I flew from Birmingham airport and the journey back to BHX blew me away by comparison

I’ve been reporting to the queues at Birmingham airport to go through security with my colleagues for about a month now. When big issues came up, we launched live blogs to showcase people’s experiences and let our readers know what was happening, in real time.

Although we have reported in previous years about airport queues, nothing was quite like this. We did our first live blog – when issues were being reported by multiple people, mainly on X, formerly known as Twitter, on May 17th. And then three more times in May – the end of May holiday around the school half term break. one of them.

But in June we reported problems almost daily. Queues running out of the terminal building, sometimes being three lines of people before you reach the small covered area next to the entrance to the now seemingly endless queue to check your bags before reaching the departure lounge.

Read more: The latest BHX live as passengers issue travel warnings

I saw the issues and was warned about what to expect for a flight to Dusseldorf, Germany on Sunday (June 16). I was on my way to watch England in their first Euro 2024 match against Serbia.

Worried that the lines were long and that I was flying on the day of the game, I planned to arrive three hours before my flight, not the previously accepted “norm” of two hours. I flew in and then came back the next day. No check-in luggage so saved time there.

While I reported that people posted photos and videos from behind the line when they arrived at 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00, I wanted to describe the entire process. From arriving at the airport, to see how long it takes, what the staff do when the flights head to their closing gates and how those in the queue handled the stress.

Two hour wait at BHX for security – in four stages

You can read my full review of the experience here. But to make a long story short, I got to the back of the queue at 4.25am. This was three hours and 20 minutes before my flight left. And my queuing experience can be divided into four segments.

First of all, it took about half an hour to get into the terminal building – and the line was by no means the longest I’ve reported. From there another half hour to reach the lift. So an hour said – to get to the first floor – where I’m used to entering the security area, having scanned my boarding pass in previous years.

The line was snaking back and forth and you could see the kids getting upset, adding to the parents’ anxiety. A chancellor tried to enter the first floor security queue without having queued on the ground floor. He was sent to the elevator to go down.

So for the third of the four “segments” It took about half an hour to be in sight of the security area. And the final stage – involving dare I say it – brilliant new machines that can scan your bags with liquids and electronics inside without you having to unlock your carry-on, another 30 minutes to get through!

And in a shade under two hours – I went through security at 6.18am at the entrance to the duty free shop in the departure lounge. Rather than people crowded into the seats at the other end, it looked rather empty.

Some passengers will have had to go straight to their gates. This must affect shops, cafes and restaurants. The Wetherspoon’s was busy though. Despite the fact that it was very early, some may have needed a drink to numb what they had just experienced.

Read more: Airport boss talks queue chaos after ‘painful’ liquid rule change

And what about Dusseldorf Airport?

The Germans have a reputation for efficiency and this was clearly demonstrated at Dusseldorf airport (but I shouldn’t add the walk to and from the Gelsenkirchen stadium for the England game. My day was booked with ridiculous queues!).

At the airport however, the time it took to get through security in Brum was almost two hours – it was only 11 minutes in Dusseldorf. From start to finish, including emptying my bag and putting liquids and electronics separately – just like we’ve been used to since 2006.

I arrived at 17.13 for a 19.20 flight. Two hours before, more or less, as has been the “norm” at most airports for some time now.

And there was no queue before the scanners. No sign of waiting. There were a number of bag scanning machines – all operational, well staffed and used. It was a breeze. You could hardly get a more polar opposite experience.

Of course, the flight was at 19.20 and the comparison is not direct. But when I arrived on Sunday, the security time across Dusseldorf’s three gates, A, B and C, was clearly displayed and said a maximum five minute wait around 10am. I doubt it will ever be two hours.

What did Birmingham Airport say about security queues?

My colleague Naomi DeSouza went to BHX last week with airport CEO Nick Barton – her full report is here. He put the disaster down to the government’s last-minute changes to liquid carry-on rules.

The new scanners can check up to 2 liters of liquid, all inside the bags – not the 100ml per item we’re used to, where you had to have it in a clear plastic bag and take it with you 100 ml limit.

In Birmingham you are told NOT to put these toiletries and medicines in a plastic bag. But leave them in your bag to be scanned.

Mr Barton said: “We were told in June that the cars would need a software update. As a result of this software update, we run (the cars) in a very slow mode. Transfer rates are much slower.

“They’re wonderful cars, we just can’t use them to their design standard yet. It is not allowed to function as it should, it is a temporary measure.”

What needs to be done?

But it seemed like a red herring to me. In the past, you had to take items out of bags to be scanned separately. Not now. That part of the wait was relatively stress free.

The problem seemed to me to be capacity. There were two out of seven bag scanners – unused. This is almost a third of the potential capacity reduction. That can’t help.

From memory, BHX also had more than five machines to scan bags. They were at least double that. So he expected the new cars to be fast so he didn’t need as many? And I don’t have that many. Plus the 100ml limit that the machines aren’t designed for (but why are less liquids harder to scan than more!?). Why wasn’t there a contingency?

And with the “peak” summer travel season – around the school holidays in a month’s time looming – will anything be done to speed up the queues? Should all flights be stacked in the morning and perhaps not spread out more or have less?

Mr Barton blamed people arriving very early for flights, creating extra demand. And yes, I am guilty of this. I suggested to my colleague, Naomi, that passengers arrive three hours before your flight. I had three hours 20, no luggage to check in. I totally understand why customers who are paying hundreds if not thousands for trips want to make sure they take those trips. I do not regret.

Mr Barton said: “We certainly want to improve from where we are and we will.” It could hardly be much worse…