TRAVEL chaos strikes again at Birmingham Airport, with hundreds stranded outside.
The massive queues around the entrance to West Midlands Airport come just a week after the 100ml hand luggage rules were lifted.
Jet-setters were warned to arrive early as confusion over U-turn safety rules meant passengers were delayed.
Vacationers were stuck outside and lines were building and snaking around the parking lot as early as 5:00 AM.
The line meant another stressful morning for fliers who didn’t know if they would get through security in time.
Departure screens at the airport also show the number of flights warning of the “final call” as people run to catch their plane.
One person who tried to escape gray Britain on Sunday said it took him two hours to get through security.
Neil Houselander tweeted: “Birmingham airport today… two hours queued at security. Get there early.”
Another was furious about the chaos in the terminal forcing him to buy a fast-track security pass.
Douglas Bagley said: “In the departure hall at Birmingham Airport.
“I had Fast Track so it wasn’t too bad for 35 minutes because of security, but on non-Fast Track the queues are huge all over the car park.
“When you get in it’s like the Olympics with people running to catch flights. Come on England!”
A spokesman for Birmingham Airport previously highlighted problems with flyers arriving with more than 100ml of liquids in their bags.
They said: “Our new security area has been designed and equipped to accommodate the increase to two liters carried in cabin baggage, which cannot currently be operated with a temporary restriction.
“To be fully compliant with this new directive, we have further modified our operational process.
“We now have ‘check stations’ at all entrances to the terminal where colleagues directly assist passengers to ensure that containers of liquids above 100ml are removed.
“Thanks to these additional checks we have seen that a large proportion of customers are still arriving with liquids over 100ml in their bags and unfortunately these have to be removed and disposed of.
“Containers that hold more than 100ml are allowed but must be completely empty.
“Our security flow is continuous today, helped by these extra checks, and we welcome and appreciate the cooperation of our passengers in removing excess liquids from their cabin bags.
Why are there long queues at Birmingham Airport?
BIRMINGHAM Airport recently opened a new £60m ‘state-of-the-art’ security hall.
The hall is part of a wider £300 million upgrade of the airport, which is expected to handle 18 million flyers a year by 2033.
The modernization will eventually allow passengers to carry liquids of up to two liters in cabin baggage.
However, regulatory approval has not yet been granted for the increased liquid limits in Birmingham.
A spokesman previously said work on the hall was continuing.
“Although our new security hall is operational, construction work is still ongoing on site and we are awaiting regulatory approval to allow up to two liters of liquids to be carried in cabin baggage.
“This construction work will continue for the foreseeable future as we redevelop the airport as part of our planned and previously announced £300m investment.
“Until further notice, passengers are advised to only carry liquids of up to 100ml on departure from Birmingham Airport, although they may remain in hand luggage and no longer need to be in a plastic bag.”
“The outdoor fronts we see today come from ‘checkpoints’.
“Since the opening of our new security area in May, we have seen non-conforming bags constantly going through security, causing unnecessary queues and delaying customer journeys.
“This new step in the process is to fix the problem before customers move on.
“Now more than ever, it is imperative that customers follow the 100ml rule.
“This additional layer of control risks slowing down the security process without passenger support.
“We recommend that customers who have difficulty standing for long periods book an assisted travel service.
“However, if a customer is queuing during our peak times and feels they need assistance, our customer ambassadors are in the area and can assist them without losing their place in line.”
The 100ml hand luggage rule at UK airports explained
GOING through airport security can be a stressful experience, so it’s important to be aware of the strict hand luggage rules before you travel. Most UK airports will implement the following rules:
- All liquid items packed in a passenger’s hand luggage must be less than 100ml
- Liquids include, for example, gels, aerosols, moisturizers, sunscreens, and make-up
- All liquid items must fit into a sealed 20cm x 20cm plastic bag before going through the airport scanner
- Electronic items such as laptops and tablets must be removed from bags and placed in a separate bin.
New CT scanners have already been installed at Teesside, London City and Aberdeen airports, so holidaymakers will be able to pack two liters of liquids in their hand luggage.