London Luton Airport has appointed incumbent LS travel retail and Aelia as the operator of its new walk-through flagship duty free/travel retail 1,700sq m store ahead of several competing bids for the business.

It was in 2005 when the current passenger terminal was opened at LTN, but Aelia has actually been trading there since 2004.

Last year, when asked if a decade’s worth of Luton Airport-specific experience would put them in a strong position, Fin Casey, Managing Director of LS travel retail UK & Ireland told TRBusiness: “I think any incumbent would automatically feel that they are in a strong position. We know the numbers, we know the demographic, the potential.”

Airport management says that this new store forms the centrepiece of a complete transformation of LLA’s retail and dining offer when the first phase opens in late 2015. It is also one of four outlets planned, with a further express/last minute store, a M.A.C. island unit and what LS travel retail describes as a ‘new breed of arrivals store’.

 

This is all separate from the additional tender programme, which will seek to find retailers for Luton’s further 7,000sq m of prime retail space.

 

In August 2014, Casey said he was not surprised that the LTN tender was a big talking point. “I’m not surprised the press has picked up on this tender. Duty Free tenders are few and far between in the UK market and have been, in my memory, since I entered travel retail, so it’s a significant event in that regard. Contracts of this value don’t get tendered in the UK very often any more. Back in the day I guess…

“Add that to the fact that we’re talking about a London Airport with big development plans and big changes afoot under the new shareholders…this is just the beginning.”

Airport management says the ‘ground breaking new store’ will be central to its £100m ($149m) redevelopment plans: “LS travel retail, the incumbent operator, will offer great choice and value with leading and iconic brands including Chanel, Burberry, Jo Malone, Tom Ford and M.A.C.

“Such brands reflect the passenger demographics at LLA. Seventy nine per cent of travellers at the airport are ABC1s, while a fifth are business passengers. The new retail space will also complement LLA’s amazing new £1m ($1.4m) Executive Lounge which will open this summer.”

 

 

The total retail space at the airport is now expected to more than double to over 8,700sq m as Luton Airport runs a major tender programme for the remaining 43 concessions available. It says these stores will be split into four distinct zones to deliver ‘the best adjacencies’ for retailers and restaurant operators: Luxury, Affordable Luxury, High Street and Food & Beverage.

 

Commenting, Rupert Lawrie, London Luton Airport’s (LLA) Commercial Director said: “We are creating an incredible new retail space that will exceed the expectations of our passengers. LS travel retail has proved to be a truly fantastic partner and through the tender has shown that it understands and shares our vision for the future of the Airport.

 

 

“The new 1,700sq m walk-through Duty Free Store, together with a further 7,000sq m of exciting retail and dining options will create a unique experience within UK aviation. We are focused on ensuring the very best possible experience for passengers choosing to fly to over 100 destinations from one of London’s’ fastest growing airports.”

 

Fin Casey, Managing Director of LS travel retail UK & Ireland added: “For LLA we have developed a unique retail vision highlighting: “It’s a London thing”, mixing the iconic features and latest trends of London. The Aelia Duty Free Next Generation retail concept will deliver the best of duty free with a highly localised look and feel.

 

 

“In particular key features, such as our new Whisky Studio and tasting bar, the ‘London Luton Market’ and the ‘Best of London, England’ will become reference point features within this ground breaking store design. All LLA passengers will discover the Aelia Duty Free unique ‘Art of the Gift’: this will be the signature of the retail concept.

 

 

“Passengers will enjoy gift advice, gift wrapping, design features such as “Aelia Duty Free Gift Tower”. The experience in LLA will be easy and seamless thanks to new and innovative digital features: tablets for the staff, iBeacons, and the new website aeliadutyfree.com allowing pre-order.”