A bomb scare forces hundreds to evacuate Birmingham Airport as flights are delayed for hours

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A bomb scare forced hundreds of holidaymakers to evacuate Birmingham Airport on Wednesday afternoon as flights were canceled and delayed.

Passengers were ordered to leave the airport, the seventh busiest in the UK, as bomb disposal experts rushed to inspect a suspicious vehicle parked near the building.

The delays also included flights to Paris, Madrid and Tenerife, as some passengers had to wait on the tarmac for hours due to travel chaos. At least one flight was canceled.

One passenger responded to the airport’s post on social media: “Sat on a plane at the airport and been here for an hour.”

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Another added: “My mother is stuck on a plane on the runway in Birmingham returning from Spain. No one is allowed to leave the plane.”

West Midlands Police said customers were evacuated and a cordon was set up after reports of a suspicious vehicle outside an airport terminal.

“Following a search by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, the vehicle was deemed safe. “The vehicle is no longer being treated as suspicious,” said a police spokesman.

“Everyone’s safety was our primary concern and as a precautionary measure the airport was partially evacuated so the vehicle could be searched and assessed.”

The airport reopened after hours of disruption and passengers were advised to check current flight information at terminals before arriving.

Amid the chaos, one passenger said on social media: “Damn, I was supposed to be going on holiday and I’ve just arrived at Birmingham airport, everything is cordoned off. “Damn typical of that…”

Another frustrated passenger added: “I’m stuck on a plane, claustrophobic and begging to get off. How long will this situation last?”

It was the second time the airport was evacuated this year, following a security incident on a plane in mid-April.

A specialist police unit searched the plane after an unknown package was found on an Aer Lingus flight that had departed from Belfast.

In this case, police described the incident as a “bogus call with very good intentions” as the airport remained closed throughout the afternoon.

A spokesman for Birmingham Airport said this The Independent: “The airport is working closely with its airline partners to minimize possible disruptions for customers.

“Most of the flights that were on the ground have now departed. There was only one canceled flight.

“Customers are still advised to check their flight status with their airline. We apologize again for the inconvenience caused to our passengers.

“The safety of everyone at the airport was our top priority as we dealt with this incident with law enforcement partners.”