Birmingham Airport: Major car park update issued ahead of May half term as firm 'suspends operations' leaving passengers stranded

Birmingham Airport has issued a major update ahead of the May half term and bank holiday. The airport has announced that its off-site meet-and-greet parking provider will be 'suspending' its operations from Tuesday 21 May. 

Blue Circle provides the car parking services, and does so as well as at Heathrow and Luton airports. The firm is in the process of contacting customers, which affects those with future bookings. Refunds are being offered, the airport said.

John Woodward was among dozens of passengers who were left standing in the torrential rain outside Birmingham Airport in the early hours of Wednesday (22 May) unable to access the meet and greet service he had booked with Blue Circle. The 71-year-old from Bridgnorth said he and his wife Jill had booked the meet and greet service via TuiUK and Birmingham Airport and dropped their car off 10 days ago, leaving their keys with Blue Circle, then landed at 4.15am from Turkey and described trying to contact Blue Circle, but with no answer.

Birmingham Airport posted on X, formerly Twitter: "#BHX has been informed by the off-site meet and greet parking provider, Blue Circle, that the company has suspended operations.

"Blue Circle is in the process of contacting its customers who have a future booking to cancel and refund. For customers impacted, and who still require parking, Birmingham Airport on-site official parking can be booked here: https://birminghamairport.co.uk/airport-parking/."

Birmingham Airport said it and NCP teams had been actively trying to assist impacted travellers. A spokesperson told BBC News : "Blue Circle customers with future bookings with this provider will be contacted by the operator." They added customers who had booked through third party parking consolidators should check and contact them accordingly.