FAB 2024
The dynamics of airport dining
Pragma Consulting CEO Alex Avery gave an inspiring presentation highlighting some terrific examples from the airport and high street world of how to win traveller F&B business.
Avery focused on the key spend drivers in airport F&B, based on recent Pragma research. He said restaurant success in the travel environment comes down to understanding the audience, and getting to grips with the diverse tapestry of different backgrounds, demographics and data to tempt customers.
“The most important thing for the F&B proposition is actually understanding all aspects of the purchase journey that lead to satisfied customers,” he noted. “We use a framework called the ‘purchase funnel’ that really helps in understanding each of the components that help to drive performance across that value chain.
Alex Avery: Focus on experiences
“Clearly F&B has a massive role to play in the success of the airport terminals, but also specifically relaxing passengers and the role that it can play in commercialising comfort is an important dimension as well.”
Looking at different passenger groups, Avery noted various needs within each age cohort. “That clearly demonstrates it isn’t necessarily appropriate to just assume only a certain age want a certain proposition – actually you’ve got multiple different needs and values and attitudes across those ages, whether it be value through to the more extravagant offer.
“The younger age groups are a bit more adventurous in terms of wanting something more experimental and are also willing to pay more because of that movement of younger generations away from material retail product to wanting to spend more on experiences.”
Avery also noted that within airport F&B programmes, there needs to be a balance of F&B brands across the different attributes of the value chain, whether it be ensuring good basic sustenance and familiar comfort propositions rising up to more experimental and indulgent premium destinations.
Discussing driving awareness of the airport F&B proposition to get people excited about the offer, Avery highlighted some great examples which caught his eye.
Alex Avery (left, chatting with Dermot Davitt) gave an insight-filled presentation around the theme of converting passenger appetites into spend
These included Tim Horton’s use of Justin Bieber for influencer marketing; Bob Marley’s One Love at Sangster International Airport and the new F&B programme at Bangalore Airport (two projects which involved Pragma); Pizza Express’ strong messaging at London Gatwick Airport about its breakfast offer; and Pret A Manger’s excellent use of space to efficiently serve customers at London Heathrow.
Speaking about the importance of digital in driving awareness, he said: “One of my bugbears is I spend a lot of time analysing airport websites, and I often come across airport maps that are out of date, the tenant mix is out of date, accompanied by descriptions of units that are pretty bland and uninspiring.”
Avery noted the importance of F&B's role in relaxing passengers and commercialising comfort
Avery used Manchester Airport as an example of best practice, pointing out where the terminal proposition has seen a lot of recent development. “The airport has great use of high-impact imagery, succinct but engaging descriptions, and the use of nice video content as well. Airport and concessionaires need to be thinking about how people are consuming information; whetting passenger appetite before they get on site really drives engagement.”
Avery concluded: “The key drivers for food & beverage success have changed. Historically it has been focused on income per square foot. What we really need to be thinking about is the full value chain, using all the different levers along the way, from the awareness through to the engagement, through to the utilisation, to spend, the satisfaction, the loyalty and the advocacy.
“Get all that right and the profitability will follow.”
FAB eZine
August 2024
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