Airport Parking News

www.Parctel.com: Birmingham International Airport (BIA) handled 673,515 passengers during March, including 549,575 scheduled passengers and 123,940 charter passengers spread across the two passenger terminals; a decrease of 0.2% over the previous year.

John Morris, Head of Corporate and Community Affairs said: “March reflected a slight decrease in passenger figures here at Birmingham International Airport. With the cancellation of some of the BA Connect flights this impacted on the figures. Following Flybe’s acquisition of BA Connect and having now moved their operation to Terminal 2 we are looking forward to a positive summer with flybe and all of our airlines.”

In March, growth was achieved on Non EU of 14.3% and the Irish Republic 0.9%. Long Haul routes continue their positive trend with an increase of 16.7% on Asia traffic and +4.6% on Transatlantic flights.

All passengers who ever flown out of Birmingham Airport know how much trouble, not to mention costs, car parking can be, particularly when you are in a hurry. I travel from Birmingham a few times each month on business, so I’ve used nearly all the airport parking services there.

The first thing I did was arranging car parking by pre-booking it online, which saved me some precious time and even a couple of pounds. I have picked up several useful tips regarding the various companies over the past five years, and I sincerely hope my advice on parking can make travelling easier for others as well.

There are around 10 different firms which operate parking services out of Birmingham International Airport and it isn’t very hard to reach all of them and provide professional security for your vehicle while you are travelling. If you think dog patrols and police patrols are very different, then you may want to check this out further, but otherwise, I’m very sure: wherever you park your car it will be safe during your absence.

The most important thing to be sure of is how much available time you have left prior to your check-in procedure and how much the airport parking service is going to cost you.

Definitely the easiest service, but also the most expensive, is to make use of the valet parking options of a firm such as CPS Meet and Greet. A company’s representative will meet you when you arrive at the airport and drive your car to the parking facility for you. You can then make an appointment with them to return your car when you come back from your journey and you’re off! Could it be easier?

The only parking facility which is situated 4.5 miles from Birmingham airport is the Airparks Birmingham park, which runs a free of charge and frequent shuttle service to both terminals. Transfers are available day and night, seven days per week. When you check-in a telephone number will be given to you which you need to call for a transfer back to the parking site at your return.

APH Birmingham’s car park can easily be found due to its location just off the M42 motorway and M6 toll road. The company offers valet parking services and from the car park there is frequent transportation to and from both terminal buildings. The duration of the trip is about 10 to 15 minutes. When you return from your voyage you will be picked up from the terminal after you have collected your baggage. Your car will be waiting at the return spaces area.

During the last five years I have tried several alternative opportunities, but by now I can say without a doubt that the online Birmingham airport parking companies mentioned below operate the fastest ways of ensuring car parking.

Source: Andrew Bond, Article Dashboard

POLICE were today investigating a fake passport scam operating on a "notorious" flight out of Birmingham Airport.

Scores of passport crooks trying to leave Britain with fake documents are said to be targeting one particular route out of the city.

West Midlands Police confirmed they were monitoring Air India's service from Birmingham to Toronto in Canada after a court case spotlighted the racket.

The probe comes on the day Home Office minister Liam Byrne announced a £100 million crackdown on illegal immigration.

The Hodge Hill MP is vowing to increase the number of people deported each year, currently running at 60,000, with a range of stringent new measures to crack down on illegal human 'trafficking'.

The Birmingham to Toronto route is so notorious that police have even produced pre-prepared witness statements to cut the time officers spent on each case.

The passport loophole was highlighted by Judge Marten Coates at Warwick Crown Court as he jailed an illegal immigrant for nine months for trying to board the flight with a stolen British passport.

Indian-born Harjit Singh, 25, of no fixed address, paid £2,000 for the document but was rumbled as he tried to check in. The judge said police had produced a "pro-forma" witness statement specifically for the flight.

West Midlands Police confirmed officers were aware of problems surrounding the flight.

A spokeswoman said: "We have been made aware of this issue and are monitoring the situation alongside Birmingham International Airport."

Air India officials insisted they had stringent check-in procedures and no passengers had been allowed to board the service with fake or stolen passports.

The Home Office said immigration officials did not routinely check the passports of travellers leaving Britain but airport spokesman John Morris said several agencies including the police and special branch officers scrutinised passengers' documents.

Air India said it was the only carrier flying between Birmingham and Toronto.

"There have been four cases in the past year and our security caught them all and they were not allowed to board," a spokesman said.

