 |
The new T2 at Dublin Airport will add 9,000sq m of commercial space |
IRELAND. Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has unveiled its commercial vision for the new Terminal 2, which will add 9,000sq m of retail and food & beverage space at Dublin Airport. The new terminal is scheduled to be fully open by November 2010.
The 75,000sq m T2 will have capacity for 12 million passengers a year. Of the commercial space at T2, 80% will be airside with 20% landside.
Crucially, all passengers will have to pass by the retail zones, which until recently, was not the case in the existing T1.
DAA last week held a marketing launch in London (which followed an earlier event in Dublin on 2 April) for many of the key retail and F&B concessions, which it is putting out to market soon. There are around 30 units on offer. DAA will directly operate the core travel retail categories in-house.
In Departures there are a number of key retail spaces, ranging from 50sq m to 1,100sq m, plus kiosks of 20-36sq m. The primary food & beverage outlets are on a mezzanine level above Departures, with secondary F&B units on the main shopping floor.
DAA Director Retail Paul Neeson said: “Our challenge is to manage 250 million passengers through Dublin Airport in the next ten years. Historically there has been under-investment in the airport, but it has now outgrown itself, with passenger numbers doubling in the past ten years to 23.5 million in 2008.
“Now we have the opportunity to do something new, something different with T2. We have 9,000sq m of additional space, which will allow us to introduce new concepts and to take some risks. We want the major international brands, but we also want independent, niche, regional and national brands to feel they have a place at Dublin Airport too. We want to create a Sense of Place, to give us a point of difference as the gateway to Ireland.
“Passengers will benefit from a far better travel experience in the new terminal. It’s bright and modern, with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. The building is also designed to add comfort to the flow of passengers as they pass through it. Airports are not often recognised for offering a pleasant experience, but we want passengers to see us differently.”
New retail brand
The drive for difference will be underpinned by a new retail brand, The Loop, which will be applied across Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, and embrace all concessions, plus DAA’s own in-house business. Its core proposition, DAA said, is to offer “a great new experience, with the best brands from home and abroad, at a price not beaten by the high street.” Full details of the new brand will emerge soon.
Neeson said: “Through our partners and our new brand we will deliver a number of things. One of those is a promise on price, where we will guarantee that our prices will never be beaten on the domestic market. That will be backed by some fantastic customer service initiatives, and will aid our new retail partners provide a great environment for passengers.”
 |
“˜Ã“l – Waters of the World’ is one of the key features of the new T1 extension, to be followed next year by the opening of T2 |
The marketing launch of T2 followed the day after DAA unveiled its new extension to T1 at Dublin Airport. Neeson said per passenger spend on day one – last Wednesday – was up by +26%, and he hailed the development of new concepts there such as Ól – Waters of the World’, a bar which houses around 50 different brands of mineral water in the main travel retail store.
“With the new T1, and with T2 coming, this will position Dublin Airport as one of the great airports in Europe over the coming years,” said Neeson.
A detailed review of Dublin Airport’s new Terminal 2 will appear in The Moodie Report Digital Print Edition for May, out soon.
MORE STORIES ON DUBLIN AIRPORT AUTHORITY
Dublin Airport unveils major T1 extension; creates fresh new look for commercial areas – 23/04/09
Dublin Airport Authority calls London meeting to discuss T2 commercial opportunities – 15/04/09
[comments]
