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In what is proving to be a very busy year for Birmingham International Airport, two important milestones are being acknowledged in 2009.

On 30th May, the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the airport’s “new” £29 million terminal was celebrated. Opening to the public on 4th April 1984, the new terminal was officially opened five days earlier by Her Majesty the Queen, who was accompanied by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. At that time the site was comprised of what is now Terminal 1, and the improvements included better commuter links, new taxiways and the construction of additional facilities for parking at Birmingham Airport; quite a contrast to the original site at Elmdon that had been in operation since 1939. The project was completed 12 weeks ahead of schedule (something that seems almost impossible in today’s world), and gave Birmingham one of the most modern terminal facilities to be found anywhere in Europe.

Birmingham Airport had grown to serve just over 1.7 million passengers by 1984, and these days they’re getting closer to the 10 million mark as more and more travellers from the area make it their airport of choice.

Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport’s CEO, said: “It is poignant that at a time when we are focusing on the future, with planning permission secured for a runway extension, that we should also be looking back to the opening of the Airport’s current site. It certainly doesn’t seem 25 years since the Airport unveiled its new terminal and it has seen plenty of changes throughout the years!”

And the changes continue with the opening this year of a new £40 million International Pier, which coincides with the airport’s 70th Anniversary celebrations. The new pier will be three storeys, 240 metres long and 24 metres wide. The top level will accommodate departing passengers, the middle level is for arrivals and the ground floor will provide office space for airline and handling agents. This new facility will provide aircraft parking space for seven wide-bodied aircraft, plus enough space to serve thirteen smaller aircraft at any given time. It will also be able to accommodate newer, environmentally-efficient wide-bodied aircraft like the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”, along with the Boeing 777, which is already serving Birmingham Airport on a daily basis.

As a special birthday present, and to celebrate the new Pier’s opening, Emirates will fly in the Airbus A380 “superjumbo” on the 9th of September. Tim Clark, the President of Emirates Airline, said: “Emirates and Birmingham International Airport have enjoyed a successful partnership since we started services in 2000, and it’s fitting that we should mark this significant milestone in the airport’s history by flying in our most talked about aircraft.” Making it even more special is the fact that this will be the first commercial flight of an A380 in the United Kingdom outside of London Heathrow Airport.

Referring to the anniversaries and the opening of the International Pier this year, Mr. Kehoe said: “Hopefully people will look back in another 25 years and recognise 2009 as a historic year in the development of the Airport.”

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