Mitie lands three-year security contract extension deal at Birmingham Airport

As part of its baggage screening service, Mitie will monitor thousands of pieces of check-in luggage for passengers flying from Birmingham Airport every day. With the safety of passengers and employees being the overriding priority, the screening will allow Mitie to check that prohibited items (flammable liquids, for example) are not loaded on board aircraft.

Services for passengers with reduced mobility will also be part of the new contract. From the moment a passenger in need of special assistance arrives at the airport, Mitie’s team will be available to help them travel to and from the aircraft. This support will be key for ensuring an excellent travel experience for all those passengers with reduced mobility.

Flexibility will be at the centre of Mitie’s service delivery. With changing lockdown restrictions affecting the number of flights, Mitie will continue to work closely with Birmingham Airport to quickly deploy colleagues and provide the support needed to meet sudden alterations in passenger numbers.

Jason Towse, managing director of business services at Mitie, said: “Since the pandemic started, our front line colleagues have continued to deliver outstanding services in helping to keep the airport safe, ensuring that we continue to adapt to our customer’s changing needs.”

Towse continued: “I’m delighted to see the efforts of our people and management team, along with our credibility as the UK’s leading provider of services to the aviation sector, recognised with the expansion of our eight-year relationship. We look forward to working in partnership with Birmingham Airport as the nation emerges from the current restrictions and heling to keep the experience for passengers and staff a safe and enjoyable one.”

Safety and security

Al Titterington, terminal operations director at Birmingham Airport, responded: “As a result of its long-standing partnership with the airport that now spans almost a decade, Mitie has played a key role in maintaining the safety and security of our customers and employees, duly demonstrating flexibility and support throughout the pandemic. The award of this new contract follows on from a competitive tendering process. We’re now looking forward to continuing to work with Mitie over the next three years to provide excellent service to our customers and airline partners.”

Birmingham Airport is the UK’s third largest airport outside London and the UK’s seventh largest overall. Pre-pandemic, it handled circa 13 million passengers per annum. No less than circa 35 million people live within its two-hour catchment area. That’s half the population of the UK.

In point of fact, Birmingham Airport is one of the West Midlands’ largest employers, creating jobs for 30,900 people across the region and contributing £1.5 billion in gross added value to the regional economy.

Sitting in the centre of the country’s road and rail network means that Birmingham Airport is one of the UK’s most accessible airports. The management team has made a commitment for the airport to become a net zero carbon airport by the year 2033, prioritising zero carbon airport operations and minimising carbon offsets.