Singh worked at a farm in Evesham, Worcestershire, before trying to board the flight on January 21.

His UK passport, in the name of Shamus Hussain, was found to be false. Investigations revealed it had been stolen and Singh's photograph placed inside.

Singh admitted he had lived in Britain illegally since 1998 and paid for the false passport so he could reach Canada.

Source: Birmingham Mail

The following is an extract from Hasan Salim Patel's blog:

Along with two friends from Leicester we embarked on a short wee trip to Bonny Scotland for a long weekend, after being terrorised by the Police at Birmingham Airport who were confused that why would three Asian men wanted to a plane to Aberdeen? Soon after they realised that we were not terrorists, we were running to the sound of the tannoy which was shouting our names as we were late, we got to the plane where we were seated by a confused cabin staff who was not exactly versed in maths. On the plane there was supposed to be 65 passengers, but somehow one confused fool was on the wrong plane, which meant that the plane had 66 passengers. The cabin crew counted the numbers at least around 6 times, only when the poor passenger realised that this plane wasn't going to Edinburgh, did he in an embarrasing haze hurried out of the plane. Yet how did this guy get on the plane with a wrong ticket in the first place? Now imagine if my friends or myself were in that position, quite possibly I would have ended up writing the diaries of a prisoner by sharing a room with Peter Sutcliffe and Abu Hamza.

Maybe one day police will not be so jumpy and classify travellers according to their ethnic origin. Your dry wit will certainly help.

Birmingham International Airport has named Mark Hattersley as its new acting finance director.

Mr Hattersley has worked at the airport since January 2000 as chief accountant, and will take over the position from Joe Kelly, who was recently made acting managing director following the death of Richard Heard during storms last month.

Airport chairman John Hudson said: "The board feels that Mark is an excellent choice to take on the position of acting finance director.

"During Mark’s seven years here at the airport he has demonstrated his knowledge and professionalism while working closely with all of the management team.

"Mark and Joe have the full support of the board and working closely with the management team will take the company forward."

Mr Hattersley previously worked for Land Rover, lives in Solihull and is married with one child.

Meanwhile, Birmingham Airport yesterday unveiled its first ever direct route to northern Cyprus. Anatolian Sky will operate the service each Monday from May 21 to October, departing at 1pm and arriving in Ecran at 8.45pm local time.

The return service departs Ecran at 7.30am, arriving in Birmingham at 11.30am.

North Cyprus, home to the Turkish Cypriot population, bills itself as "offering holiday-makers a captivating destination, with beautiful beaches, villages, undiscovered coves and bays, clear blue waters, breathtaking scenery, picturesque towns and brilliant sunshine".

Akin Koc, managing director of Anatolian Sky, said: "I am thrilled that people in and around Birmingham can now travel direct to North Cyprus, as well as enjoying unspoilt parts of Turkey and twin-centre holidays.

"Last year Anatolian Sky carried 20,000 passengers to these destinations, so I’m confident the service will be popular with Birmingham too."

Peter Vella, business development director of Birmingham International Airport, added: "We are proud to offer this completely new destination to our passengers. Passengers travelling direct to North Cyprus will benefit from a seamless journey as the aircraft touches-down in Dalaman for just 40 minutes before departing for Ecran."

Source: Birmingham Post

A woman has been remanded in custody after her arrest by customs officers at Birmingham Airport on Saturday.

Natasja Williams, 28, of Johannesburg, who has dual British/South African nationality, was charged with attempting to import herbal cannabis.

It is alleged 42lb (19 kg) of the drug was found wrapped in a blanket in her suitcase when she arrived on a flight.

She denied the charge before Solihull magistrates and was remanded to appear at Warwick Crown Court on 12 March.

Source: BBC

Birmingham International Airport (IATA: BHX, ICAO: EGBB) is a major airport located 5.5 nautical miles (10.2 km) east southeast of Birmingham, in the borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England. It is the sixth busiest airport in the UK after London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester Airport, London Stansted and London Luton.

Birmingham has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P451) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.

Status

The airport handles (as of 2005) nine million passengers a year. It offers domestic flights, and Europe, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and North America.

The airport is close to the M42 motorway and A45 main road. It is also served by Birmingham International railway station on the Birmingham to London line.

History

The airport was opened at Elmdon on 8 July 1939, and was owned and operated by Birmingham City Council. During the Second World War the airport was requisitioned by the Air Ministry and was used by the RAF for military purposes. It returned to civilian use in July 1946, though still under government control.

