Midwest Executive Aviation has agreed a joint venture with British Airways CitiExpress at Birmingham International Airport to provide corporate aircraft handling services at Terminal 2. This venture will enable Midwest to provide an FBO style service for aircraft operators that need the use of a terminal facility and an executive lounge for chartered aircraft involving large numbers of business passengers.

Previously, aircraft over 9,000 kgs visiting Birmingham have had to be handled and the passengers processed through the main terminal with scheduled and IT flights. “It gives the client airline a rare opportunity to be handled in an executive way, through an international terminal,” explains Midwest md Craig Middleton.

“We can offer a full comprehensive service of dedicated check-in area, use of the terraces executive lounge, full security screening, duty free purchases and covered departure gates,” he continued.

“New regulations stipulating the need for mandatory security for ad-hoc charter aircraft lead us to look for an answer to the problem at Birmingham Airport, and this opportunity with British Airways CitiExpress was the perfect answer,” said Middleton.

Bringing its UK FBO tally to five, Midwest Executive Aviation will be opening its fifth UK facility at Edinburgh Airport on October 1. The FBO will comprise of full dedicated facilities such as passenger lounge, crew rest area, flight planning, met briefs and business communication facilities.

The company’s newly-appointed station manager Alan Aitken summarised the importance of the latest edition to the Midwest chain: “In the UK we cover the Midlands region with Coventry and Birmingham, our Newquay Airport FBO provides services to the south west region, Durham Tees Valley, provides for the north east, so our natural progression was northwards.”

Formed in 2001 with the launch FBO opening at Coventry Airport, Midwest Executive Aviation has expanded quickly and achieved fifth place in the 2003 EBAN FBO survey. According to the company, its latest openings place Midwest Executive as the second largest chain of FBOs in the UK.

“We are proud of what we have achieved in such a short space of time, which is largely down to the dedication of our staff for providing such a first class service and having the same enthusiasm and ambitions for the company as our senior management and directors,” commented Middleton.

“Edinburgh was always on our wish-list and it tied in nicely when an opportunity arose to acquire Cair UK (formerly Comet Handling) at Edinburgh, which also enabled us to launch Midwest Aviation Services, providing airport terminal services at Edinburgh.”