The Design Solution (TDS) has been appointed by Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacífico (GAP) to radically redesign terminal space at Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport; the main airport for Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city.

 

The specialists in retail design and commercial planning for airports will address the challenges faced by the airport as a result of rapid traffic growth, which pushed the total number of passengers up to 12.8m in 2017.

 

The airport is already addressing the rise in traffic by undertaking a phased expansion and refurbishment programme.

 

GAP is now focusing on the main commercial area of the terminal, as TDS’ Managing Director, Robbie Gill, explains: “The area between the international gates and the expanded pier is where passengers arrive at the Departures level from the two security areas before entering a complex pattern of flows through shops, bars, restaurants and airline lounges.

 

“This area of the terminal has been expanded over many years through numerous projects, resulting in a less than optimum layout with some areas being frantically busy and others relatively quiet.

 

FURTHER AMBITIONS FOR MEXICO

“Our challenge, supported by Pragma Consulting, is to reconfigure the five different zones and consolidate them into a cohesive commercial area where the vast majority of shops bars and restaurants are visible to all departing passengers and optimise the commercial effectiveness of the space.”

 

The Guadalajara project comes two months after GAP appointed TDS to carry out a commercial planning exercise for Los Cabos Airport, on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, with the design stages about to commence.

 

Raul Revuelta, CEO, GAP, welcomed the appointment of TDS to support the group’s development programme: “GAP is dedicated to being the leading provider of airport services and products in Mexico.

 

“We are strongly committed to raising the quality of the passenger experience at Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport and, having been impressed by TDS’s approach at another of our airports (Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica), we are delighted to have their input into our development at Guadalajara International Airport.”

 

DUFRY PROJECT IN CANCUN

Having worked on design projects at over 130 airports worldwide, Gill welcomed the opportunity to expand his company’s presence in Mexico.

 

“Although we have designed the stunning Dufry duty free shop in Cancun, which opened earlier in the year, our contracts with GAP will actually be our first combined airport planning and design projects in Mexico.

 

“We first met GAP when working on designs for Montego Bay Airport (owned and operated by GAP). They liked our work and it is always deeply gratifying to be appointed by a client on further projects.”