Airport shopping

Miss airports? How about airport shopping?

Airport retailers hope returning passengers are ready to shop

(This is a slightly different version of a story we wrote for NBC News)

Airline passenger traffic is still running far below pre-pandemic numbers. But U.S. airlines and airports are getting ready for what promises to be a busy, near-normal summer.

Vaccinated travelers will be flying to more places – perhaps even Europe. And more people in airport terminals means more customers for airport shops and restaurants still reeling from pandemic traumas.   

“During the pandemic, many restaurants and stores had to be closed, while others were drastically scaled back to minimal hours,” says Rob Wigington, executive director of Airport Restaurant and Retail Association. With the return of travelers, many airport concessions are reopening. But ARRA projects these businesses will show a loss of at least $3.4 billion between summer 2020 and the end of 2021.

When they do return to airports, passengers will notice changes in retail operations ranging from shops permanently or temporarily shuttered to stores with reduced hours and limited stock.

At Denver International Airport, which reports seeing a major return to traffic, “Our retail program is doing very well, and concessions are fully open,” says airport spokeswoman Alex Renteria, although many shops are currently operating with reduced hours.

While many local brands are maintaining their presence at Oregon’s Portland International Airport (PDX), the airport lost iconic, long-time local tenants Powell’s Books and Real Mother Goose art and craft gallery during the pandemic. Now “concessionaires continue to adjust their operating hours so that they are open with the majority of the outbound flights,” says airport spokeswoman Kama Simonds.

After all but shutting down all concessions in the first phase of the pandemic, Philadelphia International Airport came up with a strategic plan for how and when to reopen its 185 retail, food, and beverage outlets. 40% of those concessions are local and minority-owned businesses, says PHL chief revenue office Jim Tyrell, “And if we closed them, they’d have a harder time coming back.” So, as travel demand began to pick up, PHL focused on opening those businesses first.

Today 85 of the airport’s 185 concessions are open. Although many are operating with reduced hours due to worker shortages (a national challenge) and limited airline schedules. “But we have not lost a single operator since the pandemic started,” says Tyrell.

Another upside, “We’re noticing that at PHL travelers who are shopping are buying high ticket, luxury items, including jewelry, high end handbags, sunglasses, and wallets. Things we wouldn’t expect pandemic passenger to buy,” says Tyrell. “It’s like you have people who have decided to travel and now they are all in. We hope that trend continues.”

A big challenge for Duty-Free Shops

At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) no local retail shops have permanently closed, says airport spokesman Heath Montgomery. The schedule of international flights is still down, so only one duty-free shop, the main one in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) is open. There, “sales are mirroring the slow rebound of international passengers. And the tasting area is still temporarily closed,” says Montgomery.

While 3Sixty Duty Free recently celebrated the grand reopening and expansion of its retail store in Terminal 4 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and announced plans to open additional outlets, “In general it has been a very difficult time for duty-free operators,” says Michael Payne President and CEO of the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores, with sales down by as much as 80%.

In the few U.S. airports where duty free shops are open, there is uncertainty for travelers. “They’re flying for the first time in a year. They are in a rush to get to the gate. And they are more careful when shopping. Some things that they would touch, feel, taste, or try on, such as clothing, spirits, and cosmetics, they cannot do. And that changes the buying practice,” says Payne. Business travelers, a traditionally good source of revenue for duty free, are not flying yet either. “But I think things will eventually settle down and should get back to something normal.”

Bob Wigington of the Airport Restaurant and Retail Association agrees, “The industry will be in recovery mode for a long time, but with the continued help of our airport partners, and resumption of business and international travel, we will get to the other side of this unprecedented crisis”

‘5 Things We Love About…” an airport near you

Fall travel doesn’t look like it is going to involve much flying. And we suspect that concerns about COVID-19 will mean that most winter adventures will have to be put on hold as well.

But that’s not stopping us from celebrating cool features and amenities at airports in our ongoing “5 Things We Love About…” series.

