Passengers miss flights due to lengthy queues at Birmingham airport

Some travellers say they arrived several hours before their flights but were not cleared by security in time

Queues at Birmingham Airport on Friday morning. Photo: Jodie Rhianon / X

Passengers using one of the UK’s busiest airports have complained that they missed their flights due to building works, which have resulted in lengthy queues outside the hub.

Disgruntled travellers took to social media to complain about the long waits, with reports saying two people were treated for hypothermia on Friday.

Some passengers said they had turned up several hours before their flights but still missed them.

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines all use the hub. Other airlines, including Jet2, also fly to Middle Eastern destinations from the airport.

“Birmingham airport today. My daughter missed her flight,” wrote one passenger on X this week, in a post that was accompanied by a picture of a long queue.

“3.5 hours just waiting outside to enter the airport? This is inhuman! A lot of passengers from tk1970 missed their flights as well. And nobody was there to help. Shame you all!”

A spokeswoman for Turkish Airlines told The National it apologised for the inconvenience to passengers.

“The flights will be delayed further until tomorrow. Please bear with us as we try to resolve the matter as soon as possible,” she said.

One passenger wrote: “Arrived at 12.30 for a 15.55 flight to Milan with EasyJet. We JUST made the flight after jumping the queue for security at the end. Never seen anything like it. Horrendous. And I’ve travelled all over the world. Never again.”

Another traveller said they had already queued for more than an hour, including 40 minutes outside.

“Signs say all will be fixed summer 2024. But when in summer?” he wrote.

The National has contacted the airport for a comment.

Authorities shared a post on social media in recent days, advising passengers that the new security area construction works were continuing.

“This means the queuing area for security is mainly downstairs,” the post said.

The airport recently introduced new technology, which allows people to travel with liquids of up to two litres, but on Wednesday it warned travellers “some restrictions temporarily remain in place”.

It said on its website: “Until further notice, passengers are advised that they can only carry liquids up to 100ml, albeit it can stay in hand luggage and no longer needs to be in a plastic bag, when departing from Birmingham Airport.

“The airport has invested £60 million in its new larger security area. This area is purpose built with simpler, streamlined equipment and will futureproof Birmingham Airport from its current 12 million passengers per year in 2024, to accommodate 18 million passengers per annum by 2033.”