Birmingham Airport in England’s West Midlands region has recorded the busiest year in its history after serving more than 11 million passengers between September 2015 and August 2016. The figure represents a 10% rise in passenger numbers when compared with the same period the previous year.
The 11 millionth passenger, James Sheffield from Edgbaston in Birmingham, set the milestone on August 19 as he checked in for his United Airlines flight to San Francisco in California. He was treated by the airport to an all expenses paid meal and received a magnum of champagne.
Sheffield said, “I wondered what was happening when I arrived at the desk and airport officials approached me, but what a fantastic surprise. It’s kicked off my holiday brilliantly and I look forward to enjoying my huge bottle of champagne with friends when I return.”
The airport also recorded its busiest single day to date on August 19, 2016, when 44,767 passengers passed through its terminal, 14% more than the last busiest day, recorded on August 13, 2015.
Paul Kehoe, CEO, Birmingham Airport, said, “Reaching 10 million passengers last August was a big milestone in the airport’s history but reaching 11 million is an absolute game changer. It shows that demand for flying to and from the Midlands is rapidly rising and this is only expected to continue as national and international investment in the region continues and the Midlands Engine powers on.
“We have celebrated a huge amount of accomplishments recently, including welcoming an astonishing 13 new airlines to the airport, creating an even stronger network of global routes. We now have over 440 direct or one-stop flights globally with 50 airlines and proudly handle the magnificent A380 and Dreamliner aircraft, daily.
“The future is exciting as we focus on the next milestone – 12 million passengers – and we will be working very hard over the next year to deliver even more connectivity for our region’s business and leisure travelers.”
