Birmingham Airport bank holiday travel warning

Over 100,000 people are expected to fly from Birmingham Airport between 2 May and 7 May

Passengers have been warned of a busy bank holiday weekend at Birmingham Airport.

More than 100,000 people were expected to fly over the three-day period, an increase of 24% on last year, an airport spokesperson said.

Passengers there faced major delays on Monday, with some missing their flights due to a technical problem with security lanes which has since been resolved.

Birmingham Airport said due to on-going building works linked to a new security area, outbound travellers this weekend would find themselves queuing in unfamiliar areas amid "very busy" conditions.

"Our colleagues will be in the terminal to help our customers," a spokesperson said.

Why were there delays at Birmingham Airport?

Passengers have been sharing their experience of delays

Birmingham Airport is constructing a new "simpler and streamlined" security search area.

But the building works have resulted in some delays for passengers during busy periods, with a new walking route to the security area in place.

The airport has been undergoing the improvements for more than a year, with the multi-million-pound upgrades nearing completion.

The airport said on Monday that issues with security lanes had compounded the busy conditions of its peak departure schedule.

Posts on social media at the start of the week showed crowds of people waiting near lifts, with some missing flights as a result.

Several people said they had to spend hours waiting for a lift to the security area and one described the scene as a “crush of people".

An airport spokesperson explained: "The new queuing area for security is mainly downstairs, as a large part of the upstairs security queuing has been removed as part of the construction."

Al Titterington, terminal operations director, said construction had removed a "significant" area of space and had been "very challenging" at times.

He said: "We have worked closely with our contractors and operational teams to keep the airport operating but we know at times there have been instances where our service level has dropped below what we would aim to deliver.

"For those instances we apologise to our customers."

What time should I arrive at the airport?

Passengers have been advised to arrive at the airport for when check-in opens for their flight

Check-in usually opens about four hours before long-haul flights and two to three hours before short-haul journeys.

“Each airline has its own check-in time and customers are reminded to turn up in line when their check-in opens - this detail can be found on their booking," a spokesperson explained.

Passengers who have checked in online and have no hold baggage have been advised to arrive three hours before departure time and to make their way straight to the security area.

The airport said customers travelling with Jet2 or TUI could drop their bags off the day before their flight, heading straight to security on the day they travel.

What restrictions are in place at security?

The airport has reminded passengers that liquid restrictions are still in place for hand luggage.

Liquids, pastes and gels, up to 100ml in clear plastic bags should be taken out and placed in a tray at security.

Electronic devices should also be removed from their cases and placed in a separate tray.

A spokesperson said: “It is worth noting that on average, 15% of customer bags are rejected as they are not compliant with current security restrictions.

"For each customer, a non-compliant bag adds ten minutes on top of their security search time.”

Can I claim compensation if I miss my flight?

Passengers cannot claim compensation if they miss a flight for reasons beyond the airline's control, such as bad weather or airport delays

According to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), passengers cannot claim compensation from airlines if they miss a flight for reasons beyond an airline’s control, such as bad weather, airport delays, air traffic control strikes or other "extraordinary circumstances".

• What are my rights?

• Civil Aviation Authority: Delays and cancellations

Some Birmingham Airport passengers this week complained of being left "out of pocket" after purchasing new flights when they missed their intended plane due to delays.

A Facebook post by BBC Midlands about the situation received more than 1,600 comments, with people describing the events in which they were caught as "absolutely shambolic" and a "nightmare".

In other circumstances, where it is considered to be the airline's fault that a flight is cancelled or delayed by more than two hours, passengers have a number of rights under UK law.

Where can I check whether a flight is delayed?

Passengers can check if their flights are delayed or on time by going to their airline's website and entering the details of their flight.

Further information on arrivals and departures is also available on Birmingham Airport's website.