Bucharest announces duty-paid winners and plans new tender

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Bucharest Otopeni airport authority AIBO has announced the winners of the first tender for the former duty-free retail space at the location

Though airside, the shops will only be permitted to sell duty-paid goods after the Romanian government controversially decided to ban airport duty-free in September (TRW 10/09/02).

All four winning companies are Romanian with Romatex winning the gifts concession, Graftex Prodcom securing the fashion and souvenirs concessions and General Business System winning the toys/stationery concession. Sodo Migliori Romania will sell jewellery and watches. Heinrig Impex, the local retailer part-owned by Gebr Heinemann, withdrew from the bidding at the second stage of the process.

AIBO economic and administration manager Valentin Iordache told TRW the authority would launch a fresh tender early in 2003 for the product categories that had not yet been allocated, including fragrances and cosmetics. However, AIBO's decision to withdraw liquor and tobacco sales from the tender looks certain to be challenged in court by operator EDF Properties, which bid for the concession but was eliminated from the tender once liquor and tobacco were removed. Iordache argued that passengers were already able to buy the products at Otopeni's bars and restaurants, and insisted AIBO did not want to encourage travellers to exceed Romania's strict liquor allowances.

• For the full story see Liquor News in Duty-Free News International December 15, out next week. Subscribers may use the DFNI Confidential website to access the issue as soon as it is printed.