Bangalore airport demands flexible retail format

Gavin Lipsith

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An adaptable retailer will be needed to cater for a diverse passenger profile at the private Indian airport when it opens in 2008

Swiss airport group Unique has emphasised the importance of flexibility in the retail operation at Bangalore International airport, due to open in April 2008. Unique is a part owner and lead company in the project, and head of real estate and marketing Peter Eriksson told RavenFox.com that the broad passenger profile using the airport would require a wide and adaptable product offer.

Bangalore is gaining a reputation as an IT and software hub, and has already been labelled "the Indian Silicon Valley" by analysts. Eriksson explained that any retailer at the airport would have to plan an offer to accommodate highly-paid executives as well as traditional Indian and expatriate passengers, although he said Unique was only in the early stages of commercial planning.

"There may be a couple of flights with high-spenders, followed by a couple of flights with a very different type of passenger an hour later," he said. "The retailer or retailers would have to cope with this and there will need to be mobile units and food and beverage kiosks to make sure there are the right goods for the right consumer profile. In that respect there are some similarities with Dubai, and we will have to be able to offer nuts and milk powder alongside cigars and other luxury items."

The airport, which is expected to have capacity for 6m passengers, will also offer considerable opportunities landside, said Eriksson, and Unique is already seeking potential anchor tenants for a shopping mall on airport real estate.

Bangalore will be India's first greenfield private airport, and Unique owns the venture alongside German electrics conglomerate Siemens and an Indian construction firm.