During the post-war years, public events, such as air fairs and air races were held on the site. The City of Birmingham took over responsibility again in 1960. Ownership of the airport passed to the newly-formed West Midlands County Council in 1974.

In 1984 a new terminal was opened, able to handle three million passengers a year. A second terminal, "Eurohub", supposedly the first terminal in the world to combine domestic and international passengers, opened on 26 July 1991 (with Concorde in attendance), more than doubling the airport's capacity. The original art deco 1939 terminal and control tower are still visible, near hangars to the west of the main runway.

In 1983 the airport was privatised, although the local authorities still own a 49% share. On 1 April 1987, the ownership of the Airport transferred to Birmingham International Airport plc, a public limited company owned by the seven West Midlands district councils.

Concorde made a final visit on 20 October 2003 as part of her farewell tour.

Take Off, a sculpture by the Polish artist Walenty Pytel, stands in a roundabout on the approach road.

Future

The airport has published a master plan for its development up to 2030. This sets out details of changes to the terminals, airfield layout and off-site infrastructure. As with all large scale plans, the proposals are controversial, with much opposition from environmentalists and local residents. In particular the requirement for a second parallel runway based on projected demand is vociferously disputed by opponents.

The first major element is an extension to the main runway, targeted for completion in time for the 2012 London Olympics. The extension will increase the runway length to 3000 metres, as well as including a starter strip to provide a maximum takeoff run of 3150 metres. The airport owners believe there is likely to be sufficient demand for long-range direct services operated by aircraft whose operation would be constrained by the current runway. At 2605 metres, this is short for an airport with Birmingham's passenger throughput and range of destinations, and limits aircraft to destinations on the east coast or in the mid west of North America, in the Gulf and Middle East, or on the Asian Sub-Continent. The construction of this extension to the southern end of the main runway will require the A45 Coventry Road to be diverted into a tunnel under the extended section.

The second element will be the construction of a shorter (2000 metre) parallel runway, scheduled for 2020. The current cross runway will also be officially closed to allow for apron expansion on both sides of the main runway. Taxiways will be improved to allow for terminal expansion and to improve runway occupancy rates. One new turnoff was completed in June 2006 and has seen an improvement on traffic rates on southerly operations, where the only available option for landing traffic had been to travel to the end of the runway to turn off.

The ongoing development of Terminal 1 will see improvements made to the International Pier and a new satellite pier to the north of the terminals. The Master Plan also details the need for a third terminal, which will co-incide with the opening of the second parallel runway. The planned extension to the main runway will also require a new control tower to be constructed.

A new food court has also been constructed, comprising a smart seating area, a self-service bar, a coffee bar and an American/Italian restaurant. The airport also has other food establishments, including a Burger King, a Wetherspoons bar and several cafe bars. Airside, a new Yates wine lodge has recently opened. It also has a substantial airside and terminal-side shopping area, including shops such as The Body Shop, Ladbrokes bookmakers, Music Zone and Boots The Chemist.

