I’m writing this in Singapore, my home for the next week as I make progress on our special publication to mark Changi Airport’s 30th anniversary and the renovation of Terminal 1. When travelling, my colleague Martin Moodie is fond of opening a new bureau in whatever country he finds himself in, but I am unable
Miscellaneous
St. Patrick’s Day becomes the longest day for Irish fans
One of the great days in the international rugby calendar is the annual Six Nations match between Ireland and England – not least in recent years (for those us in the green camp) because of Ireland’s tremendous record both home and away against the Old Enemy. Last Saturday (St. Patrick’s Day, as it happened) brought
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People
A fitting memorial for Danny Galvin
The family of Danny Galvin, the hugely popular CTC-ARI Airports General Manager who lost his life in a car crash in Cyprus last May, is planning a memorial service and charity golf day in Ireland to mark the anniversary of his death. The outpouring of grief across the industry, and the many tributes that flooded
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Miscellaneous
The power of partnership comes alive in Dublin
Aer Rianta International (ARI) has a proud track record of establishing partnerships through its global operations, but a few days ago it set a new benchmark much closer to home. On 29 February, ARI Ireland played host to some new permanent partnerships at Dublin Airport T2 – as a number of women proposed to their
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Miscellaneous
Cappell turns tears to Smiles after Baggies bonanza
The Trinity Forum 2012 provided many memorable moments, inside and outside the conference hall. Readers will forgive this writer for honing in on a particular personal highlight, which took place thousands of miles from the conference venue in Seoul. On Sunday February 12, my beloved West Bromwich Albion FC – alias the Baggies – travelled
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Miscellaneous
Showcasing the spirit of Berlin
The opening of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandy (pictured above and below) in June will be a historic moment for aviation in the German capital. In 1990, Germany was reunited as a single country, with a newly reunited Berlin reinstated as its capital. But it has taken more than 20 years for air traffic
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Miscellaneous
Schiphol speciality store adds lustre to spirits business
The Moodie Report paid a visit last week to Finest Spirits & Cigars, Schiphol Airport Retail’s (SAR) high-end wines, spirits and cigars boutique – and discovered just why the Schiphol Group-owned subsidiary is building its reputation as one of Europe’s most progressive travel retailers. The store is only open four months but already sales are ahead
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Miscellaneous
A pioneering location’s major makeover
Shannon Airport occupies a special place in the hearts of many travel retail people. The birthplace of duty free in 1947, courtesy of the industry’s founding father Brendan O’Regan, it’s a location that you’ll hear name-checked in every continent where duty free retailers ply their trade. It may be widely celebrated, but in recent years
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Miscellaneous
Into the swing at the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup
One of the social highlights of the travel retail calendar began today in Dubai, with the 19th running of the annual Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup. It’s an event that brings the industry together in friendship for two days in Dubai, and whose popularity has grown over the past two decades. This year’s high-class courses are
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Miscellaneous
Paying homage to the Urn
This writer has been fortunate enough to visit some wonderful sporting venues, some of them not in West Bromwich. For atmosphere, the old Wembley and Croke Park are hard to beat; for setting, Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval and the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town are both unforgettable locations; and Lisbon’s Stadium of Light, the Stade
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Miscellaneous
Abu Dhabi sets the pace
Abu Dhabi played host to an extraordinary day – and an extraordinary night, as the Formula 1 show concluded on Sunday. The Moodie Report was there as a guest of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, and saw Lewis Hamilton of McLaren capture the top prize, after rival Sebastien Vettel of Red Bull spun out of the
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Miscellaneous
Ready to race in Abu Dhabi
The Moodie Report is in Abu Dhabi this weekend for the third Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Grand Prix, at the stunning Yas Marina track. The atmosphere here is terrific, with Formula 1 and the social scene that surrounds it the only game in town from Friday through to Sunday. As soon as you step
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Miscellaneous
Iconic Abu Dhabi T1 undergoes a magical makeover
The word ‘iconic’ is one that suffers from heavy over-use in descriptions of many of the airports, stores and brands that populate our industry. But one location that deserves the title is the unmistakable Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, with its colourful domed roof and circular design. Once one of the industry’s state-of-the-art