QATAR. Qatar Airways and Qatar Duty Free have decided to suspend their inflight duty free programme, effective 1 June, The Moodie Davitt Report can exclusively reveal.
The two organisations will instead focus their efforts on combining enhanced technology and the award-winning retail programme at Hamad International Airport, gateway to the capital city Doha, to serve passengers’ shopping needs.
It is understood that plans are underway for “game-changing” technological advances that will allow Qatar Airways passengers to benefit from the multiple award-winning Qatar Duty Free retail offer at Hamad International.
Whereas Qatar Duty Free could only offer around 150 items onboard via the inflight trollies, onboard passengers will eventually have access to a much wider product range drawn from the many brands and categories that Qatar Duty Free offers at Hamad International Airport.
Other factors came into play too – especially the weight and resultant fuel burn associated with carrying duty free trollies around the world on Qatar Airways’ extensive global route network. Each fully-laden trolley weighs around 60kg. The airline believes it can simultaneously reduce costs and reduce its impact on the environment through the suspension of physical duty free shopping onboard.
Importantly too, because Qatar Airways, Qatar Duty Free and Hamad International share common operational parentage, the parties believe they can leverage their unique version of the industry ‘Trinity’ to enhance both the consumer experience and duty free revenues.
Underlining that believe in the collaborative power of industry stakeholders working, Qatar Duty Free, Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport are jointly hosting this year’s Trinity Forum, the world’s leading airport commercial revenues event (for which registration will open next week). The event is co-organised by The Moodie Davitt Report, ACI World and ACI Asia-Pacific.
