Schiphol’s dash of style

by Dermot Davitt |

The completion of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s new Lounge 3, which has its official opening next week, marks the latest phase in the commercial transformation of one of Europe’s major hubs.

We’ll bring you full details of the retail and food & beverage line-up, plus an assessment of the offer in coming days, as well as an in-depth feature in our Cannes Print Edition. But already there are some striking additions to the airport’s commercial portfolio.

Among them is the opening of the first Victoria’s Secret store at a European airport, Schiphol’s first Burberry stand-alone shop, and an upscale Hermès unit, each operated by Gerzon Schiphol.

The premium feel of the terminal continues with the Fine Chocolate boutique, plus another first, a high-end spirits and wines store aimed at collectors and enthusiasts, with seriously premium price points and a terrific range – all managed by Schiphol Airport Retail.

HMSHost’s excellent East Bar & Bites Bread outlet delivers that upscale look to the food & beverage offer, and is neatly complemented by outlets such as Bread, the concessionaire’s new concept unit that is attracting huge attention from passengers.

The premium positioning of the lounge is no accident: it houses mainly long-haul passengers travelling to Asia Pacific and North America, and the airport believes it can capture strong spends from the Asian nationalities in particular, with an emphasis on the Chinese, who are using the airport in ever greater numbers.

One thing is clear: with last year’s unveiling of the Holland Boulevard and the latest development at Lounge 3, Schiphol is fast earning a reputation as one of Europe’s most commercially progressive airport locations.