Walkthrough Shoping Centres (Formerly known as Departure lounges)

[Davef68]

It seems in the Uk it's now obligatory to have to walk through a winding shopping mall to get to the (increasingly reduced in numbers*) seats in departures. Stansted is by far the worst, but others are gaining quickly. Maybe it's just me, but I would consider paying a small fee for a 'fast track'!

*I'm quite sure the reduced seating is to encourage you to spend money in the various outlets.

[Danny G]

Agreed, first noticed this at Man when they revamped T1 some years ago, the seating in the main lounge is non existant which leads to people wandering around for an our or so.

[PAXboy]

Luton has just extended and 'improved' it's departures. I can't wait until I have to go through in August. My usual ploy to avoid it all AND find a seat is to use my lounge pass. I find I have become adept at 'not seeing' the shops as I search out the lounge or the gate.

Conversely, in Arrivals at LHR (my most regular port) the reduction in seating drives people to sit in the chairs - in the coffee shops ....

[edi_local]

It's completely deliberate. They don't want you sitting down not spending money!

STN and LTN are terrible for it. Not announcing gates until the very last minute, ridiculously small holding areas with far too few seats too. Forces people to the conveniently large, expensive food outlets which surprisingly have plenty of seats!

[Katamarino]

The UK is by far the worst I have seen for this. It's actually quite embarrassing how we so blatantly force people through the shops. Very tacky indeed.

[SeenItAll]

What I find even more annoying is that at an increasing number of airports, you cannot even depart from the terminal without passing though the gauntlet of a (sometimes claimed duty-free) shopping area. The last thing I want to have to manoeuvre my rollaboard through is a maze of displays and counters -- all explicitly designed to obscure the exit and prevent travel in a straight line.

[Espada III]

Brussels no different to Manchester.

[wiggy]

The UK is by far the worst I have seen for this.

As has been mentioned above the rest of the world is catching up fast...at least one or two of the larger regional airports in France have adopted the circuitous Duty Free path between Security and the gates and if you want to really see it done to perfection try Sydney’s international Terminal...there is actually a straight line cut through there that avoids the shops but last time I asked I was told it’s use is forbidden to everyone but local staff...the rest of the world (including crew) have to seemingly walk around most of New South Wales to get to a gate.....now I’ll admit I can look at images at Charlize Theron all day long but when you actually have to get somewhere and the clock is ticking I could do without the distraction....:E..

Makes a lot of LHR look positively civilised and Singapore....ahhhh......:D

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

at Man when they revamped T1 some years ago, the seating in the main lounge is non existant

I’m sorry, but I have to disagree. The first area of the departure area has no seating unless you are in the coffee shop, once you’ve negotiated the trek through the tax free shop there is a seating area in the centre round the shops, there are also seating areas along pier B..

It’s not perfect, and when it’s busy there aren’t enough seats for everyone, but it certainly isn’t “non existant”

[wub]

Edinburgh is one of the worst

[Heathrow Harry]

IMHO it was dublin that started it wayyy back...

[Hussar 54]

The UK is by far the worst I have seen for this. It's actually quite embarrassing how we so blatantly force people through the shops. Very tacky indeed.


Anyone been to Faro recently ????

[Kiltrash]

If you want to see this taken to extreme try any IKEA store. or so I believe, Only been once to one in Edmonton UK never again

Back to Airports, agree UK is just a reason not to shop but the only benefit is the alcohol samples they promote and can easily lose 60mins of 'shopping' time and means you do not need to go to Wetherspoons to get tanked up before the flight

[WHBM]

Stansted is the worst. It would be good to see how the escape times have been maintained should the fire alarms go off, especially given the kitchen areas of some catering outlets are now in the centre of the serendipity. Perhaps Essex fire service could pay a visit for an audit.

[pax britanica]

North terminal at LGW is a nightmare . A long winding u turning pathway through shops that is disorientating and confusing. Ina building emergency evac no lights and a lot of smoke it would be a death trap a death trap. I wonder how many freebies the airport bunged the authorities to get that approved. since it is so ridiculously obviously dangerous. And thats without the lack of seats no gate announcements and every other trick to try and force you to spend money

[AirUK]

The North Terminal at LGW used to be really nice, you could see all the shops you might want to visit (or ignore) from the middle of the departure lounge, where there was abundant seating in relaxing surroundings - I miss the old centrepieces that were the cone-shaped fountains around which helical ramps would take you down to the departure gates.

