BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT ACHIEVES HEALTH ACCREDITATION FOR INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE
BHX ACHIEVES HEALTH ACCREDITATION FOR INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE
As Birmingham Airport prepares to welcome back customers, it has achieved the Airport Health Accreditation for its commitment to health and hygiene best practise from the Airports Council International (ACI).
The accreditation recognises the effort to protect all users of the airport from health risks, such as Covid-19. Such recognition will help to reassure customers and colleagues that the airport’s facilities remain safe and that precautions are being taken to reduce any risk to health.
The ACI reviewed measures taken by the airport as part of its Covid-19 ‘For A Safer Journey’ programme, which addressed a number of safety issues, including cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing, employee protection, physical layout, passenger communications and terminal facilities.
The Council said that after reviewing the evidence presented through its evaluation process, Birmingham Airport’s measures aligned with industry best practise and it has shown that it is providing a safe airport experience for all travellers.
The ACI Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) programme provides airports with an assessment of how to align their health measures with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines, as well as ICAO Council Aviation Restart Task Force.
Nick Barton, Birmingham Airport’s Chief Executive, said:
“Airports globally have had to respond to the many pressures that Covid-19 has presented over the last year, and we have prioritised health and safety within our operation for all users of the airport.
“Through monitoring and continuous improvement, our commitment to safety is at the heart of our restart plans. By constantly reviewing every aspect of the operation, including processes and procedures, infrastructure, employee wellbeing and safety culture, we can ensure that we continue to operate as a Covid-secure environment and are well prepared for the recovery, when it comes.
“We hope that this accreditation goes some way to reassure customers that they will have a safe and stress free journey the next time they fly through Birmingham, and we look forward to welcoming customers, partners and colleagues back in the coming weeks.”
In addition to the various safety measures, free and rapid Lateral Flow tests are offered to all on-site employees, and Covid-19 testing is also available for travellers, offering both PCR and Lateral Flow tests within the South Terminal. More information can be found at Covid-19 Testing - Birmingham Airport Website.
Customers wanting to find out more about Birmingham Airport’s Covid-19 measures can visit COVID-19 Updates and Advice - Birmingham Airport Website.
Airports Council International (ACI) is a global trade representative of the world’s airports. It represents airports interests with Governments and international organisations, and develops standards, policies, information and training opportunities to raise standards around the world.
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For more information, please contact Birmingham Airport’s Press Office at press@birminghamairport.co.uk or call 0121 767 7374. (Please note that due to home working, journalists may be given a mobile number for the on-call press officer).
Editor’s Notes:
The ACI Accreditation is based on guidance from the ICAO CART Take-Off document and ACI Recovery and Restart Best Practices which supplement the CART approach. They are consistent with CAPSCA recommendations for States, taking an airport centric approach to common requirements.
All passenger areas and processes are considered including terminal access, check-in areas, security screening, boarding gates, lounges, retail, food and beverages, gate equipment such as boarding bridges, escalators and elevators, border control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), baggage claim area and arrivals exit.
Birmingham Airport is the UK’s third largest airport outside London, and the UK’s seventh largest overall.
Pre-pandemic, it handled c13m passengers a year and c35m people live within its two-hour catchment – half the population of the UK.
It is one of the West Midlands’ largest employers, creating jobs for 30,900 people across the West Midlands and adding £1.5bn in GVA to the regional economy.
Sitting in the centre of the country’s road and rail network means that it is one of the UK’s most accessible airports.
Birmingham Airport has also made a commitment to become a net zero carbon airport by the year 2033, prioritising zero carbon airport operations and minimising carbon offsets.