Airlines

* Adria Airways (Ljubljana)
* Aer Lingus (Cork, Dublin)
* Aerosvit Airlines (Kiev-Boryspil)
* Air Atlanta Europe (Sharm El Sheikh)
* Air France
* CityJet (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
* Air India (Amritsar, Delhi, Toronto-Pearson)
* Air Malta (Malta)
* Air Slovakia (Bratislava)
* Air Transat (Toronto-Pearson)
* Balkan Holidays (Bourgas, Varna, Plovdiv)
* bmibaby (Aberdeen, Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona [Starts 25 March [2007], Belfast, Bordeaux, Cork, Edinburgh, Faro [Starts Summer 2007], Geneva, Glasgow [Starts Summer 2007], Knock, Lisbon [Starts Summer 2007], Malaga, Marseille-Provence [Starts Summer 2007], Murcia [Starts Summer 2007], Nice, Palma Mallorca, Prague, Rome-Fiumicino [Starts Summer 2007])
* British Airways
* BA Connect (Aberdeen, Barcelona, Berlin-Tegel, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, Hamburg, Hanover, Lyon, Madrid, Milan-Malpensa, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Stuttgart)
* BritishJet (Malta)
* City Airline (Gothenburg-Landvetter)
* Continental Airlines (Newark)
* Cyprus Airways (Larnaca)
* Eastern Airways (Inverness, Isle of Man, Newcastle)
* Emirates (Dubai)
* Excel Airways (Chania, Corfu, Dalaman, Hurghada, Kalamata, Kavala, Salzburg, Santorini, Sharm El Sheikh, Skiathos, Volos)
* First Choice Airways (Agadir, Alicante, Almeria, Arrecife, Bodrum, Bourgas, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Genoble, Heraklion, Ibiza, Innsbruck, Kefalonia, Kos, Larnaca, Las Palmas, Mahon, Malaga, Monastir, Palma, Paphos, Reus, Sharm El Sheikh, Sofia, Tenerife South, Toulouse, Varna, Zakynthos)
* Flybe (Aberdeen [Starts March 8, 2007], Alicante, Belfast-City, Bergerac, Berne, Brest, Chambery, Dubrovnik (starts May 1, 2007) Edinburgh, Faro, Galway [Starts March 8, 2007], Geneva, Glasgow, Guernsey, Hamburg (starts March 26, 2007) Hanover, Isle of Man, Jersey, Perpignan, Salzburg, Split (starts May 5, 2007), Toulouse
* Fly Gibraltar (Gibraltar) [Starts mid 2007]
* Flywho (Orlando-Sanford, St. Petersburg) [Starts October 2006]
* HLX.com (Cologne/Bonn)
* KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam)
* Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Munich)
* Eurowings (Dusseldorf)
* Mahan Airlines (Tehran-Imam Khomeini)
* Monarch Airlines (Alicante, Almeria, Faro, Ibiza [Starts Summer [2007], Lanzarote, Mahon, Malaga, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife South)
* MyTravel Airways (Agadir, Alicante, Almeria, Arrecife, Bodrum, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gerona, Ibiza, Kefalonia, Kos, Larnaca, Las Palmas, Mahon, Malaga, Malta, Monastir, Palma, Reus, Rhodes, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife South, Zakynthos)
* Pakistan International Airlines (Islamabad)
* Ryanair (Dublin)
* SAS (Copenhagen)
* SkyEurope (Krakow)
* SN Brussels Airlines (Brussels)
* Swiss International Air Lines
* Swiss European Air Lines (Zürich)
* Thomas Cook Airlines (Alicante, Antalya, Arrecife, Bodrum, Bourgas, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gerona, Herakion, Ibiza, Izmir, Larnaca, Las Palmas, Lyon, Mahon, Malaga, Malta, Monastir, Palma, Paphos, Reus, Rhodes, Salzburg, Tenerife South, Thessalonika, Toronto-Pearson, Zakynthos)
* Thomsonfly (Alicante, Arrecife, Bodrum, Bourgas, Cancun, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Geneva, Gerona, Goa, Heraklion, Ibiza, Kavala, Kefalonia, Kos, Larnaca, Las Palmas, Luxor, Mahon, Malaga, Malta, Monastir, Naples, Orlando-Sanford, Palma, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Pula, Reus, Salzburg, Sharm El Sheikh, Tenerife South, Thessalonika, Turin, Verona, Zakynthos)
* Turkmenistan Airlines (Ashkhabad)
* Uzbekistan Airways (Tashkent)

Three Egrets in flight at Birmingham International Airport.

Incidents

On the morning of 4 January 2002 a Bombardier-CL604 business jet crashed on take-off from runway 15 at Birmingham. The aircraft with registration N90AG was on lease by AGCO corporation and was carrying two company executives as well as the two pilots and an observer. After arriving from West Palm Beach Airport the previous evening, the aircraft was parked overnight at Birmingham where ice formed on the wings due to the cold weather conditions. The following morning the pilots did not request de-icing of the aircraft before their flight to Bangor Airport in Maine. The ice on the wings caused one wing to dip on take off, the aircraft inverted, crashed into grass besides the runway and caught fire. There were no survivors. Sleeping pills taken by both pilots the night before the crash are thought to have been a factor in reducing the pilots' judgement.

On 15 June 2006 one engine of a TNT Airways cargo 737-300 struck the ground as it made an emergency landing at Birmingham with damaged landing gear. The aircraft, registration OO-TND, had been flying from Liege in Belgium to London Stansted Airport. Due to poor visibility at Stansted the flight diverted to East Midlands Airport. As the weather at East Midlands was also poor, the aircraft performed a full autopilot approach, however during this approach the autopilot momentarily disengaged causing it to deviate from the course. The aircraft hit the grass to the side of the runway, which caused the right main gear to detach. The crew initiated a go-around, declared an emergency and diverted to Birmingham. After it landed on Birmingham's main runway, the airport was closed for a number of hours. The pilots were unharmed. However, the company ascribed the incident to human error and both pilots were sacked.