After BAA sold it off the centrepieces were concreted over to make way for a small number of seats whilst the rest of the lounge has turned into an ugly and archaic shopping mall which you are forced to walk through regardless as it's the only path to the boarding gates now. Asides from there being a climate control problem, there also seemed to be a big fruit fly infestation problem in some of the upstairs food outlets when I was travelling through there back in February... hope they've sorted those out by now!

[Davef68]

Edinburgh is one of the worst

Would disagree, it's relativey short and just one U shaped walk. Compared to say Stansted (Long, circular walk to get back to 10m from where you started), Gatwick North's squiggle or Bristol's equivalent, EDI is realtively calm. But still annoying

[Davef68]

The pleasantly surprising one is Heathrow T5, where it's almost an old fashioned pass through security then into the centre. Plenty of shops, but none you are forced to wlk through. Yet.

[AirUK]

Dave,

Probably because they know not even one in ten pax could afford a Gucci handbag, Rolex watch, etc! The shops in T5 are useless to the average traveller.

[Saintsman]

Probably because they know not even one in ten pax could afford a Gucci handbag, Rolex watch, etc! The shops in T5 are useless to the average traveller.

I agree, there is very little that I would buy there as they are all stupid prices and if I was off to my two weeks in the sun at other airports, then I doubt I would be buying anything unless I realised that I had forgotten to pack something (even then I would probably wait until I got there).

[wiggy]

Dave,

Probably because they know not even one in ten pax could afford a Gucci handbag, Rolex watch, etc! The shops in T5 are useless to the average traveller.

Well the “high end” shops have been in T5 since it opened over ten years ago and appear to have attracted enough trade to keep them in business ..I even succumbed to a Paul Smith cycling jersey from the T5 shop a few years ago.

As for the “average traveller”, you’ve got several WH Smith’s and Boots outlets, at least one Dixons “duty free”, the generic (supposedly) Duty free area in the centre of T5A and the various food outlets...they all seem to do OK.

[Davef68]

Dave,

Probably because they know not even one in ten pax could afford a Gucci handbag, Rolex watch, etc! The shops in T5 are useless to the average traveller.

I go each time with a list of things to get in the Harry Potter shop

[PAXboy]

Was at LHR T2 Arrivals this afternoon. There is a reasonable amount of seating in front of the exit area but you cannot read the screens unless you have binoculars as the characters are so small. I decided to check online and found that the main LHR website will give you the arrivals board but only up to the landing time. The updates about 'Bags Arriving' is not available. I did not bother to subscribe to their expensive SMS service to find out if you got more information that way.

[Paul Wilson]

As regulars at Stansted we actually find that we probably spend less due to the circuitous route. The good lady likes to get through to the departure area, get settled then perhaps do a bit of shopping, the thought of fighting your way back the "wrong way" to get to an earlier so, just means that shopping is just done in the few shops visible from our selected perch (normally the fish and champagne place). I too might week, in other circumstances, visit the whisky place or another ship, but I can't remember what we passed on the way in. So don't bother.
i would rather they just got me in quick, gave me somewhere to sit, and let me get bored. Then I might shop

[krismiler]

Not just departures, many airports also funnel you through duty free on arrival as well. It may be a better buying there as people aren’t inclined to linger and won’t stop unless the prices are attractive.

[Piltdown Man]

I’m very old fashioned. I go to the toilet when I want to pee, I go to a barber when I want a haircut and my doctor when there is something wrong with me. Amazingly when I wish to travel I go to bus stop, railway station or airport. I do not go these places to bloody well shop. But when I next go to my butcher I’ll ask if he has any any flights to Malaga, just in case I’m out if touch with the modern way of doing things.

PM

[RedhillPhil]

Not just shops. The last two times that I've been through Gatwick I've had my one working ear assaulted by relentless thumping "pop" music. St. Pancras railway station is a shopping mall but at least it's a straight path to the trains,

[PAXboy]

I wonder how much the Shopping Arcades have developed to off set the price controls put in place when the airports were privatised? As you may recall, there was a strong limit on how much the landing fees could go up each year. It was no surprise when LHR changed their landign charges policy from 'seating per aircraft' to 'aircraft' so as to increase their income and squeeze out the regionals. (Still an ongoing problem 25+ years later!) Then they started upping the prices of the shop lets and redesigning to incorporate more shops and everyone else followed. The Conservatives wanted to privatise but knew that rising landing fees would be blamed on them. So they put controls in price which were then side stepped. No one could have predicted that ...

