24 June 2009
The duty free stores at Auckland Airport are moving to make way for the new departure experience.
From 1 July 2009 departures duty free shopping at Auckland Airport will only be available airside (after emigration and security), the two stores landside (before emigration and security) will be closed.
This change, common to many other international gateways, is part of the revamp of the whole Auckland Airport international departure area, aimed at providing a better departure experience.
The reasons behind the change:
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Better farewell area - By moving the duty free shopping airside we have the opportunity to refresh our landside food and beverage experience, move dining outlets, provide a new and improved dining area and create a more fitting space for farewells.
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More efficient space for border control processing - The change is creating more room for the border agencies, allowing for a bigger and better space for the emigration and security screening area, which in turn will make passenger processing more efficient.
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Enhanced shopping experience - The change is allowing us to rearrange the layout of the airside shopping experience and ensure travellers don’t miss out on any duty free bargains. There will also be some fabulous new stores.
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More space for relaxing before your flight - The change gives us an extra 5,000sqm airside, and with the repositioning of facilities there will be more room for play areas, dining and more comfortable spaces to relax and unwind.
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Less rush to the departure gate - With all the duty free shopping airside, passengers are more likely to make their way through emigration well before their flight. They are therefore less likely to rush to the gate when it’s time to board their plane, thus reducing the chance of aircraft leaving late.
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Less hassle around liquids, aerosols and gels – There is likely to be fewer problems with duty free liquids, aerosols and gels at security screening, ultimately speeding up passenger processing time.
We appreciate this may mean a small change in duty free shopping habits for some travellers, particularly those who like to shop with the friends who are waving them off. But both our duty free stores now showcase their range online, and we are confident that the great new duty free shopping experience at Auckland Airport will meet all our travellers shopping needs, and more.
www.jrdutyfree.co.nz
www.dfs.co.nz
The most important thing for all travellers to remember is that from 1 July 2009 departures duty free shopping at Auckland Airport is only available airside.
If you have any questions on this change, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to call 0800 AIRPORT
Frequently asked questions
What is happening?
From 1 July 2009 the landside duty free shops at Auckland Airport are closing and moving solely airside.
Why is this happening?
The move is part of the revamp of the whole Auckland Airport international departure area, aimed at providing a better departure experience. It will create more space airside for border processing, shopping, relaxing and dining and gives us the opportunity to refresh our landside farewell area.
So exactly where can I buy duty free?
Duty free can be bought airside, from both DFS Galleria and new retailer JR Duty Free. Both retailers have two airside departure stores.
Can I shop online, before my flight?
Absolutely. People can still do their price comparison research and shop for gifts for friends and family before they get to the airport - both retailers have online shopping.
Is there the same range of duty free products airside?
There is no reduction in duty free products or services available, and by removing the need to duplicate the same goods before and after security our duty free providers DFS Galleria and JR Duty Free can focus solely on giving travellers a great service.
Why is Auckland Airport revamping the departure area?
The makeover will greatly improve the departure process for departing travellers. It will be a more spacious and contemporary place for travellers to relax, unwind and prepare for their journey. The interiors will be lighter, brighter and more modern; there will be a fabulous shopping offer, improved dining options, and a bigger and better area for emigration processing and security screening.
When did the project start?
The two-year project started late 2008 and is being completed in four phases. The first phase of the redevelopment has focused on the public farewell and dining area before security. As part of this phase there will be construction activity in this area until November 2009. The second phase focuses on the new emigration and security screening area. Phase three is the makeover of the duty free shopping area and stage four is all about improving the tax free shopping, dining and relaxing area.
When is the project expected to be complete?
The whole project is expected to be complete early 2010, in time for the Rugby World Cup.