By james art PARTNER CONTENT
Birmingham Airport plans to serve 18 million passengers by 2033 and is investing more than £300 million over this period in infrastructure and efficiency, ensuring it is on track to serve the region.
It’s home to more than 30 airlines flying direct to 144 destinations with 657 onward one-stop destinations, and as Birmingham Airport (BHX) looks to the future, it’s unveiling a range of initiatives to make the customer experience even smoother .
The airport already has impressive road and public transport networks, including direct access to the mainline railway. This ground accessibility will be further enhanced as BHX will be the only airport to be connected to the new high-speed rail line 2 to London, via an interchange.
Currently serving 12 million passengers a year, BHX has a strong existing service area, with 12.3 million passengers within 60 minutes and 83% of people living in England and Wales within a two-hour journey by train or road. The newly built High Speed 2 link in 2029 will add an additional 5.2 million passengers to the catchment overnight.
Discover how BHX is expanding the destinations accessible to passengers, improving its commercial offering and working towards its goal of zero emissions by 2033.
More destinations
BHX’s route network covers a range of short- and long-haul destinations worldwide, served by low-cost, charter, scheduled and domestic airlines. Whether your customers want a city break in Barcelona, Lisbon or Paris, plan to soak up the sun in Dubai, Doha, Delhi or Jeddah or seek a beach getaway in Cancun, Fuerteventura or Ibiza, they can easily fly to these and more other more destinations direct from BHX.
To reach its goal of 18 million passengers in 2033, there is a list of target destinations. A return to transatlantic connectivity with direct routes to New York, Toronto, Mumbai and Hong Kong tops the list. Closer to home, European routes include Stuttgart, Oslo and Hamburg and there are plans to add more frequencies to existing routes to Budapest, Lisbon and Copenhagen.
Indian street food restaurant Chaiiwala is now open at BHX
More choice
To facilitate customers in their holiday, BHX has a wide range of shops, restaurants and lounges. As part of the revamped and improved retail offering, Indian street food restaurant Chaiiwala has opened its doors in the departure lounge, serving drinks, snacks, all-day snacks, Bombay toasts and more. It will be followed by another new dining opportunity in December, with more to come next spring.
After take-off, those looking for some pre-holiday retail therapy can indulge in duty-free shopping at a range of high-street and designer shops, while BHX is also home to five lounges where passengers can relax and unwind before take-off .
Investment until 2033
BHX has committed to investing £300m and some of this has been spent on the recently completed new multi-million pound security room. This new state-of-the-art equipment ensures that passengers get a more streamlined and simplified experience.
The new Next Generation Security (NGS) equipment boasts the convenience of customers no longer needing to remove their liquids, pastes and gels from their hand luggage as they can remain in their carry-on bag. The same goes for any electrical items – which previously had to be removed and placed in a tray – as they can also remain in carry-on luggage, providing a less complicated security process.
Two more lanes will be introduced in the summer of 2025 to complement the existing high-tech security zone and support forecast demand.
All development, improvement and infrastructure works are underpinned by BHX’s aim to be a zero-carbon airport by 2033, by prioritizing zero-carbon airport operations and minimizing carbon offsets. As part of this commitment, £9.7 million has been invested in a solar farm with 12,000 panels on site. This new solar farm will be responsible for providing at least 20% of the airport’s electricity needs, ensuring that it is less dependent on the national grid. At peak deliveries, it is expected to save 1,285 tons of CO2 per year.
Some of the solar panels located at BHX
BHX is also expanding its network of electric vehicle charging stations with a series of high-speed EV charging points to be installed in Car Park 6.
The airport has also invested in energy-efficient lighting and made improvements to its energy management technology, as well as upgraded its heating and cooling infrastructure as it transitions to low-carbon heating.
We are on our way
The new campaign “We are on our way”.
BHX serves the UK’s second city Birmingham and is well placed for growth. It has ambitious plans, underpinned by an ongoing investment program and supported by its plan to be net zero.
To showcase its offering, the airport recently launched its biggest marketing program to date, extending from its core service area to highlight its routes and facilities. ‘On our way’ is aimed at customers who have a choice of ‘local’ airport, ensuring that BHX is firmly in their sights when making this important booking decision. Watch out for ads coming to a laptop, radio and TV near you!
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