Parking was then incorporated as another high income stream. They learnt this one from British Rail who had already hiked parking prices to the point where their car parks started to empty and surrounding streets started to fill up with commuters parking in surburban side streets. Consequently to that the local Councils had to introduce parking restrictions so that locals could park in front of their own houses - had this happen to us.

I might be throwing hand grenades too freely, I sit to be corrected.

[Heathrow Harry]

land-side Councils also now charge to drop-off, pick-up etc - Edinburgh is one of he worst for this - Govt cuts payments to local authorities to cut income tax so they go hunting elsewhere for revenue - then private airports see a new source of cash and do the same

I gave up on duty free years ago as you can almost always buy cheaper land-side - maybe except booze into Norway etc

As for buying a watch or clothes there...................:yuk:

[Mr Mac]

Heathrow Harry
Have to agree with you. I go straight from car to lounge, however if with Mrs Mac there does seem to be a diversion to some outlet (Fat Face springs to mind recently !) . Now just give up let her wonder about while I go to lounge. As for Duty Free I will only bring in on inbound flight and only things which were difficult to obtain in UK or expensive to do so - Bombay East and Tanqueray Ten (when it was only available in US spring to mind), and of course Cuban cigars though 12 of the latter will usually see me through a year !

Kind regards
Mr Mac

[sixchannel]

Not just departures, many airports also funnel you through duty free on arrival as well. It may be a better buying there as people aren’t inclined to linger and won’t stop unless the prices are attractive.
Quite so. BHX my local case in point. Disorienting outbound circuitous route to what seating there is. And, blow me, after a nice 5hr 29" pitch package holiday flight home arriving when most shops are shut ,there it is again - just in case I had forgotte to by that overpriced watch or perfume.
Due to probs with BHX re sensible parking and flight times to my preferred destination, I shall be using EMA later this year. Please, please, let it be better!!!

[Saintsman]

Just a thought on buying upon arrival.

Outbound they demand to see your boarding card. What is the process for buying when you land inbound?

[sixchannel]

Probably. But like i said, having arrived back at BHX in early hours when all normal shops are shut and after a 5hr 29" pitch package flight, who wants to buy that Rolex or perfume? Not me - im usually spent up anyway.

[WilliumMate]

Just a thought on buying upon arrival.

Outbound they demand to see your boarding card. What is the process for buying when you land inbound?

Last time I bought inbound was at Luton. Daughter wanted some perfume and I baulked at the 90 euros demanded in Malaga, forty quid at Luton for the same bottle and no boarding card required.

[NRU74]

Is it a ‘female’ thing ?
Do any blokes buy anything from these retail outlets ?
All I want to do ( and my flights are all short haul Europe) is to get thru’ security/passports whatever, get a beer and read the paper on the ipad.
It never crosses my mind to actually buy anything.

[sixchannel]

Me neither. Despite the experience of the gent from Luton, ive never found a DF price that i couldnt beat either in Resort or in inbound airport DFs - FUE, LPA, AGP, ALI.
I also prefer to try and find a seat in Departures (not always easy at BHX, grab a soft drink and sit patiently whilst my planes are delayed.

[El Bunto]

It was a couple of years ago and I was very tired but I remember the departures of Bristol airport being one huge shopping precinct complete with endless loud animated perfume ads on big screens. I can't see how that would encourage anyone to buy there, unless the offered to shut-off the volume with a purchase.

Also, the shops were closed as it was nearly midnight. Can't they turn-off the ads when the shutters go down?

I've never been so glad to board an Easyjet flight, even two hours delayed. I watched it coming in on FR24 on my phone and cheered when it came into view.

[vctenderness]

We always used to say “remember it’s duty free but not profit free”.

Even airports like Dubai who built a reputation on cheap booze and fags gave in years ago and ratcheted up the prices until, for most nationalities, it’s not worth the bother of carrying it for the miniscual savings.

