Regional UK airport reveals plans for new flights to US destination – the first time in nearly a decade
AN airport in the UK could get a new flight route to America in more than eight years.
Birmingham Airport is currently undergoing a £300million renovation.
And a new flight route could connect the regional airport to a US destination.
Delta's airline chief executive told the Sunday Times: "There’s a great market out of Birmingham."
Delta is currently the official airline partner of Birmingham City Football Club.
Birmingham Airport had flights to New York with United Airlines last in 2017.
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While Delta hasn't suggested which destination it could fly to from Birmingham, it is likely to be New York again.
This was backed by the airport CEO Nick Barton, who told Sun Travel: "
Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport said: “Ed Bastion is absolutely correct in identifying the strong market and appetite for US connectivity out of BHX.
"Data suggests some 45,000 passengers every week are traveling to the Americas, via other airports which is not only an unnecessary inconvenience for passengers, but a missed economic benefit for our region.
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"We remain in discussions with several carriers around the reintroduction of US routes and given Delta’s recognition of opportunity from Birmingham Airport, we hope that a more serious commitment on timings can be reached with one of them soon.”
The only other US flight route that Birmingham currently operates is to Orlando with TUI.
And it's not the only long-haul flight the airport has suggested it could relaunch.
Previously flying to Hong Kong until 1988 (which were suspended after the closure of Kai Tak Airport) this could be another flight route.
Even flights to India such as Mumbai have been suggested as potential destinations.
This would be in addition to the current Birmingham-Delhi flights.
Other current long-haul flights from Birmingham include Cancun, Barbados and Jamaica, as well as Dubai.
And new recent flight routes include to Gibraltar with easyJet and Budapest with TUI Airways.
And part of Birmingham Airport's multi-million pound upgrades including new CT scanners which will allow passengers to keep liquids in their hand luggage.
While they still need to be under 100ml, there is now no limit on how many can be taken.
The website also asked passengers to leave them outside of the standard plastic bag.
It states: "There is no limit on the amount of under 100mls containers that can be carried.
"Do not put your liquids, pastes and gels into plastic bags (please leave them loose in hand luggage)."
Other upgrades to the airport also include two new security lanes.
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Top 15 busiest airports in the UK
Here are the 15 busiest airports in the UK by passenger numbers in 2023
- London Heathrow - 79.2 million
- London Gatwick - 40.9 million
- Manchester - 28.1 million
- London Stansted - 28.0 million
- London Luton - 16.4 million
- Edinburgh - 14.4 million
- Birmingham - 11.5 million
- Bristol - 9.9 million
- Glasgow - 7.4 million
- Belfast International - 6.0 million
- Newcastle - 4.8 million
- Liverpool - 4.2 million
- Leeds Bradford - 4.0 million
- East Midlands - 3.9 million
- London City - 3.4 million
The airport currently serves 12million passengers a year to 144 destinations.
The renovations will be able to welcome capacity up to 18million, expected by 2033.
