Glasgow airport retail set to expand

Emily Pacey

Print Article E-Mail Article E-Mail Author

The retail areas at Glasgow International airport are to expand and move airside in a £30m ($60m) redevelopment of the terminal

BAA-owned airport Glasgow International will undergo a £30m ($60m) expansion, including an increase in the amount of airside retail space.

The 500sq m (5,381sq ft) World Duty Free store will double in size, and additional retail facilities will be installed on the ground floor. The planned central security checkpoint area will allow the three existing security sections to be converted into retail, lounge and other passenger facilities.

A BAA spokesman told RavenFox.com: “The creation of the new central search area means that we can shift the current airside/landside boundary. This means that many of the retail facilities will be located airside.”

He continued: “This is partly a response to the new liquids regulations, although it has been part of our master plan for some time. A key driver for moving retail airside is the need to keep security waiting times to a minimum. The existing three areas are near to capacity.”

BAA customer service director Derek Provan said in a statement: “Glasgow is quite unusual in that the majority of shops are currently landside. By switching the boundary, and moving the majority of our retail offer airside, it means passengers will enjoy bigger savings and more choice.”

At the moment 68% of retail at the airport is located landside, with 32% airside. When construction of Skyhub is complete, in about 18 months time, 71% of the retail offer will be located airside.