[PAXboy]

I used to buy on board - especially when pre-ordering started as it was very convenient. Then the airlines racked up prices too. If going on holiday, I usually buy locally on arrival.

[Delight]

I find the lighting in the "duty free" area of EDI gives me an instant headache. On my last visit I had to run though (due to BA "bag drop" being understaffed) and the thought did cross my mind that at least Ikea have short cuts for people in a hurry.

[zed3]

Saintsman... credit card?

[old,not bold]

Sadly, the battle was lost decades ago; The shopkeepers took over BAA around 1985, and that's when the rot started. There were those of us who maintained that the function of an airport is to facilitate the transfer of passengers between surface transport and the aircraft door as quickly and expeditiously as we could make it. Clear pathways, as short as possible. We were ridiculed and told to join the modern world. It became a key priority to lengthen the "average dwell time" in the departure area; the target started at 1 hours, but before long was 3 hours. Managers who achieved this were rewarded. Among the many ways to do that was to start to tell passengers, via their airlines, that they should arrive much earlier than they needed to.

As for the "duty-free" con, duty-free shops simply part the terminally gullible from their money. Mark-ups are huge, while so-called comparisons with the mythical "high Street" prices are spurious and misleading. Most of the stuff is not dutiable in the first place but is still marked "duty-free". We are talking about excise duties here, which in airports means duties levied on alcohol and tobacco. And dutiable stuff is not duty-free within the EU. My heart sinks when I see foreign tourists leaving the UK actually buying the rubbish in the belief that they are getting a bargain on a designer label. Especially the Chinese; in many cases they could probably find the garment they just paid £177.50 for being made near where they live for £2.50, plus 50p extra for the label.

The argument that duty-free income reduces airport user charges is entirely false, in BAA certainly, and I suspect everywhere else. What the income does is remove any incentive to operate efficiently, so the running costs remain absurdly high, and of course the owners want to maximise what they steal from the business; you don't do that by reducing charges. The regulator in UK (CAA) is a toothless tiger, in thrall to the industry. Many of those operating costs are associated with the duty-free shopping; the space is not cheap to build and run, and it all has to be maintained. Imagine a simple, clean building; not a shop in sight apart from some cafes and a newsagent. Go through security, board 10 minutes later. Do you know what? It was once like that....OK, no security then, but security isn't the problem. It's all those b****y shops. Dream on.

To pass the time hanging about in the departure lounge because you were told to get there 2 hours too early, it is good entertainment to find outlets selling non-dutiable stuff underneath a sign saying "duty-free" and ask the managers what duties their junk is free of. One of these days I'll do that and record the answers.

[sixchannel]

Sadly, the battle was lost decades ago; The shopkeepers took over BAA around 1985, and that's when the rot started. There were those of us who maintained that the function of an airport is to facilitate the transfer of passengers between surface transport and the aircraft door as quickly and expeditiously as we could make it. Clear pathways, as short as possible. We were ridiculed and told to join the modern world. It became a key priority to lengthen the "average dwell time" in the departure area; the target started at 1 hours, but before long was 3 hours. Managers who achieved this were rewarded. Among the many ways to do that was to start to tell passengers, via their airlines, that they should arrive much earlier than they needed to.

As for the "duty-free" con, duty-free shops simply part the terminally gullible from their money. Mark-ups are huge, while so-called comparisons with the mythical "high Street" prices are spurious and misleading. Most of the stuff is not dutiable in the first place but is still marked "duty-free". We are talking about excise duties here, which in airports means duties levied on alcohol and tobacco. And dutiable stuff is not duty-free within the EU. My heart sinks when I see foreign tourists leaving the UK actually buying the rubbish in the belief that they are getting a bargain on a designer label. Especially the Chinese; in many cases they could probably find the garment they just paid £177.50 for being made near where they live for £2.50, plus 50p extra for the label.

The argument that duty-free income reduces airport user charges is entirely false, in BAA certainly, and I suspect everywhere else. What the income does is remove any incentive to operate efficiently, so the running costs remain absurdly high, and of course the owners want to maximise what they steal from the business; you don't do that by reducing charges. The regulator in UK (CAA) is a toothless tiger, in thrall to the industry. Many of those operating costs are associated with the duty-free shopping; the space is not cheap to build and run, and it all has to be maintained. Imagine a simple, clean building; not a shop in sight apart from some cafes and a newsagent. Go through security, board 10 minutes later. Do you know what? It was once like that....OK, no security then, but security isn't the problem. It's all those b****y shops. Dream on.

