Incheon to get on-arrival duty-free store in May

The Incheon International Airport Corporation is planning to open Korea’s first on-arrival duty-free store in May next year. The airport operator announced on Sunday that it has commissioned a study to look into how it can optimize the duty-free service, which will be concluded by the end of the year.

The study will focus on deciding the location and size of the shops in order to maximize customer experience by reducing congestion.

Additionally, the research will consider the possibility of setting the rent for the duty-free shops based on revenue instead of unilaterally applying a fixed rate.

In order to ease the burden on interior costs, Incheon airport will be responsible for basic interior constructions, while duty-free operators will only have to provide the finishing touches.

This is because only SMEs will be allowed to bid for the slots.

The Incheon airport said it will start taking bids for the duty-free shops in February and finalize candidates by April. It added that it will have a larger ratio of Korean companies controlling the arrival duty-free shops compared to departure stores. However, as the government earlier announced, the arrival duty-free shops will not sell cigarettes or products that are controlled by customs quarantine regulations such as fruit and meat products.

The airport said it will work with the government to finalize plans to return some of the profits that it makes from renting the spaces to duty-free operators in March.

Incheon airport Terminals 1 and 2 have units available for duty-free shops targeting customers arriving in Seoul. On the first floor of Terminal 1 there are two 190 square-meter (2,045 square feet) areas. On the first floor of Terminal 2 there is a 326 square-meter space. Currently these areas are not in use.

The Ministry of Finance and Economy in late September announced plans to open the country’s first duty-free store available to returning travelers in May next year. The ministry was responding to an order from President Moon Jae-in to review the possibility of an on-arrival duty-free shop during a meeting he had with Blue House senior officials and secretaries in August.

The purpose was to make travel less inconvenient for Korean tourists who were purchasing goods while departing Incheon and carrying them throughout their trip.

Source: Retail News Asia

Reagan National Airport Gets an Upgrade

Improvements are coming to Ronald Reagan National Airport as construction begins on the 3-year, $1 billion, multi-phase expansion project simply titled “Project Journey.” The plans include a new concourse with 14 new gates, 28 new security lanes and will ultimately provide passengers with greater connectivity, more shopping and dining choices as well as an improved post-security environment.

Source: Glassonweb

Juan Santamaria Airport in Costa Rica Will Inaugurate New Building in December

This December, the Juan Santamaria Airport will inaugurate a new four level building of six thousand square meters that will add four new boarding gates, a VIP room and an area for pets.

With this new addition, Costa Rica’s main airport will be able to handle 600 more passengers per hour. This new building is part of the works of project La Candela which will be completed by mid-2019 and which contemplates works with a total value of US$39.5 million.

“The works of La Candela project will have effects that will make a more efficient airport with faster take offs and as many as 12 additional airplane take offs per hour. This means, for example, that the waiting times in peak hours will be more agile and the airlines that operate the airport will be better served” explained Rafael Mencía, Executive Director of AERIS.

The investment in the building itself, called Block V represent US$20 million and will be concluded in December this year. Parallel to the development of Block V the air terminal will extend to the West in a space of four levels at basement level, arrivals, exits and mezzanine, project valued in US$17 million and will involve 16 additional positions for passenger check-in or luggage drop off, 15 kiosks for self-check-in and additional carrousel for luggage pick up, expansion of the customs area and additional office space for the airlines.

Source: The Costa Rica Star

Passenger traffic increases at Uganda’s Entebbe Int’l Airport

Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport has recorded an increase of international and transit passengers, with the figure expected to grow further, according to authorities.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the country’s air transport regulator, said in a statement on Tuesday that while the airport recorded close to 1.1 million international and transit passengers during the period January to August 2017, it has so far recorded about 1.2 million international and transit passengers from January to August 2018, representing an increment of over 120,000 passengers so far.

«The figures are likely to increase even more by the end of the year considering that the last quarter of the year (October to December) is usually busier in terms of air travel,» the CAA statement said.

The increase in the number of passengers is attributed to the country’s recent conclusion of new bilateral air service agreements with different countries such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, Switzerland and Canada.

«Some of Canada’s airlines are already having code-share agreements with international operators to Uganda. Air Tanzania recently resumed operations to Uganda and discussions are ongoing with several potential air operators to Entebbe including one who plans flights to the United Kingdom,» the statement said.

Several air operators such as Emirates, Qatar and Rwandair recently changed aircraft to Entebbe from smaller to bigger ones. Other airlines also increased flights between Entebbe and other international destinations.

A total of 1.6 million international and transit passengers were recorded in 2017 and the air transport regulator is hopeful the number will be surpassed by end of 2018.

«All these developments, including increase in frequencies by air operators and change of aircraft type from smaller to bigger types, show the growth in Uganda’s air transport industry,» the statement said.

Uganda with financing from China is upgrading Entebbe International Airport to handle more traffic and cargo. The expansion includes an extension of the passenger terminal, construction of a new cargo center and refurbishment of the airport’s two runways.

Source: Xinhuanet Africa