SIR – I think Paul Kehoe misses the most obvious point regarding the apparent ‘lack of use’ of Birmingham airport (I thought 36 per cent of the Midlands was actually pretty good given the competition from East Midlands, Luton, Bristol and so on).
Midlanders do want to use Birmingham Airport if they can, but if blimmin’ BMI Baby, wretched Ryanair and measly Monarch Airlines only fly to your chosen destination from horrible Heathrow, ghastly Gatwick or miserable Manchester, then you don’t have much choice.
The simple answer is increase the destinations and I am sure you will increase passenger numbers.
Incidentally, while I am sure it doesn’t affect people’s choice of airport, I think charging at least £1 to drop passengers off at the airport is a bit mean and stingy.
The change in Birmingham airport since the days when the old Bleriot plane used to hang in the roof has been horrendous.
From a simple and pleasant design it has become a monstrous series of carbunkleous add-ons and the customer has been moved further and further away from the front line of service. It is, by its very expansion, turning itself into a horrible Heathrow, but without the choice of destinations.
Rick Johns
Worcester
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