Birmingham Airport Blog

Sun4U goes bust

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:50:12 BST

Birmingham-based travel company, Sun4U, collapsed last week leaving around 1,200 holiday makers stranded abroad. The firm, which specialised in holidays to the Spanish mainland and to the island of Majorca, had been operating for six years and had an annual turnover of around £20 million.

It is believed that the volcanic ash crisis earlier this year plus the collapse last month of Goldtrail, which provided flights for Sun4U, heralded the demise of the company.

It has now entered administration and, according to Andrew Burnham of the chartered accountants MacIntyre Hudson, many other small firms are liable to follow suit in the next couple of years due to cash shortages.

Most of Sun4U’s customers are in Spain and many of these will be covered by the ATOL protection. Those who used Sun4U for accommodation-only or flight-only deals will not be so lucky although their credit or debit card providers may be able to help.

Even those with ATOL protection, however, may find that they have to pay to stay in their hotels and then reclaim the amount paid from the CAA. This practice was widely reported following the collapse of Goldtrail, with hotels attempting to make sure that they did not suffer financial losses because of the failure of the company.

For full information on what to do if you are abroad at the moment or if you are booked to travel, as well as advice on how to make a claim for a refund, see the Directgov website.

New poll shows Birmingham top and Luton bottom

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:26:52 BST

It was good news for Birmingham airport recently after it came top in a poll carried out by airporttransfers.co.uk to see what British holidaymakers think of their airport experiences.

Almost 2,500 passengers were asked to rate various aspects of the experience, ranging from shopping opportunities to the friendliness of staff. Out of a possible 60 marks, Birmingham scored 54, with an impressive full marks for shopping experience, staff friendliness and check-in efficiency.

Cardiff took second place, bearing out the fact that travellers seem to prefer the smaller regional airports for their friendliness and efficiency. Being able to eat at an oyster bar or buy a Louis Vuitton handbag pales into insignificance if the holiday has got off to a bad start due to miserable staff, a lengthy queue at check-in or a stressful experience at security.

Luton airport, on the other hand, only managed 16 points, coming bottom of the league. And the other London airports did not fare much better: Stansted was second bottom with 20 points, Gatwick scored 26 and Heathrow 30.

It would seem that the staff at Luton could learn a thing or two from their Birmingham counterparts since they only managed a measly one point for staff friendliness. Waiting time at Luton’s security also scored badly, again managing just 1 point.

Heathrow scored top marks for shopping, but with many travellers saying they would be willing to travel more than a hundred miles in order to fly from a “decent” airport, Heathrow needs to pull its socks up.

Exchange rate 'rip-off' exposed

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:51:09 BST

A growing trend in ‘last minute’ currency exchange at airports is costing UK travellers £28m a year, according to the Post Office. The average customer, changing £286 to Euros, stands to lose a good £16 more at an airport bureau de change, than they would on the high street.

Last month, the Post Office found that Birmingham Airport was offering an exchange rate of €1.02 to the pound, when the official rate was closer to €1.19. Liverpool was also overcharging customers, offering a rate of €1.06 to the pound.

Researchers note that up to 1.2m million people could have been left short-changed by the excessive rates.

Sarah Munro, boss of travel money at the Post Office, helped to put the average loss into perspective – ‘in Portugal, this year’s best value destination, £16 could buy a round of drinks and eight ice creams.’

The value of the Euro fell earlier this year, in the wake of Greece’s spiralling debt problems, and has yet to make a full recovery. Travellers should be enjoying good conversion rates. The pound is experiencing a ten-month high over the Euro, which ended two days ago worth 83.91p, up from a low of 81.06p in June 2010.

Entrepreneur and founder of MoneySupermarket.com, Martin Lewis, claims that bureaux de change at UK airports are ‘convenience services,’ which typically charge a rate that is 7-8% higher than their counterparts on Britain’s high streets.

Alongside the £11 Air Passenger Duty and the fuel surcharges imposed by airlines, the exchange rate ‘rip-off,’ to quote the Express newspaper, further devalues the budget holiday industry, by adding hidden charges on to a trip that may have otherwise been inexpensive.

