UK. London City Airport has upgraded its departure lounge with a significant investment to enhance the passenger experience, supported by SSP Group, Lagardère Travel Retail, WHSmith and Boots.
The Moodie Davitt Report was on location yesterday (29 August) to discover the duty-free expansion, as well as the revamped food & beverage outlets.
As reported, Lagardère Travel Retail unveiled the expanded Aelia Duty Free store at the airport last year. It features a blend of international brands and local businesses to highlight a distinctive Sense of Place.
According to London City Airport CEO Alison FitzGerald, the lounge renovation project was completed in phases over two years so that the airport could keep running with minimal disruption.
She told The Moodie Davitt Report: “We stripped everything back and looked at it as if it were a new departure lounge, rather than trying to fit things where they might just need to be. We looked at it in terms of the best use of space to give customers the best possible experience.”
The upgrade has increased seating in the departure lounge by +30%, with increased access to charging stations.
The airport has halved its security queuing time with CT scanners and added a fresh restaurant concept in partnership with SSP: Hithes.
It is SSP’s fourth outlet at London City Airport, joining Juniper & Co. Bar & Brasserie and two Soul + Grain units – one landside and one airside.
The independent café & bar Soul + Grain crafts its beverages in partnership with Extract Coffee Roasters and offers freshly baked food-to-go.
FitzGerald remarked: “We are delighted to unveil our upgraded departure lounge, which builds on our unrivalled customer experience and commitment to providing one of London’s best passenger experiences.
“Over the last couple of years we have taken the opportunity to redevelop our entire proposition, including the roll out of cutting-edge security scanners.
“The offer of new restaurants and shopping experiences celebrate some of the leading brands from our East London neighbourhood.”
London City Airport currently serves 35 destinations, with an almost even split between business and leisure travellers.
‘Bringing London into the store’
The support for local businesses echoes throughout the airport, with Aelia Duty Free showcasing quintessentially British brands including Earl of East, the East London Liquor Company, Little Bird Gin and The London Honey Company.
The Aelia Duty Free store features an open layout with wooden flooring that blends seamlessly with the passenger walkway. The shopping experience starts with perfumes and cosmetics, moves through confectionery, and concludes with liquor.
Estée Lauder’s digital makeover tool lets shoppers try on the latest products without applying them directly, a feature that Lagardère Travel Retail General Manager Deon Jooste described as a “remainder of the COVID era”.
He noted the bespoke Dr. Barbara Sturm display, which is currently adorned with cherry blossoms, can be modified easily. A skincare and make up unit has been added to the Chanel gondola, which earlier only stocked perfumes.
A dedicated high-profile promotion area encourages flexibility and brand collaborations, serving as a ‘launch pad’ for new products.
Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland CEO Peter Newbould said: “This transformation was meticulously crafted to meet the unique character and needs of London City.
“A key feature of the store is the ‘Sense of Place’ area, which allows passengers to engage with local brands, offering a distinctive and memorable shopping experience.”
Gifting is a major focus for Aelia, with brands such as Jo Malone providing pre-gift wrapped products. Jooste noted that Christmas decorations are a hit year-round.
“Our idea with Sense of Place was focused on bringing London into the store,” he said, highlighting brands such as Ahmad Tea London and Melt Chocolates.
The store’s click & collect service has also been enhanced with more visual advertising to encourage tech-savvy passengers to pre-order products. The mobile application offers consumers an extra -10% discount as an incentive.
Elevating the dining experience
SSP’s new restaurant, Hithes, combines pub dining with a modern London brasserie. The eatery, opened on 15 July, is part of a seven-year contract extension SSP secured at London City Airport last year.
The eatery takes its name from an Old English word for ‘small port or harbour on a river’, drawing inspiration from former ports along the River Thames. The interiors incorporate dark oak panelling and terracotta tiles inspired by Edwardian architecture.
It offers dishes such as Brick Lane chicken thali, fish & chips and Soho salad. The drinks menu includes wines, beers, soft drinks and cocktails, with some options featuring local brands from across the capital.
The menu has been designed to include low carbon footprint dishes, created using ingredient-level insights from SSP’s food sustainability science partner Klimato.
SSP UK and Ireland Business Development Director Cathy Granby commented: “Hithes is an exciting new concept for us, developed to fuse old and new London at this rapidly expanding airport.
“It joins SSP’s existing Juniper and Soul + Grain outlets, providing more choice and bespoke menus for passengers at this busy airport.”
Premium bar and restaurant concept Juniper & Co. now features 80 additional seats. It offers locally sourced produce, including items from Paul Rhodes Bakery, Forman’s salmon, local cheeses, and a selection of local spirits.
Big Penny Brews serves craft beers and provides customers with a panoramic view of the airfield and the River Thames.
Marketing Manager Frank Stanley Maguire noted: “Beer is 35% of our sales here as we also do coffees and food, and almost 60% of drinks sold here are crafted in a 6 to 10-mile radius.”
With its revamped departure lounge, London City Airport is not just updating facilities – it aims to transform the way passengers experience travel. The upgrade blends local charm with modern convenience to position the airport as a destination in itself. ✈
Scroll to see more photographs from the airport
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining.
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