Birmingham Airport to open FREE drop and go parking
Birmingham Airport[1] is set to bring back free drop-off parking in time for the half-term holidays[2] .
The current rate for people waiting to collect friends, relatives and colleagues is £1 for ten minutes or £2 for 15 minutes in Car Parks 1, 2 and 3.
If you need to stay for an hour, the cost jumps to £4.90 and for up to two hours it's £9.80.
Further charges are £14.70 for up to three hours, £19.60 for up to four hours and £36 for up to 24 hours, with a daily charge after that of £36 per day.
But the former drop-off car park on ground level close to the main entrance is being revived with a covered walkway to the terminal entrance and a 30-minute limit.
No opening date has been set, but some sources suggest that May 25 is one target.
While work has been progressing on the scheme since the end of February, visitors to Car Park 5 have been able to stay free for just 15 minutes.
Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham AirportIn January 2017, Birmingham Airport[3] was named "the world's most punctual airport in 2016" by air travel intelligence company OAG, with 91.28% of arriving and departing flights operating on time.
But the return to 30 minutes of free drop off parking will still be welcomed by most users.
The plan is part of a £100 million programme announced last September to offer a range of infrastructure improvements including hold-baggage screening, self-service check-in, surface access, additional car parking and air traffic control.
Birmingham Airport - where to park, hotels nearby, where to eat and shopping[4]
Passengers at Birmingham AirportThe current short-term parking rates have seen an increase in the number of drivers using nearby slip roads off the A45 as a place to hang around waiting.
This road and its blind bend has recently had 'no stopping' double red lines painted on it towards the St Peter's Church turn off in Bickenhill.
In the face of social media complaints about delays, CEO Paul Kehoe[5] felt the need to personally initiate the release of a video to explain more about the car parking situation via platforms like Twitter and YouTube.
Birmingham Airport CEO Paul KehoeIn the video Mr Kehoe talks of "unprecedented passenger numbers" creating "growing pains".
He adds: "Please bear with us while we go through this difficult rearrangement of our facilities.
"If you are about to travel, you will find that we are investing heavily.
Check-in hall at Birmingham Airport"We are rebuilding the drop and go car park and just up the road there will be another one to give free, drop and go parking for the first time in a long while."
After watching the YouTube video, one viewer commented: "The drop and go car parks should be free. How about plan ahead – an airport should always anticipate crowds and growth in travel."
Baggage handlers working at Birmingham AirportAnother said: "The airport needs to take responsibility for every aspect of the passenger experience.
"I travel through about 50 airports a year on every continent. I've seen airports done well and done badly.
"BHX is definitely not in the good category. The sad thing is that it probably could be."
When he announced the whole programme last autumn, Mr Kehoe said: "We're making this investment to enhance operational efficiency and improve the passenger journey in time for the summer 2017 season, when we'll welcome 15 new routes with Jet2 and anticipate more than 12 million passengers over the next year.
"Looking more long-term, Birmingham Airport is in a unique position as in ten years' time it will become the UK's only HS2 connected airport, growing the catchment into London with high-speed trains and serving Birmingham from the capital in about 30 minutes."
What are the car parking charges at Birmingham Airport?
Staff celebrate Birmingham Airport's busiest year ever, welcoming 10 million passengers in just 12 months.Car Park 1, 2 and 3
10 minutes £1.00
15 minutes £2.00
1 hour £4.90
2 hours £9.80
3 hours £14.70
4 hours £19.60
Up to 24 hours £36.00
Over 1 day (per day)* £36.00
Car Park 4
1 hour £4.90
2 hours £9.80
3 hours £14.70
4 hours £19.60
Up to 24 hours £35.00
Up to 2 days £65.00
Per day thereafter* £25.00
A plane takes off from Birmingham Airport (Photo: Jason Skarratt)Car Park 5
Duration Tariff
1 hour £4.90
2 hours £9.80
3 hours £14.70
4 hours £19.60
Up to 24 hours £35.00
Up to 2 days £52.50
Up to 3 days £70.00
Per day thereafter* £8.50
Car Park 7
1 day £7.50
2 days £15.00
3 days £22.50
4 days £30.00
5 days £37.50
Per day thereafter* £7.50
Elmdon Hotel Short Stay
Elmdon Airport in Birmingham opens, 8/7/193915 minutes Free
1 hour £2.00
2 hours £3.00
3 hours £4.00
4 - 24 hours £7.50
References
- ^ Birmingham Airport (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ half-term holidays (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham Airport (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham Airport - where to park, hotels nearby, where to eat and shopping (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ CEO Paul Kehoe (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