To pass the time hanging about in the departure lounge because you were told to get there 2 hours too early, it is good entertainment to find outlets selling non-dutiable stuff underneath a sign saying "duty-free" and ask the managers what duties their junk is free of. One of these days I'll do that and record the answers.
Spot on!
As regular SLF through BHX we now plan to arrive at Check In at minus 1.15 - 1.30 max (we always pre-book seats - another nice little Earner) . By the time we've weaved our way through the Security lines (we no longer pay for so called Express), a quick walk along the unavoidable sparkly black path of DF, we can usually see our Gate No flagged upon the board. So we go to Gate and enjoy waiting there whilst our flight is delayed.

[krismiler]

This website gives you an idea if you’re better off buying at origin, transit hub or destination.

https://dutyfree.buzz/

[sixchannel]

This website gives you an idea if you’re better off buying at origin, transit hub or destination.

https://dutyfree.buzz/
Nice idea but it doesnt yet have any UK airports other than LHR or ANY of the usual ex-UK holiday holiday haunts.
And Fragrances doesnt include Geogio Armani.
However for our soon to travel BHX - DBX - SYD - DBX - BHX its a fair bet there is NO advantage in the DF at either end.

[Davef68]

Quite so. BHX my local case in point. Disorienting outbound circuitous route to what seating there is. And, blow me, after a nice 5hr 29" pitch package holiday flight home arriving when most shops are shut ,there it is again - just in case I had forgotte to by that overpriced watch or perfume.
Due to probs with BHX re sensible parking and flight times to my preferred destination, I shall be using EMA later this year. Please, please, let it be better!!!

It still has the ' sparkly black path of DF' (Nice one sixchannel!) but not as long as at other airport.

[sixchannel]

It still has the ' sparkly black path of DF' (Nice one sixchannel!) but not as long as at other airport.
Oh well. Inevitable I guess. Pity there isnt an ''escape road' built in to Terminal designs but as the above demonstrates, its not about the Passengers anymore, its about wringing the Max out of the Pax before they get to destination and find they can haggle far better prices on the holiday High Street.

Still, EMA gotta be worth a punt - LS613 at sensible morning t/o time, meet & greet car parking at silly money compared to BHX normal car parking charges, flight price not significantly worse than BHX, travel time from west of the west mdlands only another 20 minutes and no Spaghetti Junction.
Oh, and no chance (I hope) that the never on time Smartlynx Jet2 Renter would be on the rotation, unlike fortnightly Sundays LS1213/4 flights.
Winner?

[Los Endos]

As has been highlighted, STN is one of the worst offenders for the refreshed shopping mall. Meanwhile the runway is a patchwork of repairs which shakes your teeth out during the takeoff roll and is regularly closed with no notice due to holes appearing in it. The MAG should take financial responsibility for the cost of the subsequent diversions thus focusing their attention on running and maintaining the AIRPORT rather than the shopping mall.

[sixchannel]

It would be a brave (and Rich) Airline that took MAG on.
I think its a case of Put Up And Shut Up and the Airlines probably know that.

[Davef68]

At Luton yesterday and it has now doubled the length of it's mandatory walk and reduced again the number of non-concession seats - and you can't see the departure boards from most of the seats.

[hoss183]

Luton has just extended and 'improved' it's departures. I can't wait until I have to go through in August. My usual ploy to avoid it all AND find a seat is to use my lounge pass. I find I have become adept at 'not seeing' the shops as I search out the lounge or the gate.

Conversely, in Arrivals at LHR (my most regular port) the reduction in seating drives people to sit in the chairs - in the coffee shops ....
Bristol is a bit of pain too.
Just went through Luton last week, pain in the arse. It winds round in an S, with no room for the flow of people between the store front and the coffee shops, zero seats.
Luton is to be avoided generally, worst airport in the UK, my other experiences last week:
- Getting to hire cars is a joke, but down the back streets of a trading estate
- On returning hire car, signposting is crap, so you drive into the drop-off area, and have to pay 3 quid to get out, only having made a wrong turn.
- The shuttle bus to the train station is also a joke, infrequent, packed, and it doesnt have a bus lane cmoing back in, so gets stuck in the rush traffic.
Never going to use Luton again.

