Beijing continues with store improvements

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Beijing Capital International Airport has continued with planned changes to its airside retail set-up despite falling passenger numbers caused by unease over the SARS virus

The walkway dividing the shop-floor corridor has been removed, and plans are under way to remove the outside wall surrounding the main duty-free shop and the dividing wall inside this area. An additional shopping area is to be created in front of the Air China first class lounge and another in front of the existing boutique area, though the product categories to be offered have not been finalised. In addition, dwell time at Beijing is set to increase as the desk layout at passport control has been widened from 10m to 17m with more desks added, reducing the time taken by passengers to pass through.

Amethyst outlet Ameth will be asked to relocate from its shop in the middle of the fashion boutique area because of underperformance. The store will be replaced either by a Ermenegildo Zegna boutique or a Cartier outlet, a spokesman told DFNI. "Ameth underperforms in this location but is our top selling jewellery brand in the main shop where turnover is usually $80,000 a month," said the spokesman. "We are putting all our energy into renovating [the fashion area]." The long awaited Shanghai Tang shop, situated next to the Hermes boutique, has been further delayed due to interruptions to shopfitting caused by the SARS outbreak.