So far, we’ve profiled more than 30 airports. And we’re reminded of how proud each of these airports is to be serving and representing their cities.

While we work on putting together more airport profiles, take a moment to visit some that have been featured so far.

And please let us know if there’s an airport you’d like to see featured.

Albany International Airport (ALB)

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)

Boise Airport (BOI)

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)

Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL)

Denver International Airport (DEN)

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Evansville Regional Airport (EVV)

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)

Houston William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)

John Wayne Airport (SNA)

Long Beach Airport (LGB)

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Miami International Airport (MIA)

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

Ontario International Airport (ONT)

Orlando International Airport (MCO)

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Portland International Airport (PDX)]

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

San Antonio International Airport (SAT)

St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT)

Powell’s Books out at PDX Airport

Here’s yet another reason to curse COVID-19.

Powell’s Books has permanently closed both the store and the kiosk it operates at Portland International Airport.

Book lovers know Portland’s Powell’s Book as the iconic store that has been selling new and used books since 1971.

The company’s flagship location, Powell’s City of Books, in downtown Portland is a block long and boasts more than a million books. The store hosts hundreds of author readings and appearances each year.

The Powell’s Books branch at PDX is a rarity in airport book shops in that it carries new and used books and has been operating for 30 years.

Besides the joy of having a real bookstore at the airport, many travelers loved being able to order a book and pick it up at the airport on their way out of town. Or when they landed.

Better yet, the airport branch of Powell’s Book was located pre-security, with lot of other shops that draw locals as well.

Since Covid-19 blew in, Powell’s has shuttered all its locations, but is still offering shipping and pick-up. Powell’s plans to reopen its downtown flagship store and, perhaps, its other branches in town. But the company has decided that will not reopen its airport shop or the concourse kiosk.

“The privilege of welcoming book lovers to Portland, and sending Portlanders off on their travels with a good book in hand, has been a true gift, Emily Powell, CEO of Powell’s Books, said in a statement, “It’s hard for me to imagine our future without the airport, and without the airport’s seasoned team of booksellers.”

Shops closing at other airports too

Losing Powell’s Books at PDX is a heart breaker. But, sadly, it is not the only popular airport shop – or restaurant – that PDX and many other airports around the country are losing.

As passenger numbers stay in the dumps, many airport concessions can barely afford to stay open or reopen.

Post-pandemic, we’re sure to see a great many shuttered airport shops.

PDX: 5 Things We Love about Portland International Airport

Our “5 Things We Love About…” series celebrating cool features and amenities at airports around the country and the world continues today with a visit to Oregon’s Portland International Airport – PDX.

Keep in mind that some of the features we love at PDX may be currently unavailable due to health concerns. We are confident they will be back.

If we have missed an amenity at PDX that you love, please make a note in the comments section below. 

And let us know which airports you’d like to see profiled in a future episode of  “5 Things We Love About…

5 Things We Love About Portland International Airport

1. The movie theater at PDX

Portland International Airport is home to a 17 seat, post-security movie theater showing short films by Oregon filmmakers.

A branch of Portland’s historic Hollywood Theatre, the Hollywood Theatre at PDX offers a looped series of free films that change each quarter.

You can see the movies before or after a flight and online.

Here’s one filmed with just a drone that will get you up to date on Portland’s many bridges.

2. PDX Art Program

Artist: Deborah Butterfield

PDX has an extensive permanent and temporary art program that includes work throughout the terminal, on the airport drive, and out by at the MAX light rail station.

Homage to Flight – by Miles Pepper

The airport is getting ready to welcome a major new piece by Jacob Hashimoto in the new Concourse E extension, Southwest Airlines’ new home at PDX.

3. The Live Music at PDX

Musician Doug Shafer

Most every day you can hear and see live music in the PDX terminals.

The musicians are volunteering their time and talent. So, tip well and buy a souvenir CD if you can.

4. Food carts, coffee, and whiskey at PDX

Portland is serious about its coffee, its food carts, and its spirits.

And travelers can sample them all at PDX.

