LUXEMBOURG. Luxembourg Airport and its concessionaire partners have opened the first in a series of new retail and dining units, after commercial contracts began on 1 November.
As reported, in July lux-Airport awarded ten-year contracts to Lagardère Travel Retail (retail and duty free), SSP in partnership with Oberweis (F&B) and Valora Luxembourg (CTN).
The deployment of the new offer is planned in three phases from this month. Today (11 January), the first three points of sale were inaugurated by airport management, business partners and Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure François Bausch.
Art of the gift: Luxembourg Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure François Bausch (left) officially opens the new Aelia Duty Free store with Lagardère Travel Retail France General Manager Michel Perol |
The new points of sale constitute the first major transformation of the terminal interior since it opened in 2008. Overall the floor space dedicated to shopping and catering activities will exceed 2,000sq m, up by +20% from previously.
The construction works are being carried out mainly during the Winter season and the project will be completed in Spring.
Starbucks (landside)
The inauguration of Starbucks is the first in a series of new F&B openings. New concepts from the SSP/Oberweis partnership will include Oberweis (shop and restaurant), Lux Brewery, Moselier, Petit Moselier and Panopolis, as well as an Oberweis Brasserie and a Comptoir du Bon Pays.
Open since Monday 4 January, Starbucks is the coffee chain’s first outlet in Luxembourg. It is housed in 115sq m of space and is located airside in front of the west entrance to the terminal.
Press & Books (landside)
Valora Luxembourg has inaugurated the renovated Press & Books outlet landside in 55sq m of space. It is linked with the soon-to-open Oberweis unit next door.
Press statement: Minister Bausch cuts the ribbon with Myriam Filali, General Manager of Valora Luxembourg |
Already in place at Zürich Airport, the Press & Books concept offers modern furniture and shelving, and a range of titles in various languages (German, French, English, Luxembourgish and Portuguese in particular), plus beverages, snacks, tobacco, telephone cards and souvenirs. The new airside Press & Books outlet opened in October 2015.
Aelia Duty Free Luxembourg (airside)
The new airside retail outlet by Aelia Duty Free Luxembourg prompted a reorganisation of passenger flows, making it possible to enlarge the space significantly and to optimise the use of space in the Departures area, noted lux-Airport.
After going through security checks, all passengers will encounter the store on their way to the Schengen and non-Schengen lounges.
At 595sq m, the store is more than double the size of the previous duty free outlet. It is based on Aelia Duty Free’s “˜Art of the gift’ concept by Lagardère Travel Retail.
Johan Vanneste, CEO of lux-Airport, said: “I am very happy to inaugurate these first three points of sale, which represent an initial major step in the process of recasting the shopping and catering offer at Luxembourg Airport. This ambitious project is undertaken in compliance with the initial schedule thanks to the joint efforts of the operators and lux-Airport teams, while maintaining the normal running of the operations. It is implemented in a period of a very rapid increase in airport traffic and will help cope with this sharp rise by providing enhanced comfort and services to passengers and visitors.”
Adding a new flavour: Gérard d’Onofrio, General Manager of SSP France, Benelux opens the first Starbucks in Luxembourg with Minister Bausch |
SSP France, Benelux General Manager Gérard d’Onofrio said: “We are proud to have opened the first Starbucks in Luxembourg. We have positioned our catering offer in terms of innovation and quality and this opening represents the first step of this renovation project at the side of lux-Airport, with which we share a goal for excellence, to provide customers with an experience that lives up to their expectations.”
Valora Luxembourg General Manager Myriam Filali said: “We are thrilled to open a second point of sale in a revamped Luxembourg Airport. The success of our new generation Press & Books airside had made us impatient to open this bookshop landside.
“We are convinced that we can provide our customers with as efficient a service in a modern, warm and dynamic environment. I would like to thank all the technical contributors: the multi-skilled Valora team, the teams of lux-Airport and our subcontractors who have acted with flexibility and have always been ready to address our requests. We are starting 2016 on a positive note and are delighted with this cooperation with lux-Airport for the ten years to come.”
Lagardère Travel Retail France General Manager Michel Perol added: “I am proud to take part in this new adventure with lux-Airport, and I am sure that this partnership will rapidly prove a great success thanks to the professionalism of the teams of lux-Airport and the strength of our commercial concepts.
“At Luxembourg Airport, we present to travellers the modern nature of our international brand Aelia Duty Free “˜Next Generation’, which comprises all categories of products, including fashion, whilst projecting regional values. Beyond this first inauguration, the openings planned in 2016 will illustrate the quality of our retail standards, particularly with the opening of a unique concept developed for Luxembourg, the House of Delights, featuring a whole range of local gastronomic products.”
In 2015, the airport welcomed nearly 2.7 million passengers, an increase of around +9% compared with 2014. Passenger traffic is expected to climb by +6% in 2016 to around 2.85 million.
