at Birmingham is that once flights are something like an hour from takeoff, the security staff in the past have started pulling those pax out of the regular line and putting them into the fast track. So. my last two experiences were 30 mins and almost 20 mins to get through.
I also see that the earliest fast track slot they now sell is 8am, which means you can’t get into the queue before 7am (you have 1hr tolerance and whilst it didn’t seem overly enforced, if you turn up at 630am they will know your ticket isn’t valid).
Are you sure? I’ve had a cursory look at express lane passes and they start from 3am?
Am I being dense and looking at the wrong thing?
Express deffo starts from atleast 5am as saw it as an option when I paid £6 for 5:30 a couple Thursdays ago took about 15 mins to get from bag drop to airside but tbh I probably shouldn’t have bothered saved me 20 mins max and still had to burn more than 90 mins airside.
Everything was working as smooth as most other airports with a very short wait to get up a lift and once upstairs lots of tensa barrier queues moving quickly in the normal lane while I skipped it all from the left hand speed gates.
Still lots of building work going on so things are far from optimal but in general it’s no worse than Heathrow the last 3 times I’ve used it.
My bad – I’ve just looked again and it is indeed available from 3am. So not sure what I was looking at, but I did check a few dates.
It also made me wonder what happened if you need to get to the nec but there are queues for the lift. What are you supposed to do? Line up for half an hour with the departing passengers?
Unless you’ve got heavy luggage then you can walk it quite easily – it’s around a third of a mile from the airport terminal to the railway station.
I forgot about this thread, so asked this question in chat yesterday (but got no replies).
Flying from Birmingham in 3 weeks time. Qatar airlines to Doha. Flight is at 8.10am. We’re in business class.
Would 3 hours beforehand be enough do people think, or do we need to go for 4 (I hope now)?
How was your BHX experience? I have a similarly-timed flight to yours in a couple of weeks’ time!
Can I also double check that a Business Class Avios ticket on Qatar at BHX has Fast Track included, without a need to purchase an extra ticket?
Travelling in half term ::cries::
I forgot about this thread, so asked this question in chat yesterday (but got no replies).
Flying from Birmingham in 3 weeks time. Qatar airlines to Doha. Flight is at 8.10am. We’re in business class.
Would 3 hours beforehand be enough do people think, or do we need to go for 4 (I hope now)?
How was your BHX experience? I have a similarly-timed flight to yours in a couple of weeks’ time!
Not quite the same time, but we went to International rail station this morning and got the monorail at 8.05, had fast track, so no need to go downstairs. Lots of scanners working and we were out of security by 8.15. Very smooth experience. Reject rate on scanning seemed mixed, the queue I was in there were no bags in secondary, Mrs on the adjacent scanner there were a handful of bags being rechecked.
Istanbul here we come.
Honestly 3 hours is more than enough especially if you have fast track. Unless there’s some last min melt down, as at any airport, it’s pretty smooth getting through BHX
Obviously it’ll be far better once all the construction is finished.
Can I also double check that a Business Class Avios ticket on Qatar at BHX has Fast Track included, without a need to purchase an extra ticket?
Correct, along with access to the Clubrooms lounge.
Thank you all!
We are staying the previous night in the HGI directly opposite the terminal, so we might even be able to keep tabs on the queue from the window 🙂
Can I also double check that a Business Class Avios ticket on Qatar at BHX has Fast Track included, without a need to purchase an extra ticket?
Correct, along with access to the Clubrooms lounge.
You *should* but you’ll see on Flyertalk someone recently had issues accessing on an Avios ticket. Worth ready the Qatar forum
Can I also double check that a Business Class Avios ticket on Qatar at BHX has Fast Track included, without a need to purchase an extra ticket?
Correct, along with access to the Clubrooms lounge.
You *should* but you’ll see on Flyertalk someone recently had issues accessing on an Avios ticket. Worth ready the Qatar forum
And the poster of that thread on Flyertalk was none other than Ladyshopper, who posted above!
If anyone wants to read it, it’s titled “Refused Lounge Access at Birmingham Airport (BHX) on Avios Redemption Business Class” on the Flyertalk Qatar Airways forum. Not sure if I can post a link.
If I get refused, I’ll push back politely, but then dish out the OneWorld Sapphire 😀
No queues at all at BHX this morning, 4.50am. Sailed through without stopping.
Got told (incorrectly) at check-in that my QR redemption ticket didn’t include lounge access, but no issues entering.
Thanks for the update Jeff. I’ll be flying in a few weeks at the same time, so it’s good to know.
Was it in fact Clubrooms lounge access with your ticket?
Thanks for the update Jeff. I’ll be flying in a few weeks at the same time, so it’s good to know.
Was it in fact Clubrooms lounge access with your ticket?
Yes – it was Qatar Airways, so Clubrooms. It was the system used at check-in that was incorrectly stating we didn’t have lounge access, rather than the person, who was skeptical about what the system was telling her.
But the boarding pass made the right beep when scanned at the lounge.
Have a good trip!
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