GERMANY. Fraport has highlighted how the integration of architecture, art, retail and dining is shaping the overall passenger experience at Frankfurt Airport in a video released today (4 September).
In the discussion, renowned artist Tobias Rehberger joins Fraport Senior Executive Vice President of Retail & Real Estate Dr Babett Stapel and Senior Executive Vice President of Aviation Alexander Laukenmann for a tour of the new Terminal 3, which opened in April.
The discussion explores its design concept and the thinking behind the passenger experience.
Fraport aims to turn time spent at the airport into a valuable part of the journey, with findings from its latest passenger survey indicating the approach is well received by travellers.
The study found that 87% of respondents viewed T3 positively and said it met their expectations for a modern, attractive airport terminal.
Among the features most frequently highlighted are the building’s design, the quality of the experience and the overall atmosphere. Design and ambience are also important considerations when respondents assess the retail and dining offer.
The role of art in modern airport design
The tour showcases Tobias Rehberger’s works, prominently featured throughout T3. The artworks were designed to go beyond decoration, forming an integral part of the passenger journey.
Rehberger said: “Airports are places of transition. I was interested in the question of how such transit spaces can be transformed into places that people consciously perceive and with which they identify.”
The tour takes visitors through the Long Gone tunnel and into the Endless Truth lounge, before continuing past the No Where stele and towards the Turn Left desk in the central marketplace.
The area brings art, dining, retail and leisure into the passenger journey.
In an interview, Stapel explained how art, lounge areas, dining, wayfinding and shopping have been considered as part of the wider experience, while Laukenmann offers a perspective from flight operations.
Redefining the Frankfurt Airport experience
Among the features that stood out most to respondents were the lounge furniture outside the gate areas, the striking drop ceiling in the central marketplace and the terminal’s colour scheme.
The same emphasis on atmosphere, layout and design extends to the retail and dining areas, which also attracted positive feedback.
The findings align with Fraport’s vision for T3, where commercial spaces form an integral part of the passenger journey rather than being separate components.
Fraport intends to build on this approach across the entire airport in the future.
‘The art of retail in the heart of Europe’
With its position as an international gateway, Frankfurt Airport serves as a key marketplace for retail and dining, providing a prominent platform for brands and concepts.
Across the two terminals, the airport features at least 230 retail outlets, including 170 shops and service facilities alongside 60 restaurants, bars and cafés.
Together, the stores make up approximately 35,000sq m of shopping and dining space across the airport.
Reflecting Frankfurt Airport’s vision, ‘The Art of Retail in the Heart of Europe’, Fraport’s retail management team, led by Executive Board Member Julia Kranenberg, focuses on combining essential services with a broad retail and dining offer.
This enables brands to reach a broader global audience, maximise visibility throughout the customer journey and connect with consumers when they are open to discovery and purchase. ✈