Emirates boosts Dubai capacity by 22%

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:28:25 BST

From the beginning of September, Middle Eastern airline Emirates will add an extra Boeing 777-300ER onto flights between Birmingham Airport and Dubai, increasing capacity on the route by 22%. The boost coincides with Emirates’ tenth year at the Midlands hub, according to airport director Martyn Lloyd.

The Boeing 777 series includes some of the largest passenger aircraft in the world. The 300ER model is a relatively new design, introduced in 2004. Its addition to the Birmingham-Dubai route will allow the airline to sell an extra 78 seats on all evening flights.

Emirates maintains both a base and a branded departure lounge at Birmingham Airport, providing business-class customers with a variety of high-class perks, such as leather seats, gourmet dining and even a shower. The 300ER aircraft also has more bells and whistles than Santa’s sleigh, including a TV with 1,200 channels.

Martyn Lloyd described the airline as a ‘vital’ component of Birmingham’s success: "Emirates now offers nearly 900 seats to Dubai, and we’re delighted that such a commitment has been shown to the Midlands by the airline." Emirates’ new Boeing 300ER is the second of two on the Birmingham-Dubai route.

In similar news, the frequency of flights between Birmingham and Cork, Ireland, will also increase from the end of October. The route, which is operated by Aer Lingus, will run twice a day, six times a week. Both the Cork and Dubai routes are being marketed at executives and rich business types.

Tickets between the Midlands and Dubai are priced at between £700 and £900pp for a return trip, taxes included. The route departs Birmingham at 1415 and 2120 each day. Prices for the Cork route vary, but a return flight leaving on the 19 July costs £118.17.

New VIP private jet service from Birmingham

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:18:16 BST

If you have ever been stuck in a queue at the airport hours ahead of departure time and eyeing, with dread, the screaming babies and wayward toddlers who are headed to the same destination as you, you may have dreamt of the day you win the lottery and can afford to fly in a private jet.

Well if your numbers come up soon and you live in the Midlands you might be interested to know that a brand new VIP private jet service is about to be launched, operating out of Birmingham airport.

Cello Aviation has spent the last year and a half preparing and the last four months fitting out the luxurious Avro Business Jet.

Last week, air charter brokers and guests, including football clubs and product launch organisers, were invited on board to see what it was all about and feedback seems to have been extremely positive.

The service is also expected to appeal to the luxury wedding market, high profile entertainers and other celebrities, blue chip companies and sports teams such as motor racing. So far interest has been shown not only by UK clients, but also by potential customers in Spain, France, Sweden and Switzerland. Tony Farmer, Cello’s marketing and sales manager, was pleased to announce that interest had exceeded all expectations.

For those of us lucky enough to be able to afford this way of flying, "VIP movement” throughout is promised so that means no annoying queues and long check-in times at the airport. Once on-board, the in-flight experience can be tailored in any way you wish and with enough notice any menu can be provided.

Since the jet is quiet and has a low carbon footprint it is capable of landing at short field regional airports in even the most environmentally sensitive areas.

Brum celebrates Antalya route

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:16:04 BST

The summer holiday season is incredibly important to UK airlines, and indeed, to any business with a stake in the travel or entertainment industries. New destinations appear in travel agents' windows, vendors of beach toys spring up along the coast, and the heavy frosts stop for just a few months.

Of course, the British Airways strike and the eruption of the Eyjafjoll volcano put world airlines on the defensive, and many aviation bosses have started the summer season with a six-figure hole in their pockets. That might not be such a bad thing for travellers, however, as airlines are now desperate to fill planes with paying customers.

Birmingham Airport announced a new flight to Antalya, Turkey, just two days before Eyjafjoll blew its top in Iceland. The route, which will be operated by budget carrier, Pegasus Airways, will depart every Sunday afternoon from the 2nd May. Birmingham boss, Paul Kehoe, said the route was ideal for Brits looking to swap unpredictable weather for ‘assured sun.’

Antalya is one of Turkey’s most popular holiday resorts. The city enjoys panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, and sits in the shadow of the Tahtali Mountain, much loved by local climbers. Turkey’s position outside the Euro zone ensures that travellers get better value for money than they would at Spanish or French resorts, for example.

Pegasus Airways will fly from the Midlands to Turkey until the 17th October 2010. The airline claims that Antalya is set to become very popular with British travellers over the summer, and plans to fly direct to the city’s airport, which is located 8 miles to the northeast of the resort.