Retail stores in Hall K, Terminal 2E of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport opened last month. More … [+]
Airport retailers are relieved that new recommendations from the aviation industry’s global standards-setter have been gentler than they might have been on the shopping aspect of the passenger journey.
Travel retail, worth more than $60 billion annually according to the industry’s lead body the Duty Free World Council, is reeling from huge sales declines. Nevertheless in the context of Covid-19, this retail business—despite its importance to airport revenues—is considered ‘non-essential’.
In light of the unfolding pandemic and its particular impact on travel, the International Civil Aviation Organization—a United Nations governing agency—rapidly convened a taskforce to develop a recovery plan.
Thanks to a coordinated effort from the Duty Free World Council and regional travel retail and airport associations including Airports Council International, ICAO’s recommendation have given clear support for airport shopping.
In a webinar this week to update global duty-free executives on the industry’s state of play, DFWC President, Sarah Branquinho, said: “We were keen to avoid unworkable regulations being imposed on us through a lack of understanding of our revenue-generating role in the aviation sector.”
Shops can help to spread passengers out
Given that ICAO’s core focus in airports is the protection of customers and staff from Covid-19, among the points raised by the duty-free industry was the prevention of traffic flow bottle-necks.
In particular, with passengers at increasing numbers of airports having no option but to go through a store after security screening in order get to their gates, closing off these retail areas would lead to reduced social distancing and increased infection risks.
ICAO has acknowledged this. Its report says: “The post-security terminal airside area is an area of high passenger traffic, with few physical barriers and usually wide-open space.” The organization adds: “Consideration needs to be given to the temporary need for physical distancing, while also providing passengers with access to the retail, duty-free concessions and food and beverage offerings.”
Duty free association DFWC was successful in convincing ICAO that closing off retail areas could … [+]
Branquinho comments: “That’s hugely positive for us. We have also had some key wins as an industry such as allowing the opening of duty free shops as traffic returns, and no ‘essential retail only’ rules that had been proposed in many countries. There is also the recognition that shopping areas are part of the airport infrastructure and should be used fully to ensure physical distancing.”
ICAO’s position is crucial as it will ensure a rethink from safety regulators in many countries who have blocked the re-opening of ‘non-essential’ retail. DFWC is urging travel retailers to bring the new guidelines to the attention of their airport partners and national aviation safety regulators.
The recommendations have come at an opportune time. As carriers like American Airlines
France’s busiest airport Paris Charles de Gaulle reopened the majority of its sales outlets in Terminal 2E, Hall K, on May 20 after several weeks of closure, and after steep falls in traffic in April. The stores sell beauty, fashion, liquor and tobacco, accessories, gastronomy and take-away foods.
Health protocols for the stores include compulsory wearing of masks, limited passengers in shops, floor markings for one-meter social distancing, the provision of hydro-alcoholic gel, plexiglas windows at cash desks, and a push for more ‘contactless’ payments.
Mathieu Daubert, Customer Director at Groupe ADP, the operator of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, tells Forbes.com: “Our main objective is to guarantee the safety of the store staff and of our passengers to create an atmosphere of confidence. We will open further stores as soon as the numbers in our terminals is significant.”
According to Groupe ADP between 5,000 and 7,000 passengers are being processed every day including international passengers connecting through Paris.
