A passenger spends around 7 US dollars per hour at the airport
To be on the safe side, many passengers follow the advice of the airline companies and arrive at the airport as early as possible so as not to miss the plane. This also has to do with the fact that travelers have to check in, check in luggage and go through security. When there is a lot going on, it takes time. However, the recommended two to three hours that the traveler should be at the airport before departure is often more than sufficient. If everything goes smoothly, a passenger has around one to two hours before boarding to pass the time.
The duty-free zone behind the security check
This is where the airport planners come in. Aviation and customer experience expert Lukaszewicz recently told Business Insider that customers spend around $7 an hour waiting at the airport. In the very first hour at the airport, travelers are most keen to shop, which is why these 60 minutes are also considered the golden hour. Airport planners take advantage of this knowledge and design a duty-free zone directly after the security check, in which passengers are confronted with a wide range of products. Researchers also found that most people are right-handed and therefore look for goods on the right. With a suitcase in hand, people also show a tendency to walk in an anti-clockwise direction. That’s why duty-free shops are often laid out to the left to increase purchase potential.
In addition, there is the customer myth that products in duty-free shops are duty-free and therefore cheaper than in regular shops. However, the myth does not apply to Europe, since a law was published in 1999 that prohibits this. Accordingly, duty-free products are on average just as expensive or even more expensive than in the other shops.
Paid security checks in fast forward
For travelers who don’t want to wait in line at security, there are services like the TSA Precheck, which customers pay around $85 for every five years. For this, they have to wait less than five minutes at the security check, as they are given priority. However, speedy processing only gives the traveler more time to spend money later.
Overpriced food and water
In airports, it is not permitted to take larger quantities of liquids or even perishable goods through the security checkpoint. Shop operators benefit here too: bottled water and food are usually very expensive at the airport, as travelers have no choice but to get supplies there.
A cozy atmosphere tempts you to buy
Advertising strategists have long since realized that a feel-good ambience makes customers more willing to buy. As a result, many airport operators create a cozy and pleasant environment for customers to relax in. These include, for example, comfortable seats or green plants, if these are available, customers are happy to grab them.
Expensive parking lots
Since airports are often a bit out of the way, many choose to drive to get to the airport. Then leave it there for the rest of the holiday season. The airports also take advantage of this fact by charging high parking fees. For example, parking for two weeks at Tegel Airport in Berlin costs a customer up to 318 euros.
exchange offices
Airport retail space is expensive, so customers often pay more for the products they buy, and the same goes for exchange offices. If customers exchange their currency for another currency at the airport, they are often offered a less favorable exchange rate than outside the airport area. Additional fees may apply.
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