Aeroports de Paris and Aelia to form joint venture at Paris

John Rimmer

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French airport authority Aeroports de Paris (AdP) has chosen Aelia as its partner in the planned joint-venture company to run retail at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport terminal two

AdP chose Aelia from seven companies that were invited to bid for the contract, and the deal should be confirmed within the next month pending final approval from a commission of AdP directors.

As revealed exclusively in DFNI September 15 2002, AdP launched a tender last year to find a partner to run the liquor, tobacco, fragrances and cosmetics concession at the Paris terminal. The move marks the authority's first step into directly-operated airport retail, and represents what AdP vice-president strategic and commercial affairs Alain Falque called a "major innovation" for the company.

"After an extensive process of consultation with various companies interested in forming a partnership with us, we decided to work with Aelia," Falque told TRW. "The joint venture is not yet signed and the process is under scrutiny by the AdP commission, but the deal should be complete within one month. It will be a completely new way of working for us."

• For more details and reaction, see the February 1 issue of DFNI