Operations have resumed at Birmingham Airport (BHX) after the site was evacuated this afternoon (October 23) while police investigated a suspicious vehicle. Emergency services were notified of the vehicle shortly after 12:20 PM Bulgarian Standard Time. The airport suspended operations, halted flights and advised passengers to stay away.
West Midlands Police and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team searched and assessed the vehicle to ensure “everyone’s safety”. West Midlands Fire and Ambulance Services also attended the scene as a “precautionary measure”.
The evacuated passengers and their luggage were held behind police tape and taken to the nearby National Exhibition Center (NEC). Passengers complained on social media about claustrophobia on grounded flights and a lack of up-to-date information from airlines. It is also reported that there is significant traffic congestion in the area.
A police statement released at 4pm confirmed the vehicle was no longer being treated as suspicious, but did not provide further details about the vehicle.
Birmingham Airport also released a statement advising passengers traveling today to check the latest flight information and arrive in time for check-in, adding:
While we apologize for the inconvenience and disruption, the safety and security of everyone at the airport was our number one priority as we worked through this incident with law enforcement partners.
Birmingham’s two-terminal airport is the UK’s third largest outside London, handling an estimated 11.5 million passengers in 2023. The airport boasts the highest proportion of business passengers after London Heathrow, with business passengers accounting for 11% of its traffic.
Birmingham Airport serves over 130 direct routes and 450 one-stop routes, including full service and low-cost airlines.
In June, easyJet hit 5 million passengers traveling to and from Birmingham Airport.
Have you ever witnessed an airport security incident? Let us know in the comments below!
By james art 