Source: Wikipedia

Birmingham International Airport may be brought back under local authority control, in a move to bring forward the long-awaited main runway extension.

City Council leader Mike Whitby hopes to persuade fellow West Midlands council leaders to join Birmingham in mounting a bid for a controlling interest.

His move follows a decision by major shareholders Macquarie Airports Group and Dublin Airport Authority to dispose of their 48.25 per cent stake.

The sale price is open to negotiation, but the book value of the combined shareholding is £260 million.

Leaders of the region's seven metropolitan councils met behind closed doors in Birmingham for almost four hours yesterday morning to thrash out a public statement.

A guarded press release, agreed by the seven leaders, underlined strong support for the early implementation of the runway extension and an intention to meet with potential bidders for airport shares.

The councils have appointed Deloittes and PricewaterhouseCoopers to provide specialist advice.

Ted Richards, the leader of Solihull Council and chairman of the West Midlands council leaders committee, said: "The airport plays a pivotal role in the regional economy and our status on the global stage cannot be underestimated. That is why it is imperative we work with all parties to ensure the sale proves a success, BIA continues to prosper and we can advance the West Midlands as a world class destination.

"We look forward to talking with potential partners to ensure continued substantial investment and improvement in the airport to support the economic success of the region."

But Coun Whitby (Con Harborne) went much further: "My view is we should own the airport because it is of strategic relevance and drives growth not just in Birmingham but the region.

"It sustains more than 9,000 jobs and generates £220 million a year for the regional economy. It is a significant player.

"I am on record as saying the airport is a catalyst to the future of the region. It is imperative we can influence its future and the best way to gain influence is either by owning it or having a partner that understands exactly what we need. We have to look at this."

The seven councils already have a 49 per cent stake, having sold a controlling interest almost 20 years ago to avoid Government restrictions on capital expenditure.

Those no longer apply and there would be nothing to prevent the councils buying the Macquarie and DAA shares.

Sources close to Coun Whitby were suggesting last night a bid might be mounted even if agreement could not be reached among all seven. There would be nothing to prevent Birmingham joining forces with any of the councils interested, it was claimed.

The disposal by Macquarie and DAA has cast doubt on the business case for extending the runway and the possibility of a second runway by 2020. If the airport was returned to the public sector, the need to make a profit would not be so great allowing more margin for investment.

Coun Whitby said it was of "incredible importance" for the regional economy the runway extension was in place as soon as possible, allowing BIA to handle direct flights to India, China and the west coast of America.

Source: The Birmingham Post

Richard Heard was just yards from his Shropshire home when a tree branch went through his car windscreen on his way to work at Birmingham Airport.

The 49-year-old father-of-two was one of 10 people to die as 80mph (128km/h) winds battered England on 18 January.

A private funeral will be held at St Mary Magdalane church in Bridgnorth.

His family said a memorial service is planned at Symphony Hall in Birmingham on 22 February.

Mr Heard's widow, Kay, has described her husband as her "best friend" who always had time for relatives and friends.

The couple, who have two daughters, 18-year-old Charlotte who is studying physiology at Oxford University, and Ellie, 14, were married for nearly 24 years after meeting as students at Southampton University.

Source: BBC

ExpressJet Airlines is starting its first branded service from Birmingham with nonstop flights to New Orleans and Raleigh/Durham, N.C.

The airline, which previously flew from Birmingham under the Continental Airlines banner, will offer two nonstop ExpressJet-branded flights per day from Birmingham International Airport to each location. Tickets go on sale Monday; flights are expected to begin sometime in May.

ExpressJet will employ a fleet of 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft with no middle seats and will offer services such as valet carry-on bag service and full-service meals on longer flights.

"We thought Birmingham was the right market for ExpressJet because we can provide value by saving our customers time and making travel more convenient," ExpressJet President and CEO Jim Ream said in a news release. "Now, our customers will be able to relax on a non-stop flight, in a comfortable leather seat with more than 100 channels of free XM(R) Satellite Radio."

ExpressJet Airlines Inc., a division of Houston-based ExpressJet Holdings, will be the eighth carrier operating from Birmingham International Airport. Birmingham is one of 25 cities in which ExpressJet is launching new service, airport spokeswoman Toni Bast said.

Source: Birmingham Business Journal

BIRMINGHAM City Council leader Mike Whitby has said he hopes Birmingham International Airport will be brought back under local authority control.

His comment followed a decision by major shareholders Macquarie Airports Group and Dublin Airport Authority (Aer Rianta) to sell their combined 48.25 per cent stake in BIA. Its book value is £260 million.

