Arrived back yesterday from a few weeks in Florida.
Originally this trip was booked on the United flight. Once that was cancelled, the routing we ended up with was....
BHX-FRA-Toronto-Florida Southwest ( RSW/Fort Myers) out
RSW-Newark-FRA-BHX return
No problems at all out from BHX, security was good, flight on time, 06.15 to Frankfurt, fairly full.
Did not enjoy transiting Frankfurt, security was a mare. Huge queues, everyone going through the body scanner, and it seemed everyone having a rather aggressive pat down after the body scanner.
Transiting Toronto was OK, especially as you clear US immigration, yet another body scan as well.
Had to wait quite a while for bags in RSW, at least 30 mins.
Return was good, much prefer flying from the smaller airports in the US. RSW is fairly busy though handles about 9m pax per year. No queues for security in FRA on the return although body scanned again with the same aggressive pat down after.
We were on the lunchtime FRA flight and on landing at BHX, arrivals was really busy, but again immigration was being very well managed. Had to walk the usual barrier snake, but by the time we got to the egates, there were only a few people in front, and we were straight through. So, by now about 10 minutes after landing, got to the baggage belt and our cases were going around, could not have been happier.
So on this trip we went through 5 airports and the best experience without a doubt was BHX.
Just a word on RSW, an airport that never really gets mentioned when Florida destinations are discussed. We have used this a few times in the past and it is a great airport for the lower gulf coast of Florida, and only 2-3 hours drive from Tampa, St Petes, Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. We drove back from just North of Key West on Thursday in 4 hours so not bad for that either. There are not any direct flights from the UK to RSW, although there are quite a few from Germany in the summer. Eurowings are operating 12 flights a week during the summer from 3 airports in Germany. Maybe the RD team could discuss with TUI, Primera etc, but probably whistling in the wind really. It is certainly an under served area of Florida for flights direct from the UK and would be a bit of a niche destination.