HAL are enhancing T5
Sep 3, 2014, 4:59 pm
#91
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Edinburgh UK
Programs: BA Silver, HHonours Gold, Mucci of Pucci, Oyster Card, Nectar Card, Father's Day Card
Posts: 9,372
I want to be given a choice not to have to walk though the shops.
Oct 2, 2014, 2:27 am
#92
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,213
It does appear that T5 has become a bookshop free zone (token selections at three WHS notwithstanding)
Oct 2, 2014, 3:45 am
#94
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: Not much these days: BA Silver, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 1,326
(I know you could buy another Kindle at Dixons, register your account and download some of your books again, but in the old days you'd just have bought a book or two, which would have been a bit cheaper...)
Oct 2, 2014, 5:47 am
#96
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LHR
Posts: 396
You're right - other airports haven't developed the same hassle factor as HAL (or GAL...or other former BAA airports) [although some Scandinavian airports are heading that way...like CPH]. I suspect they had a view on global competition more than BAA did in the day (it was a monopoly after all) and focused on passenger experience, including convenience, above retail exposure.
Oct 2, 2014, 5:59 am
#97
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: US of A
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, BA Blue, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,775
HAL are yet to take a hint from other airports and offer free (and not time-limited) wifi. So many companies (both in terms of forms of transport and bricks and mortar places) are jumping on that good bandwagon that I hope that it will only be a matter of time.
Oct 2, 2014, 6:03 am
#98
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 399
Oct 2, 2014, 7:16 am
#100
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,850
The actual reason, of course, is that books have a mark up around 20% or so on a Ł10 unit price, cosmetics well north of 50% on Ł20 unit price. So if an airport is on revenue sharing, and most of them are, then Fortnum and Mason here we come.
Oct 2, 2014, 7:18 am
#101
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
Brussels has recently (well since I last flew from there) added a forced route through the shop. There's now a door blocking the traditional path for "authorised personnel only" which would save at least 30 seconds.
As I was still at the EU parliament a mere 55 minutes before my SN flight was due to take off yesterday, I was not impressed. Very tempted to "accidentally" knock several things off shelves as I barrelled from the EU exit post to the security at B gates.
As I was still at the EU parliament a mere 55 minutes before my SN flight was due to take off yesterday, I was not impressed. Very tempted to "accidentally" knock several things off shelves as I barrelled from the EU exit post to the security at B gates.
Oct 2, 2014, 10:17 am
#102
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,370
I really do dislike it. I almost never buy anything in duty free (especially not in the UK) so forcing me to walk through perfumes, chocolates and drinks - along with pushy "sales advisers" isn't going to make me more likely to spend my money. I just want to get to the lounge/bar/gate as soon as possible.
AGP is another offender. They recently remodelled the area after security to make you walk through the duty free shop.
Oct 2, 2014, 10:20 am
#103
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,619
Not surprisingly the newly "enhanced" STN departure area (owned by MAG) now includes a compulsory walk through duty free shop.
I really do dislike it. I almost never buy anything in duty free (especially not in the UK) so forcing me to walk through perfumes, chocolates and drinks - along with pushy "sales advisers" isn't going to make me more likely to spend my money. I just want to get to the lounge/bar/gate as soon as possible.
AGP is another offender. They recently remodelled the area after security to make you walk through the duty free shop.
I really do dislike it. I almost never buy anything in duty free (especially not in the UK) so forcing me to walk through perfumes, chocolates and drinks - along with pushy "sales advisers" isn't going to make me more likely to spend my money. I just want to get to the lounge/bar/gate as soon as possible.
AGP is another offender. They recently remodelled the area after security to make you walk through the duty free shop.
You buy things if you want, you walk straight on if you don't.
Oct 2, 2014, 10:34 am
#104
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
Programs: BA gold
Posts: 3,902
Rather embarrassingly (considering I go through SYD T1 enough times to know better), I only just successfully managed to find the shortest route though SYD T1's duty-free maze by bearing right as possible around the bend into the general area.
Oct 2, 2014, 10:48 am
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
It's not been the same ever since they removed the escape staircase that took you straight up to the lounge corridor before you even reached the main part of the shop ...