The seven West Midlands local authorities own a 49 per cent stake, with the remaining 2.75 per cent held by an employee share trust.

"My view is we should own the airport because it is of strategic relevance and drives growth not just in Birmingham but the region," said Cllr Whitby.

But his opposite number on Solihull Council, Ted Richards, who chairs the West Midlands joint committee of councils, stayed tight-lipped over whether BIA should come back under local authority control.

"The airport plays a pivotal role in the regional economy and our status on the global stage cannot be underestimated," said the council leader.

"That is why it is imperative we work with all parties to ensure the sale proves a success, BIA continues to prosper and we can advance the West Midlands as a world class destination.

"We look forward to talking with potential partners to ensure continued substantial investment and improvement in the airport to support the economic success of the region."

The Green Party in Solihull and Meriden has opposed any move to take the airport into public ownership because it believes that will make expansion easier.

It said it feared Solihull could have its arm twisted by the other West Midlands authorities to make a collective bid for the 48.25 per cent stake in BIA.

Party spokeswoman Pauline Smith said: "It would appear that West Midlands councils want Birmingham Airport to be big for reasons other than need. Is this a macho temptation to say 'we have a massive airport?'"

Source: icSolihull.co.uk

Sci-fi style eye scans are being set up at Birmingham Airport. Passengers passing through immigration control will have their eyes scanned instead of their passports.

The Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS) system was launched at the airport today by immigration minister Liam Byrne.

Airport bosses say the new technology will help them monitor people entering the country much easier than the old-style passport checks.

It is based on the idea that people’s eyes are like a unique, personal thumb-print, and people can register to use it to speed up the passport control system.

Source: expressandstar.com

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Macquarie Airports (MAp), a global airport investment fund, said on Monday it may sell its stake in Birmingham airport to focus on other investments.

MAp's Macquarie Airports Group (MAG) and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) were exploring the sale of their combined 48.25 percent indirect interest in the airport, the company said.

MAp has a 15.5 percent direct stake in the airport which it said was worth A$208 million (83.38 million pounds) at June 30 last year. MAG has a total interest of 24.1 percent.

Demand for UK airport assets has soared in the past year following a boom in air travel.

"Any decision to proceed with a divestment of the combined interest will be dependent upon the quality of the offers that might be received," MAp said in a statement.

A MAp spokeswoman said Birmingham made up 3 percent of its total portfolio and contributed about the same amount to earnings.

MAp, which has larger interests in airports in Sydney, Rome, Bristol, Brussels and Copenhagen, wants to focus on its more substantial investments.

European airports have been drawing investors attracted by stable, long-term income streams thanks to a boom in air travel and predictions that the number of passengers in the region will double to 2 billion by 2020.

Last year Spain's Ferrovial snapped up Britain's BAA Plc, which owns London's Heathrow Airport, in a 10.1 billion pounds ($19.79 billion) bidding war and a U.S. financial consortium bought London City Airport.

($1=.5104 Pound, A$1.28)

Source: Scotsman.com

Leaders from the seven West Midlands Metropolitan local authorities have committed to supporting the future of Birmingham International Airport in response to two major shareholders selling up.

Macquarie and Aer Rianta each own 24.125% but have decided to sell these shares.

Between them the Councils, Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall, own a 49% stake in the airport with the remaining 2.75% held by an Employee Share Trust.

Recognising the importance of the airport to the local, regional and national economies, the leaders will work with Macquarie and Aer Rianta to safeguard Birmingham International’s on-going prosperity and ensure a smooth change of ownership.

They say they are happy to talk with potential bidders for the 48.25% stake currently up for sale.

The authorities re-iterated their strong support for the early implementation of runway extension plans which will boost the number of planes, passengers and destinations the airport serves.

Birmingham International is the UK’s fifth largest airport, generating an estimated £220 million per year worth of inward investment to the Midlands and directly supporting more than 9,600 jobs.

Councillor Ted Richards, Chairman of the West Midlands Joint Committee said, “The airport plays a pivotal role in the regional economy and our status on the global stage cannot be underestimated. That is why it is imperative that we work with all parties to ensure that the sale proves a success, Birmingham International Airport continues to prosper and that we can advance the West Midlands as a world class destination."

“We look forward to talking with potential future partners to ensure continued substantial investment and improvement in the airport to support the economic success of the region”.

The Councils have appointed Deloittes and PricewaterhouseCoopers to provide specialist advice on financial aspects of the sale.

Source: 24dash.com