[canucklad]

Creating this topic in light of Clement Huang’s news item about airports adding even more retail outlets ……

Five airports with major new retail offerings

For me, airports have lost the balance when developing their space.

And who in their right mind decided that more shops equates to retail therapy, what exactly is retail therapy? And who coined the phrase ?
Never, ever have I said “ I’m stressed out, I need to relax, so I know, I’ll head off down to my local shopping mall” !
Oh and I’ll bring the wife and kids to get me totally chilled! !

With that in mind , 2 airports that I have an emotional attachment to and are now at opposite ends of my advocacy list are EDI and YVR

EDI used to be a joy to use, now it’s a journey into the mouth of the Retailasaur. The only thing missing after passing security is a line of shopping trolleys and a change machine to get a pound coin for the slot! Views of outside the terminal have pretty much vanished, giving the perception of no natural light. And it’s not even as if you’re getting a bargain. In most cases, especially booze and perfume , it’s cheaper to nip down my local Asda for a bargain !
Oh, and I have mentioned demands my news agents to see your travel documentation…….
Theraputic it’s NOT !

YVR, on the other hand epitomises the spirit of BC. Yes there are shops, but they’re not crammed into a space that makes them constantly in your face.
More importantly the planners realise that area’s of open space, doesn’t neccasarilly mean wasted revenue space. Rather it’s living space where people can meet , enjoy the art and importantly breath a breath away from the snorting nostrils of their Retailsaur.

[PeterCoultas]

A sad bit of news about yet more overpriced designer nonsense to fight your way through before the lounges or your flights.

There are still decent airports around but the 5 listed ones will all be less pleasant rather than more so. At least in SIN you can lie by the swimming pool.

Revamps (& BA-like enhancements) at previously great functional airports like Leeds (LBA), Portland (PDX) & LCY have made these airports less user-friendly than they were but, being relatively small, they are not yet total disasters. The nicest places are those airports where there are exhibition areas with something to look at other than shopping but there are not too many of those. At least now some places have better lounges – in the USA the Centurian at SFO springs to mind as a distinct improvement on US airline lounges.

[FDOS_UK]

They are maximising the return on assets and I don’t feel like helping.

These days, I rarely buy anything in airport shops, save the odd bottle of water.

[travelworld]

Of all the hundreds of airports I’ve visited London Stansted has to be the worst for this- it is impossible to reach the gates without walking past every single one of the shops. The route to the gates even doubles back on itself to do so. one of many reasons not to fly from there…

[Bath_VIP]

I find British airports the worse for the shopping maze and American airports the best. My impression is that American airports are bigger in size in any case and place more emphasis on places to eat rather than to shop.

I wonder if the bazaar approach is a hangover from the duty free days? That was always an incentive to shop in airports and it still exists in parts.

[Henryp1]

I quite like the shops as they are a distraction of airport life and useful to browse at times and buy. In the high end shops it’s easier to browse and view goods due to quiet shops, which help in the overall purchase either at the airport or elsewhere. I’m not always convinced that the prices are significantly cheaper.

But if I’m not looking to buy I just ignore the ships and walk by, I often like to purchase on board on the outward flight rather than the return or from the return airport.

There may be too many in some locations,

[FaroFlyer]

Am I alone in that I would happily pay a “Fast Track” fee to be able to avoid the Ikea like trawl through some retail outlet selling overpriced goods?

I have been known to accidentally let my wheelie knock over a display. Perhaps they should pay me to not go through their awful shops:-)

[Flightlevel]

They are a diversion from the bar if you have time to wait & Canuklad you know that those small airside baggage trollies are actually for duty free shopping! I miss those small shops that sell luggage tags one can label to suit friends & relatives, they’re fun to spend a few dollars!

[PeterCoultas]

we should all go with faro flyer

[Gin&Tonic]

Like others I find it annoying that I have to navigate my way through the smellies to reach lounges or gates, but I am happy to ignore the shops.
One particular one annoys me most is at Man T1 arrivals, after customs you have to navigate through a very small shop selling booze and chocolates, I have no idea why it’s there it’s not tax free of course, and I have never seen anyone using it. It blocks the exit as everybody tries to navigate baggage trollies through it and is just a stupid inconvenience and annoyance, but there again most of Man airport is.

[LuganoPirate]

Usually I ignore the shops as I find them overpriced and are yet more things to carry around. Not to mention if you’re tight on baggage weight and you’ve got to bring it back, it may tip you over on the scales and force you to pay an excess baggage fee.

[Poshgirl58]

Agree with FaroFlyer!

I want to chose my own perfume at a price that suits me and not be bombarded with some celebrity offering that smells like fly spray. Best buy in “duty free” was a Swarovski necklace which was half the high street and online price. Have used pre-ordering on VS, for collection on return journey, but only for something I really wanted that was £11.50 more in my local Asda for a smaller size.

Unless I am missing the point here, why do airports sell luggage, By the time you reach the shop you’ve probably checked in anyway, so what are you going to do with the empty suitcase. Okay, they may offer a collection on return service. The percentage of people who damage suitcases en route to airport must be very low, so how many do they actually sell?

[icenspice]

LOL FaroFlyer

When you have one of these accidents, do you just walk on pretending nothing has happened?

[MrMichael]

I am all for having shops at airports, the more the merrier. Like most posters on here, I rarely use them and find the drudge through and around them irritating. However with the huge rents they pay to the airports I know that money is keeping landing fees lower, and that is passed on as lower fares. So yes, frustrating, but next time you walk past the shops and see hoards of people buying their Toblerones, Dime Bars and Harrods Branded London Bus Tin shortbread, think of the few quid you have saved thanks to them. When you get back, do as I do, pop to Morrisons,Asda,Tesco,Sainsbury (other stores are available) and buy your Toblerone, Shortbread and Dime Bars at about 1/3rd of the price. I guess most of us can do without a bus shaped Harrods branded tin. 🙂

[Andrew66]

I just ignore the shops when passing through and head for the lounge ,doesn’t bother me that they are there , as MrM said they pay rents which enables the airport operator to keep passenger service charges lower , and the format must work , if you have a captive audience for 2 hours they will probably shop or eat/ drink , also another point as people refer to the British airports being the worst , it’s not just a departure lounge full of Brits , many foreign travellers perhaps wish to take home a Harrods present or a toy from Hamleys ?
My neighbours actually like their Harrods biscuit tin as a Xmas gift , it looks like you’ve made an effort when the truth is my wife who works at the airport is able to spend only 5 mins convienently purchasing some Xmas gifts at a shop local to her , and where else would she get her jumbo packs of Ferraro rocher on a 3 for 2 ?

[Author]

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