Airport Guide
Birmingham Airport
The airport serving England's second city currently ranks sixth in the league of the UK's busiest air travel terminals. However, despite this relatively lowly ranking, it is now handling around ten million passengers a year after growth of almost 20 per cent since the start of the millennium. Well-connected to the rest of the country and offering flights to all corners of the globe, Birmingham Airport is increasingly being seen as the taking-off point of choice for those travellers who wish to start their holidays without the stress of dealing with the capital.
Founded in 1939, Birmingham Airport was almost immediately requisitioned from the local council by the Air Ministry to serve as an RAF base. Following a quiet few years in the nation's service, the airport could only look on in envy as its London peers welcomed international travellers while it hosted air shows and public fairs.
It was only really after West Midlands County Council took over in 1974 that Birmingham Airport began to take off and a two new terminals opened in 1984 and then 1991 allowing it to deal with first three and then six million passengers a year.
In recent years, the Airport has been a destination on Concorde's farewell global tour and the subject of an investigation into security failures, before being voted the best airport in Europe in the five to ten million passenger category.
As befits the airport serving the city at the very heart of England, Birmingham is easily reached both by car as well as by public transportation.
The airport is just minutes from the M42 motorway and the A45, allowing for good links with Birmingham city centre – just seven miles away – as well as with the north of England and London. Unlike some other airports in the region, parking is plentiful, making it popular with travellers from outside the Midlands region.
In addition, Birmingham is arguably the easiest of the UK's main airports to get to by train, thanks to the Maglev Airport Rapid Transit system, which connects it to the Birmingham International Railway station and thus the West Coast Mainline in a matter of minutes.
Dozens of airlines operate daily flights out of Birmingham, linking the Midlands to the rest of the UK, Europe, North America and the Middle East. However, until plans for an extended runway are put into effect – at present the target is for the work to be done by the time of the 2012 Olympic – the airport will continue to be unable to handle planes capable of making it to the American West Coast or the Far East of Asia.
Air India, Continental Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa are among the big-name carriers enjoying a strong presence at Birmingham, though British Airways is conspicuous in its absence.
As with virtually every other UK airport, Birmingham has been buoyed by the arrival of low-cost airlines, with easyJet, Ryanair and bmibaby all offering cheap flights to every corner of Europe.
History of Birmingham Airport
Founded in 1939, Birmingham Airport was almost immediately requisitioned from the local council by the Air Ministry to serve as an RAF base. Following a quiet few years in the nation's service, the airport could only look on in envy as its London peers welcomed international travellers while it hosted air shows and public fairs.
It was only really after West Midlands County Council took over in 1974 that Birmingham Airport began to take off and a two new terminals opened in 1984 and then 1991 allowing it to deal with first three and then six million passengers a year.
In recent years, the Airport has been a destination on Concorde's farewell global tour and the subject of an investigation into security failures, before being voted the best airport in Europe in the five to ten million passenger category.
Travelling to Birmingham Airport
As befits the airport serving the city at the very heart of England, Birmingham is easily reached both by car as well as by public transportation.
The airport is just minutes from the M42 motorway and the A45, allowing for good links with Birmingham city centre – just seven miles away – as well as with the north of England and London. Unlike some other airports in the region, parking is plentiful, making it popular with travellers from outside the Midlands region.
In addition, Birmingham is arguably the easiest of the UK's main airports to get to by train, thanks to the Maglev Airport Rapid Transit system, which connects it to the Birmingham International Railway station and thus the West Coast Mainline in a matter of minutes.
Airline Flying from Birmingham Airport
Dozens of airlines operate daily flights out of Birmingham, linking the Midlands to the rest of the UK, Europe, North America and the Middle East. However, until plans for an extended runway are put into effect – at present the target is for the work to be done by the time of the 2012 Olympic – the airport will continue to be unable to handle planes capable of making it to the American West Coast or the Far East of Asia.
Air India, Continental Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa are among the big-name carriers enjoying a strong presence at Birmingham, though British Airways is conspicuous in its absence.
As with virtually every other UK airport, Birmingham has been buoyed by the arrival of low-cost airlines, with easyJet, Ryanair and bmibaby all offering cheap flights to every corner of Europe.