A Blessing in Disguise: Flight Delays
If you’ve flown interstate or internationally in the past few months, you might have experienced a dreaded flight delay. However, it’s not just you. In fact, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, only 54% of flights depart on schedule. So, when you’re flying next, you’re likely to experience a delay. For travellers, flight delays are a painful inconvenience, but from the perspective of an airport-based business owner, it bestows a profitable opportunity.
According to a 2017 consumer study, many consumers indulge in impulse purchases to avoid boredom. When applying these findings to flight delays, travellers left waiting for their flight are likely to experience boredom and the need to waste time. Although they may be more inclined to make impulse purchases, how do you attract and engage bored travellers? The answer is a unique fit-out delivered by a trusted D+C company, like Unita.
BUILT BY UNITA | The Common – Brisbane Domestic Airport, QLD
- Dine in or Take Off?
For airport food vendors, flight delays can be seen as one of the biggest blessings in disguise. With many passengers expecting a meal on their flight or once they land, a simple one-hour delay could trigger travellers to purchase a quick bite to eat or even a full meal. And like we mentioned earlier, to draw in any passengers you need to have a stand-out fit-out. We love looking back on one of Unita’s projects, The Common in Brisbane Domestic Airport. Designed by the talented team at Sullivan Skinner, The Common utilises bold forms and a muted colour scheme to contrast against the airport’s overstimulating environment. Located next to the airport’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the space favours natural light to energise and reinvigorate tired travellers. However, what’s even better is their menu stacked with delicious meals and an endless cocktail list.
BUILT BY UNITA | Sephora – Canberra Centre, ACT
- Shop till you drop (or board)?
As for our airport retail stores, how can you make your fit-out engaging? We highly recommend the utilisation of visual merchandising and incorporating an experiential element into your store’s fit-out. In a study by Westfield, experiential formatted stores have been found to make 81% of consumers willing to spend more money. A space that is shaping the future for shopping with experiential retail is Sephora. As a part of the company’s omnichannel strategy, consumers feel connected to the brand with its interactive and techy features that allow customers to virtually try on make-up, discover new products and find their perfect foundation with the store’s specialised tools. Drawing inspiration from stores outside the airport can help shape design decisions for your fit-out and offer travellers a unique experience to fill their time and encourage them to spend more money.
Although our airports have been hit with flight delays, our airport retailers can take advantage of this inconvenience and help occupy bored travellers, all while generating more sales. Ensuring your fit-out is enticing and engaging is quintessential to drawing in customers. For retail spaces, incorporating experiential elements into your fit-out can entertain bored travellers while encouraging shoppers to spend more money than usual.
