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Fraport plans high-tech retail revolutionFraport plans high-tech retail revolution
Gavin Lipsith
15-May-2006
The German airport group outlines plans to use cutting-edge technology to drive penetration at its airport stores
German airport group Fraport is to use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and common use self-service (CUSS) kiosks at its airports to drive passengers into shops, the company has revealed. ARIADNES – the Airport Retail Information Assistance/Dynamic Navigation and Escort System – has already been patented in 35 countries and the company hopes to use it to solve the five "headaches" associated with getting passengers to buy at airport stores.Speaking at the GATE ONE conference in Singapore, Fraport head of strategy and business development international Jean-Claude Higelin told delegates that the group had proposed the system to counter five problems it had identified. Increasing stress means that passengers head straight for the gate when they arrive at the airport, and do not want to stry far from the gate when they have got there. Passengers also face time pressures as security increases, and have trouble identifying retail opportunities because of overwhelming signage. Many also lack a purchasing trigger as stores and promotions may not be designed with them in mind, and are often put off by a complicated purchasing process, particularly if they do not speak the local language.
The solution uses colour-ceiling lights to direct passengers to the appropriate area of the terminal, while an RFID tag printed on a boarding pass issued at a CUSS kiosk will direct passengers to retail areas, as well as presenting them with targeted promotions. The kiosk will also tell passengers how much time they need to reach their gate and when the gate closes. Higelin explained that kiosks would also print out coupons with offers tailored for individual passengers that could be handed direct to shop staff to redeem the promotions. He added that all the technology used in the system already exists and is being implemented in other sectors of the aviation industry.
"RFID tags will be used to track luggage from next year," he said, "and the International Air Transport Association is hoping airports can cut passenger processing costs by installing self-service kiosks. Next year they will be installed in 235 airports around the world. Our aim is to decrease costs, increase revenue per square meter and optimize what we already have to push travellers into the shops."
Keep an eye on RavenFox.com for more from the GATE ONE conference and TFWA Asia Pacific show.
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