Birmingham International Airport is the fourth largest in the United Kingdom behind London Gatwick, Manchester, and London Heathrow. It has 26 airlines operating from it, and these fly to 81 destinations around the world. According to recent news, there are now plans in place to upgrade the airport and raise its status further. The £10 million investment into aircraft stands is part of the airport’s strategy to reach 18 million customers per year within a decade.
Latest in a Slew of Upgrades to the Airport
Birmingham Airport’s latest upgrades will focus on the South Terminal’s stands. These will be reconfigured to accommodate Airbus A321 and Boeing 737 aircraft, which are two of the most commonly used aeroplanes. It’s a strategic move to simplify operations and reduce the likelihood of delays.
This new project will involve various refurbishments. For instance, there will be improvements to aircraft parking areas and updates to power and lighting systems. The £10 million investment this year is just the start as well, with a larger £300 million capital investment planned over the next decade.
It’s also the latest in a slew of upgrades that have been introduced to the airport over the last few years. The airport witnessed record numbers of travellers in 2023, up to all-time highs of 1.106 million people in October. More people may be inspired to travel to and from Birmingham thanks to the airport’s pledge to become a greener and more sustainable airport.
The aviation director Tom Screen also noted how the construction of a new state-of-the-art security hall would be another reason for tourists to choose Birmingham over other UK airline hubs. He expects numbers in 2024 to either match those 2023 levels or exceed them.
New Airlines Attracted to Birmingham’s Transport Hub
There’s no doubt that many of the new upgrades at Birmingham Airport will attract additional airlines to the transport hub. Currently, it’s way behind the top three airports in the UK, which have 86, 50, and 47 airlines respectively.
This has already begun, with the recent news that Pegasus will now be offering a route between Birmingham and Istanbul three times per week. When people fly from Birmingham to Istanbul with the carrier, it takes around four and a half hours and flying into the Turkish airport from BHX offers connections to more than 130 destinations within the Pegasus network. This includes Turkish holiday hotspots and elsewhere in the Middle East.
This is an example of the additional connectivity that Birmingham will enjoy as it adds new airlines. In turn, it will attract more customers to the airport who can use it to access locations all over the world. Who knows, some of these people might even bring back recipes for us all to enjoy.
These fresh upgrades at Birmingham airport are hugely exciting, and they are good news for people in the region who regularly use it for holidays. For those people residing in Rugby, its already a superior option to Coventry airport. Soon, BHX will attract more tourists from other locations in the country who want to take advantage of its improved facilities and connectivity.
