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"As I live conveniently a fifteen minute drive away from Birmingham city centre the airport is within easy reach for me so as you can imagine whenever I fly I try to do so from Birmingham airport. Although Birmingham is in close proximity to a few other airports I always choose to go from Birmingham basically because it is the biggest and in my opinion the nicest one to fly from.
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How to get there:
To get to Birmingham airport is easy as you can go down the M6 and also the M42 and as you approach the city centre the airport is sign-posted way back so you cannot miss it. You simply have to get into the city centre which can be done from anywhere in the UK and then follow the signs. If you do not drive then no need to panic as again if you can get yourself into the city centre by bus or train then there is a train which regularly goes to the airport and it only takes ten / fifteen minutes.
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Parking:
There are numerous parking spaces at the airport which can be booked in advance or you can simply park and then pay when you leave. This usually costs around £5 a day when you pre-book so for a weeks stay me and Dave paid £40 as we needed the parking for 8 days for a week's holiday.
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Staying Over:
Maybe you are flying out from Birmingham airport but you live miles away and do not fancy traveling down and catching your plane straight away. You always have the option to stay the night in the Novotel at the airport which prices vary but my colleague got a double room for £50 when he stayed there not too long ago.
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Departures:
Seeing as I was only doing this a matter of weeks ago it is still all quite fresh in my mind. When you are ready to get to your flight then get yourself to the departure terminals. If you are catching the train then it is only a two minute walk away and if you are parking there are extremely regular bus services which take you straight there. Birmingham airport does have two departure terminals but don't worry if you find yourself in the wrong one as they are right next to each other and it takes two minutes to walk from one to the other.
When you are in departures you will see all of the desks for checking in and also a lot of desks for each airline and also car rentals. We have used these desks before when we have had problems so they are very useful and I have never had any problems. There are plenty of toilets and also a small WHSmith shop so you can get snacks or drinks if needed.
When you have checked in then you can go to the departures lounge which has numerous seats and there are lots of things up there to keep you busy such as arcades, shops and also eating establishments. The whole area is very clean and there are lots of computer screens so you can see when you are to move.
When your flight has been called and you make your way through all of body scanners and hand luggage scanners you come to the main departures lounge which has your duty free shops and others. There are places to get food here and also a pub which does some nice drinks which me and Dave sampled to calm our pre-flight nerves. There are plenty of seats and wherever you sit you should be able to see a screen to show you when you are to go to your gate.
Gates are clearly marked in large letters and directions to each are dotted around. There are also plenty of toilets so you do not have to worry about that as I know I do. The airport tells you in plenty of time to go to your gate and if you miss it the first time then do not worry as they remind you quite a lot.
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Arrivals:
When you arrive back at Birmingham airport hopefully after having a brilliant holiday then I hate the hassle of getting out of there. With Birmingham it is not too bad as after showing people your passports you are straight into where to collect your luggage and there are huge computer screens telling you where to go. I cannot say how long this will take you as it is always different but there are staff on hand to help in there and also a lot of toilets and machines to get drinks and snacks from.
When you have collected your luggage then it is one way out of the airport and it will lead you directly where all of the bus services are so you can just get to your car in no time at all.
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Shopping:
If you like to shop while you wait then they have loads of places here. There are WHSmith, Dixons, Accesorize, Sunglass Hut, Shoe shops and a Boots. You can get all you like from here so if you suddenly have a worry that you have forgot some vitals for your holiday then you can get them here.
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Eating:
My favourite place to eat here is Frankie and Benny's because I think it looks modern and a bit funky and when we were there the staff were great and looked as if they really liked working there. There is also a place called Pash where you can get breakfast things, a few pubs with pub food and drinks and also a Burger King for those fast food lovers. The Deli sandwich bar is great but a little expensive and also my favourite a Millie's cookies.
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Verdict:
I hate flying as I just get creeped out by the whole concept of being that high in the sky. Therefore when I am sitting around waiting at airports my fears come and haunt me and I have a miserable time. This is why I like Birmingham Airport as there are lots of things to do to keep you occupied and also the staff are fantastic and offers you all of the help you may need.
Everything about the airport is organised and I think everything is well managed. I love the fact that you can walk in and everywhere be very clean and the toilets are always spotless which is something I always worry about in public places. You can always find someone to help and everything from getting there and then getting on your plane is put out clearly right in front of you so you shouldn't really go wrong.
In conclusion I am going to give Birmingham airport five stars. It is a brilliant airport with everything you need easily sign-posted so you always know what you are doing and the entertainment there is good for everybody so if your flight is delayed at least there is plenty to do to keep yourself occupied. I also like it that all of the staff are extremely friendly and helpful and that you can always find somebody around which to me is very reassuring in an airport.
