BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT SEES STRONG POST-COVID BOUNCE-BACK
Birmingham Airport is preparing for 89% of pre-pandemic customer volumes over the upcoming Platinum Jubilee weekend as Britain’s aviation bounce back continues.
Over the four-day weekend (Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June), more than 147,000 people are booked to fly in and out of Birmingham Airport. That’s:
- 144 times more than over the 2020 late May bank holiday (Friday May 22nd to Mon 25th May) when Britain was in Covid-19 lockdown
- over 10 times more than the 2021 late May bank holiday (Friday May 28th to Monday 31st) when Covid-19 restrictions were still in force
- 89% of the numbers who passed through the airport over the 2019 late May bank holiday (Friday May 24th to Monday 27th) - before Covid-19 took hold
Two years ago, Britain was in the grip of Covid-19 lockdown and stringent travel restrictions had all but switched off aviation. Over the Friday leading up to it and three days of the late May bank holiday itself, just over 1,000 people arrived and departed from the airport. During the four equivalent days in 2021, 14,300 passed through the Midlands travel hub.
On March 18th this year, all Covid-19 travel restrictions were suddenly scrapped prompting a strong bounce back in demand, including from people who’d been forced to postpone trips due to Covid-19.
“We are so pleased to see customers back at BHX again,” said Birmingham Airport’s chief executive Nick Barton.
“In the darkest days of lockdown, there were eerie moments when birdsong was the loudest sound on our airfield. Much as I love the sound of birds singing, I’m relieved to hear the buzz of airport activity once again as customers take to the skies in large numbers.”
Nick added: “I’d like to thank customers who present compliant baggage at our pre-flight security screening - with liquids, gels, pastes and larger electrical items removed. This helps us help you keep moving. It also helps our security officers in their vital task of keeping everyone safe.”
As a result of travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, 43% of Birmingham Airport’s employees were made redundant. In anticipation of restrictions being lifted, Birmingham Airport began a recruitment campaign back in November 2021.
Since the start of 2022, the airport has increased its pool of deployable security officers by 19% and its front-of-house customer service teams by 20%. Recruitment continues at the airport to rebuild its resources to a level that enables it to give the great customer service its customers expect.