BELGIUM. International Duty Free’s store at Brussels South Charleroi Airport Terminal 1 is to be revamped and expanded as part of an overall extension of the commercial area.
The duty free shop will be increased in size from 900sq m to 1,200sq m and will feature a new architectural concept. With the aim of adapting to the changing customer profile, new brands will be added to the range in addition to new products from brands that are already present.
Building work to extend Brussels South Charleroi Terminal 1’s overall commercial area began on 1 October. The work is scheduled to be completed in January 2020. The airport said its goal was to improve the customer experience, add more services, and respond to “booming” passenger demand.
The area dedicated to food & beverage will be increased from 153sq m to 340sq m. As reported, SSP has been awarded both the landside and airside catering concessions contracts. Twelve outlets will be opened in different phases of the project. These include the terminal’s first Starbucks, scheduled to open in December 2018, as well as Burger King and Panos.
A third floor dedicated to food & beverage is being built to accommodate other outlets. The airport said a 200sq m lounge will be created – a significant upgrade on the 36sq m currently available – along with a 370sq m terrace.
“We are thrilled to be involved in the development of Wallonia’s airport services with this new commercial project,” said International Duty Free Belgium Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Van Brandt. “Thanks to the exquisite design, which fits in perfectly with Belgium, and a broader range of brands and products to choose from, first and foremost we want to improve the passenger experience”.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport Chief Executive Officer Jean-Jacques Cloquet commented: “We would like to acknowledge the hard work done by the partner companies that we work with. Thanks to them, we can help to improve our travellers’ comfort whilst offering them a wide range of services and products.
“Our goal is to continue to develop airport facilities at Charleroi, working closely with all the teams that strive for the fulfilment of our goals to the benefit of our passengers’ experience.”