Savvy travelers who only finalize their travel plans afterchecking out available cheaptravel options such as cheap airplane tickets, cheapdeals, discount hotel rooms, cheap auto rentals, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, willbe pleased to learn that new apps are being tested in two airports that enablepassengers to order food, drinks, and products that are for sale anywhereinside the airport and have the items delivered to them at the gate.
The test airports are Baltimore/Washington InternationalAirport (BWI) whose test commenced in July and in August the San DiegoInternational Airport (SAN).
If gate delivery proves popular, it could dramaticallyimprove passengers experiences and be a big boost for the bottom line atairports.
The founders of Airport Sherpa (now operating at BWI) andAt Your Gate (soon at SAN) have conducted research that shows American fliersare verified gate huggers. Oncethrough airport security checkpoints, most passengers go directly to theirgates, take a seat nearby, and stay put. Their behavior does not change if their flight is leaving in one orthree hours.
Gate huggers are missing out on the upgraded dining andshopping options now offered at many airports. Their gate hugging also means that airport food and retail outlets canttake advantage of potential sales. Therents and fees generated from those sales make up an increasing percentage ofthe operating budgets at airports.
Bringing mobile carts stocked with snacks, sodas, magazinesand other items into gate areas is an approach HMSHost has tried in an effortto serve gate huggers in airports in Honolulu, Maui, Chicago (OHare) andMemphis.
Another strategy, first implemented in 2009 at JetBluesJFK Terminal 5 and now available in almost a dozen OTG managed airportterminals in North America, is iPad enhanced seating areas in gate hold areaswhere passengers can order food, drinks, and products from nearby restaurantsand shops.
However, in an age where people are increasingly usingtheir smart phones to get almost anything delivered to their doorstep, beingable to order something via a cell phone from the other side of the terminal,or from a restaurant or a shop in a completely different terminal seems like anatural next step.
Airport Sherpa has partnered with airport retail and foodconcession operator Airmall to introduce on demand gate delivery serve at BWIin July. The plan is to expand thisservice to other airports around the country shortly.
Passengers using this service will be exposed to morechoices, more convenience, and more ways to experience the many local,regional, and national offerings to be found at the airport.
The Airport Sherpa app is free, but there is a gatedelivery fee of $3.99 to $7.99 depending on how far the delivery person has togo to make a delivery to the gate. Deliveries made by At Your Gate, rolling out in August at the San DiegoInternational Airport, will start at a flat $6.99 delivery fee.
Both services promise to keep delivery time to aminimum. Airport Sherpa says thedelivery person is currently not expected or accepting tips but tipping mayeventually be offered via its app to ensure that all transactions arecashless. At Your Gate will have atipping option built into its app.
The underlying concept behind such services is thatconvenience will outweigh worries about delivery fees. Passengers commonly waste a great deal oftime running around airports looking for things.
At Your Gate is partnering with Grab, a mobile orderingapp that currently enables travelers to preorder food for pickup at 150concessions in 18 airports. The teamplans to offer gate delivery in other airports as well.
At Your Gates President contends that Gate delivery is alogical extension of the on the demand economy that up to now just has notexisted in airports. Traveling is reallyhard. I want this to be the bright spotin the day.
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