[hoss183]

Last time I bought inbound was at Luton. Daughter wanted some perfume and I baulked at the 90 euros demanded in Malaga, forty quid at Luton for the same bottle and no boarding card required.
No boarding card required anywhere. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Airport-VAT-scam-What-should-I-do-if-asked-to-show-my-boarding-pass/

[esa-aardvark]

After many years (since 1974 or so) of travelling by air for business & pleasure, this year
I took a long cruise (78 days) to Hong Kong, met some friends, then on to Bangkok
for a rest. Then a nice flight with Norwegian to Oslo, no problems with shopping at BKK.
Then Oslo to Norwich. Oslo shopping centre was also OK.
Nowadays I like to be out of the UK for the winter, and air travel and creating my own travel
plans has become bit boring. Don't fly much to/from the UK either, takes an easy 2 or 3 days to drive
from the bottom of Spain to Hook of Holland. Then night boat. I can fill the car with wine as well, until Brexit.

[Peter47]

Having been through Gatwick North terminal yesterday I see what you mean!

[T250]

Just playing devil's advocate here:

You want cheap flights then this is the price to pay, shops.

Airport operators are increasingly hit by the airlines and CAA regulations ensuring the aeronautical revenue/profit are constrained and tightly out of their control.

Shops, car parks, all ancillary elements are fair game and make far more than your average landing fees! :cool:

And anyway, is the LGW North Terminal 'snake' really that bad, please, just walk through as quickly as possible and find a seat or your lounge. Talk about hysteria! :hmm:

[Heathrow Harry]

T250 has a very valid point

TBH I find them incredibly tedious - BUT - if we went back to the "lounges" of the early 70's you'd go mad - there was literally nothing to do - and these days you are incarcerated for +2 hours cp maybe 30 mins back then

Plus I can remember the "chairs" air-side at Gatwick being old aircraft seats. Lady H thinks the ones at Manchester were from DC-3's............

[PAXboy]

The trend in the last 25 years has been to 'unbundle' costs and let the purchaser make the choice. Amusingly, this often leads to more being spent. Further, it does not always drive down the primary (striking) price. A good friend of mine works in the UK funeral trade. Across these 25 years, everyone has had to provide a detailed cost breakdown with a written estimate. Yet - funeral costs continue to rise well above inflation!

I have no difficulty in not shopping at airports but I do enjoy looking at the stuff to see what might interest me in the High Street / online at a proper price. Sometimes I see a promotion that brings an item down to the right price. When I went through FRA in March, I saw exactly the gift I needed for friends (original Sachertorte) and happily paid the price. They were highly delighted.

[Davef68]

Just playing devil's advocate here:

You want cheap flights then this is the price to pay, shops.

Airport operators are increasingly hit by the airlines and CAA regulations ensuring the aeronautical revenue/profit are constrained and tightly out of their control.


I have no objection to them having as many shops as they want, what I object to is being made to walk through the parade (as a result of some marketing psychologist saying they will get more spend that way) just to get to an overcrowded waiting area. The ironic thing is I've probably spent more in the unforced shopping area at LHR T5 than at any of the others in the UK, and been able to find a seat (But then no LoCo at T5!)

And Gatwick isn't too bad compared to Stansted's walk the length of the terminal and back sparkly road - and guess where I'm off to on Monday......

[Lantern10]

After hearing a few harrowing tales regarding a certain company and BKK airport it's been hands in pockets and eyes straight ahead from that point on.

[esa-aardvark]

Been to BKK many times (30-40), I know the story, but never had a problem.
Best to be vigilant though.

[Alsacienne]

The ironic thing is I've probably spent more in the unforced shopping area at LHR T5 than at any of the others in the UK

Your irony may be misplaced given that the choice of retail outlets in T5 are unsurprisingly more upmarket than in STN or LGW! Boots and WHSmith seem to be the only outlets I'd use on a regular basis when shopping in the UK .... or have I missed something? :)

[sixchannel]

Boots and WHSmith seem to be the only outlets I'd use :)

And only then because its forced on one. With the Liquids Regulations prohibiting more than 100ml, you are obliged to bin your 29p bottles of Supermarket still water pre-security and buy them again airside at 2 for nearly a Fiver. Nice little earner at BHX.

