Airports shopping manager Westfield says it has created a new approach to airport development that will transform the customer experience and grow both airports and airline non-aeronautical revenues – “One Airport Journey. One Holistic Experience.”.

Westfield described this new approach as ‘an all-inclusive development strategy’ that the company believes will deliver the ‘seamless experience’ desired by passengers/customers, guided by information from home to the airport kerb, the gate and beyond.

“Today’s consumers expect more than concessions upgrades,” said Dominic Lowe, Executive Vice President, Westfield.

“They want a seamless journey, one that’s connected physically and digitally – one that’s personalised to reduce the uncertainty, stress and tension today’s air travellers face. We’re excited to partner and co-invest with airports and airlines to develop and manage a cohesive customer journey that increases customer satisfaction and revenue.”

Ziba Ghassemi, Director of Design at Westfield.

For the uninitiated, Westfield works with more than 700 retailers over 640,000sq ft of retail and f&b services, with its managed airport locations generating more than $860m in annual sales. It also has multiple presences at shopping centres in the US domestic market in addition to a presence in the UK.

Westfield currently operates at several US airports, including Los Angeles, Houston George Bush, Miami, Orlando, Chicago O’Hare, New York JFK, Newark Liberty and Boston Logan.

The company says that today it is building on 50 years of global experience in retail innovation, designing, funding, building and managing next-generation airport environments around the globe.

Dufry at Chicago O’Hare Airport.

Ziba Ghassemi, Director of Design, Westfield said: “Today airports and airlines are competing fiercely on a global scale and customers expect more. They want fresh, they want exciting, engaging… they want an efficient experience that provides them with time to shop, dine and relax – an experience that begins at home and continues across their journey from the kerb to the gate and beyond.”

Across its entire business, Westfield claims to be currently spending around $12bn to improve the customer experience in all of the locations where it operates, but it says that this new ‘all-inclusive development strategy’ is now built on its unique ability to create, curate, innovate and partner. It defines these four qualities as follows:

Los Angeles International Airport.

CREATE: A new customer journey that begins at home and continues from the curb, to the gate and beyond. An efficient experience, giving customers time to shop, dine and relax. Inviting sightlines, integrated dining and retail.

CURATE: A signature blend of local dining and retail with the finest international offerings and amenities. A distinct sense of place, connecting people to each airport’s culture, city and soul. Fresh ingredients, exciting brands and engaging design with elements that surprise and delight.

INNOVATE: An open, digital platform, guiding customers along a personalized journey. A customized user interface that is personalized based on each customer’s travel itinerary, location, flight departure time and gate, personal preferences and purchase history. Plan, browse, navigate, reserve and purchase services and products at any time, any place.

PARTNER: A partnership with significant, upfront capital and ongoing investment as customers and markets evolve. A unique and customized financial approach. Global resources to design, fund, build and manage the entire customer experience.

For a flavour of this new approach, click here to see Westfield’s new video promotion for this new strategy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1R6CaFJq4o&feature=youtu.be