Birmingham Airport

meggy · 9 Aug 19, 01:33 PM

Looking for some guidance really from dibbers who have flown from here.

I usually travel from Gatwick but thinking of taking my elderly Mum to Portugal next year using Birmingham as much closer to our home.

We get special assistance at Gatwick due to sheer size of the airport - she is mobile but very slow! . How big is Birmingham? Rough distance from departures to plane / plane to baggage claim.

Any reccomendations for hotel night before - again if possible as close to airport as we can be.

Thanks for any advise you can give me

Guest · 9 Aug 19, 01:39 PM

Regarding hotels - Novotel and Ibis are literally over the road from the airport - 30 second walk from the hotel.

MarkJ · 9 Aug 19, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by meggy

We get special assistance at Gatwick due to sheer size of the airport - she is mobile but very slow! . How big is Birmingham? Rough distance from departures to plane / plane to baggage claim.

Nowhere near as big as LGW! Novotel, IBIS or Garden Inn hotels all on site.

My Mother in Law flew from here last year and she can hardly walk so we arranged assistance for her. There is an "assistance" zone literally just inside the terminal door and they took her all the way through to the aircraft.

Ive attached the BHX website below so you can arrange this and see more information about the airport

Birmingham Airport

meggy · 10 Aug 19, 08:21 AM

Thankyou, all information helpful.

I have already looked at website, but wanted views from people who have been there iykwim

WhereIBelong · 10 Aug 19, 08:32 AM

We fly from there all the time - mum on Scottish island, us in SW England...

Mum always uses special assistance - she says they are great (she has to change plane in Edinburgh) - she says Birmingham are much more helpful. You book in advance, and they are very close to the entry doors that are in between the 2 terminals. They will allow you to go grab a wheelchair to transport her from the on site car parks too. Would not consider it without assistance for her, there is a fair amount of walking depending on the gate number.

Only problem my mum has at Birmingham (and anywhere else really) is getting on and off the plane - a lot of the planes are smaller and do not use a walkway (don't know about the Portugal ones). You can have a scissor lift, but it has to be booked and takes a lot of time. She has worked out that going on forwards and using the handrail heavily works, and coming off backwards down the steps works best for her.

We have stayed the night before at a lot of the hotels. Like the Novotel the best, quietest with the most comfortable beds.

danisleigh · 10 Aug 19, 06:54 PM

We stayed at the brand new Hilton garden inn last month which literally onsite and a short walk into the terminal. It was lovely and can recommend. We have stayed at the Novotel before too and that wasn�t as nice but ok if you get a good price.

9 Aug 19, 01:39 PM	#2
	9 Aug 19, 01:39 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	Regarding hotels - Novotel and Ibis are literally over the road from the airport - 30 second walk from the hotel.

10 Aug 19, 08:32 AM	#5
	10 Aug 19, 08:32 AM WhereIBelong Imagineer
WhereIBelong Imagineer Join Date: Aug 15	We fly from there all the time - mum on Scottish island, us in SW England... Mum always uses special assistance - she says they are great (she has to change plane in Edinburgh) - she says Birmingham are much more helpful. You book in advance, and they are very close to the entry doors that are in between the 2 terminals. They will allow you to go grab a wheelchair to transport her from the on site car parks too. Would not consider it without assistance for her, there is a fair amount of walking depending on the gate number. Only problem my mum has at Birmingham (and anywhere else really) is getting on and off the plane - a lot of the planes are smaller and do not use a walkway (don't know about the Portugal ones). You can have a scissor lift, but it has to be booked and takes a lot of time. She has worked out that going on forwards and using the handrail heavily works, and coming off backwards down the steps works best for her. We have stayed the night before at a lot of the hotels. Like the Novotel the best, quietest with the most comfortable beds.