GERMANY. Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has unveiled four new Camel-branded smoking lounges at Frankfurt International Airport’s recently opened Pier A-Plus. The openings are the latest stage of an eight-year relationship between JTI and the airport’s advertising subsidiary Media Frankfurt.
In 2004 JTI installed open smoking stations at Frankfurt. This was followed by small smoking cabins with special ventilation, and now the full lounge concept – which has been enhanced greatly in ventilation, design and comfort since JTI first pioneered the concept in 2003.
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Media Frankfurt’s Simone Schwab (left), JTI’s David Francis and Fraport Vice President Retail Ute Pohl officially open the Pier A-Plus Camel smoking lounges |
Frankfurt Airport now features more than 220sq m of smoking facilities for the approximately 12 million smoking passengers that JTI estimates transfer through the airport each year. Five additional smoking lounges will be added in the near future.
JTI Vice President Worldwide Duty Free David Francis said: “Over 20% of adult passengers are smokers and their choice of airports is influenced by the availability of smoking areas. Providing these travellers with state-of-the-art lounges is a competitive advantage for airports. As a result, Frankfurt Airport is recognised for its commitment to passenger service.”
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The Camel-branded smoking lounges (above and below) at Frankfurt Pier A-Plus transform the environment for smokers and non-smokers alike, say the partners |
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Media Frankfurt General Manager Simone Schwab told The Moodie Report that the smoking lounge programme is one of several sponsored customer service initiatives implemented by the agency. She added that JTI’s partnership was an excellent example of how the airport can partner other companies to both provide customer service and generate revenue.
Schwab said: “We have chosen this forward-looking concept to meet the needs of all our passengers. Specially ventilated smoking lounges are the perfect solution for both smokers and non-smokers, and are particularly important in transit areas for our connecting passengers.”
Frankfurt Airport is one of several international airports to have opened JTI smoking facilities, including airports in Dubai, Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow and Munich.
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(L-r) JTI Worldwide Duty Free Brand Equity Smoking Lounges Manager Daniele Gatti, Head of Brand Equity Smoking Lounges Edward Callegari, Vice President Consumer & Trade Marketing Ming Lee Foo and David Francis |