[farci]

And only then because its forced on one. With the Liquids Regulations prohibiting more than 100ml, you are obliged to bin your 29p bottles of Supermarket still water pre-security and buy them again airside at 2 for nearly a Fiver. Nice little earner at BHX.

There was an interesting thread (https://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/597519-more-than-half-uk-international-airports-lack-free-drinking-water-fountains.html?highlight=drinking+water+at+airport)earlier about drinking fountains which concluded they were few and far between. However there is a legal requirmenet in UK for licensed premises to provide free water.

Time for people power?:D

[Espada III]

Manchester Terminal 1 has a water fountain on the route out of security into duty free, It is reasonably prominent and certainly used. Well done them.

Mind you cannot recall seeing one in Terminal 3. (Not used T2 for a long time)

[sixchannel]

There was an interesting thread (https://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/597519-more-than-half-uk-international-airports-lack-free-drinking-water-fountains.html?highlight=drinking+water+at+airport)earlier about drinking fountains which concluded they were few and far between. However there is a legal requirmenet in UK for licensed premises to provide free water.

Time for people power?:D
Whilst that is true, the water may well be free but the 'supplier' CAN charge, if they so wish, for the use of the glass and a Service Charge.
Must try that out at Wetherspoons BHX airside next time out. Lol!

[TLDNMCL]

If you don't need or want it, don't buy it; I can't see the difference between this and walking through any town to (for example) the railway station. After all, you don't feel pressurised into buying a bottle of brandy, 400 ciggies and a bottle of Chanel No.5 plus a yard-long Toblerone on your way to work each day do you?

[spekesoftly]

I can't see the difference between this and walking through any town to (for example) to the railway station.
Except that shops in many towns are rapidly disappearing! But I take your point.

[TLDNMCL]

Except that shops in many towns are rapidly disappearing! But I take your point.
It was a bit tongue in cheek, I admit😁

[Davef68]

If you don't need or want it, don't buy it; I can't see the difference between this and walking through any town to (for example) the railway station. After all, you don't feel pressurised into buying a bottle of brandy, 400 ciggies and a bottle of Chanel No.5 plus a yard-long Toblerone on your way to work each day do you?

Not many towns make you walk a hugely circuitous route to get to the railway, just to ensure you pass every outlet

[The Sleeping Pax]

I am always amazed that so many fashion/luxury watch/goods outlets are empty of customers and the staff just sitting around. Large airports that I use often, BKK, SIN, HKG, BRS, SYD LHR, I avoid shopping. When travelling back to BKK, I buy my allowance at BKK. Saves having to lug it through the journey from wherever. Travelling back to POM, I get my allowance at the boarding airport and lug it back. (believe me if you are living in POM you need your allowance at a decent price)

At POM I look for local crafts to take back as gifts to my Thai friends (they love em) same recently during my Pacific journeys at HIR, VLI, NAN and TBU. Though I'm most probably paying way over the odds for them. I also avoid book shops at airports too. Prices are more expensive than in the local city in my experience.

[WHBM]

I am always amazed that so many fashion/luxury watch/goods outlets are empty of customers and the staff just sitting around..
I'm even more amazed that they always manage to be overstaffed for the business they do. A constant comment coming back about a shortage of security checking staff is of how difficult and lengthy it is to get airside passes and clearance for staff working there. Which the high end merchants seem amazingly able to overcome.

[Heathrow Harry]

I am always amazed that so many fashion/luxury watch/goods outlets are empty of customers and the staff just sitting around. Large airports that I use often, BKK, SIN, HKG, BRS, SYD LHR, I avoid shopping. When travelling back to BKK, I buy my allowance at BKK. Saves having to lug it through the journey from wherever. Travelling back to POM, I get my allowance at the boarding airport and lug it back. (believe me if you are living in POM you need your allowance at a decent price)

At POM I look for local crafts to take back as gifts to my Thai friends (they love em) same recently during my Pacific journeys at HIR, VLI, NAN and TBU. Though I'm most probably paying way over the odds for them. I also avoid book shops at airports too. Prices are more expensive than in the local city in my experience.
tells you all you need to know about their profit margins airside.. Aldi they ain't....