In addition to coffee drinks from Pete’s, Starbucks, Stumptown, Portland Coffee Roasters and Blue Star Donuts + Coffee, PDX has both a kiosk and tasting room for Portland-based Westward Whiskey. Hopworks Urban Brewery serves up seasonal and signature beers as well as grab-n-go beers.

        

In addition to many great places to eat, PDX also celebrates the local food cart scene with a changing array of food-cart venues in the pre-security Clocktower Plaza.

5. The shopping at PDX

Portland International Airport is a great place to shop.

Not only is there no sales tax in Oregon, but PDX requires its vendors to offer street pricing.

And, unlike many airports these days, many of the shops are in the pre-security area.

As a bonus, PDX has branches of many iconic and popular downtown shops, including Pendleton, Made in Oregon, Powell’s City of Books, Tender Loving Empire, The Real Mother Goose (crafts) and cc McKenzie (shoes and apparel).

Terrazzo floor art – Larry Kirkland

And what about PDX’s iconic, much-loved, and replaced carpet?

According to airport spokeswoman Kama Simonds, “The last remnant of the old carpet was removed from the threshold between the old and new parts of Concourse E and temporarily relocated to the space under Jacob Hashimoto’s artwork until the coffee kiosk opens in that space.”

Once that new coffee kiosk opens the last bit of the old PDX carpet will removed.

Sad? Yes. But it’s a good bet shops at the airport will continue to stock carpet-themed souvenirs for a long time to come.

Did we miss your favorite amenity at Portland International Airport (PDX?). Leave a note in the comments section below. And let us know, too, which airport you would like us to visit next.

All photos courtesy of Port of Portland

CLT: 5 Things We Love About Charlotte Douglas International Airport

We are missing traveling around the country and the world.

So Stuck at the Airport has kicked off its long-planned series celebrating the features and amenities at airports.

Here’s a link to the airports we’ve profiled in the “5 Things We Love At …” series so far.

Want to nominate an airport to be featured in the series and/or sponsor one of the episodes? Get in touch.

Today join us in celebrating 5 Things We Love About Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

As always, if we missed your favorite thing at CLT, please add a note in the comments section below. And keep in mind that some amenities mentioned may be temporarily unavailable due to health concerns, but we are sure they will be back.

5 Things We Love about Charlotte Douglas International Airport

1. The Rocking Chairs at CLT

CLT oozes charm with its signature rocking chairs.

The welcoming amenity first debuted at CLT in 1997 and since then hundreds of airports around the country have added rocking chairs of their own.

CLT also has towering Ficus trees in the terminal and a piano just waiting for volunteers to sit down and serenade passengers.

2. Selfie Stations at CLT

To add a bit of fun to layovers, CLT has several #TakeMySelfie stations in the terminal.

You will find giant CLT letters on the wall at Checkpoint E; a colorful vintage postcard on the Concourses A/B Connector; and a Queen Charlotte mural in the Concourse A Expansion. 

3. Shopping at CLT

Take a look at some of the fun gifts and souvenirs you can pick up at CLT.

4. CLT’s Airport Overlook

CLT’s Airport Overlook is a large area near the airport (7300 Old Dowd Road) with parking, picnic tables, and benches. It is a perfect spot for watching aircraft take off and land.

Inside the airport, the best place to get great views of the Charlotte skyline is from Concourses D and E.

5. Art at Charlotte Douglas International Airport

The work of at least 14 artists, many of them local, is featured at CLT airport. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Charlotte is known as the Queen City and there’s a statue of Queen Charlotte by Raymond Kaskey in the garden area between the East and West Daily Parking Decks.

On the Concourse A Expansion near Gates A21 and A22 is Refik Anadol’s “Interconnected.” The piece is a series of three massive LED screens with ever-changing digital artwork modeled on real-time airport operations data.

It looks abstract, but the work is translating particles representing flight arrivals, departures, baggage movements and airport parking into millions of pixels.

And there’s there’s Journey 1 and Journey 2, by Ráed Al-Rawi. Charming!