Birmingham Airport has issued a fresh apology to passengers after a baggage system failure caused days of disruption in August. The airport confirmed that a technical issue, first reported on August 7, affected outbound luggage and led to significant delays and frustration for travellers.
In a statement released on Instagram on September 15, the airport acknowledged the difficulties faced by passengers during what it described as a record-breaking month for passenger numbers. The post read: “August 2026 month in numbers. While August was a record-breaking month for passenger numbers, we know it was also a challenging period for many passengers who experienced baggage disruption. We are truly sorry to everyone impacted and appreciate their patience and understanding.”
Record passenger numbers amid chaos
According to figures shared by the airport, 1.5 million passengers travelled through Birmingham Airport (BHX) in August. This record figure was overshadowed by the baggage fault, which the airport said was caused by a technical issue and impacted “some outbound luggage”.
Matt Hazelwood, Chief Commercial Officer at Birmingham Airport, said: “Although we are proud to have reached record passenger numbers again this month, we know that this will be no consolation to the passengers whose holidays were disrupted by the baggage fault in August. We once again sincerely apologise to everyone affected. We understand how important a holiday is and the frustration caused when passengers and their luggage are separated.”
Fault fixed and operations normal
Hazelwood confirmed that the fault has since been fixed and baggage operations are now running normally. He added: “Our priority throughout the incident was to maintain the highest standards of safety and security while working with our airline partners to reunite passengers with their bags as quickly as possible.”
The airport is now focusing on improving the passenger experience. Hazelwood highlighted ongoing investment projects, including a programme of upgrades to five toilet blocks across the estate. The refurbishments are being carried out one at a time to ensure sufficient facilities remain available for passengers.
Continued growth and investment
Hazelwood said: “Alongside resolving issues when they arise, we are continuing to invest in projects that will improve the passenger experience across the airport. One example is our programme of upgrades to five toilet blocks across the estate. Given the scale of the work, and the need to ensure we keep sufficient facilities available for passengers, we are refurbishing the blocks one at a time.”
He also expressed pride in the airport’s achievements, noting strong passenger numbers, new places to eat and shop, charity fundraising and ongoing infrastructure improvements as key contributors to the airport’s growth.
