India: all government-run airports are to set up or increase food counters with affordable pricing

Passengers travelling out of Chennai airport may soon be able to grab a bite that’s easy on their pockets, as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is considering an increase in the number of food counters that sell snacks and beverages at a reasonable cost.

Following a circular issued by AAI headquarters in Delhi, all government-run airports are to set up or increase food counters with affordable pricing. Smaller airports have started to float tenders to install them. Chennai airport, however, may not float a fresh tender but ask its food and beverages (F&B) contractor — Travel Foods Services (TFS) — to set up the stalls.

A senior official of AAI said, “We will consider increasing the number of stalls if there is a demand.”

The company has already set up four such stalls at the terminals following several complaints from passengers on the high cost of food items and water bottles. A TFS official said, “We have two stalls each at the domestic and international terminals. These shops cater to the demand. AAI also displays information about the presence of the stalls on flight information boards.”

As airlines have started to operate flights to small towns, encouraged by regional connectivity scheme, the number of domestic departures has gone up. There is a need for more such shops, as the domestic terminal handles as many as 30 night flights. Passengers reach the airport well before the odd departure hours, and may need access to stalls selling food and beverages at reasonable prices.

Tea and water are priced at above Rs50 at most shops inside the terminals and the security hold area where passengers wait to board planes.

A passenger said the existing shops that sell F&B at cheaper rates should be moved to a prominent location as it was difficult to locate the shops inside the terminals. “The staff manning the stall try to sell a water bottle for Rs50, if the passenger fails to notice that the stall sells items at cheaper rates.”

Sources said the existing F&B contractor did not want more such stalls to be established as it would affect the sales in other stalls that sell products at premium rates.

Source: The Indian Times

Pune international airport: food & beverages tender for local street food

Pune airport authorities are looking for private firms which will set up a vada pav stall and a bhel puri counter at the check-in area inside the terminal building. They are also planning to open a ‘low cost’ counter where tea, coffee and water will be sold.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has floated the tender notice for setting up these outlets and hopes that these will be operational by November 2018.
This decision to open multiple pocket-friendly food and beverage outlets inside the airport terminal will surely make passengers happy, as they have often complained about the exorbitant prices of food items sold there.
Airport officials said private players will be provided a four square metre space to set up each of the counters – one for vada pav, one for tea, coffee and water, and one for bhel puri. They will have to pay a monthly fee of Rs 9,000 to the AAI, apart from a rent of Rs 2,100 per month.
As per officials, the move comes after the issue of exorbitant prices of food items and beverages at Pune airport was discussed at a meeting of the Airport Advisory Committee last year. It was decided that the airport administration should take the initiative to set up a few stalls inside and outside the terminal.
While the private party will be given flexibility to decide the selling price, the maximum sale prices for these stalls have been capped by the AAI. For example, the seller can charge a maximum of Rs 50 for a vada pav, Rs 20 for tea and Rs 25 for coffee. A 500-ml water bottle can’t be sold for more than Rs 10.
Activist Dhairyashil Vandekar welcomed the move and expressed hope that similar ‘low cost options’ will be provided at every airport in the country, from where UDAN flights operate.

El Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria amplia su oferta con cuatro nuevos locales de restauración

El Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria continúa con la ampliación de su oferta comercial con la apertura de cuatro nuevos locales de restauración, dos bajo la marca de Café Pans, gestionados por Pansfood, y un Grab & Go, gestionado por Autogrill Iberia, y el Starbucks de Select Service Partner (SSP).

En los Café Pans, situados en las zonas de embarque de vuelos regionales y en llegadas, y con una superficie de 242 m2 y 150 m2, respectivamente.

El Grab & Go, que operará bajo la marca Leon y que cuenta con una superficie de más de 500 m2 y un aforo para más de 200 personas, es el primer restaurante de comida rápida que la empresa Autogrill Iberia abre en España bajo régimen de franquicia. Este nuevo local, ubicado en la zona de embarque del Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria tendrá un horario de 24 horas.

Por otro lado, Select Service Partner (SSP) abrirá esta semana de nuevo las puertas del Starbucks, con una nueva ubicación en la zona de embarque y una imagen totalmente renovada en sus 240 m2 de superficie.

El Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria cuenta, actualmente, con 40 establecimientos de los que 14 son de restauración y 26 son tiendas variadas, habilitados todos en diversos puntos del Edificio Terminal.

Dentro de la renovación de la restauración se encuentran fase de obra y con próximas aperturas 8 puntos de restauración adicionales, entre los que se encuentran marcas reconocidas como: Soho, Dehesa Santa María, Coffe Republic, Playa Padre (Terraza), Enrique Tomás, O ́Learys, The Garden y Café Di Fiore.

AENA: concurso de restauración en el aeropuerto de Alicante

Aena ha aprobado la licitación de la renovación de la oferta de restauración del Aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche. Los nuevos espacios ocuparán una superficie de más de 5.500 m2 (un 18% más que en la actualidad), repartidos en 18 locales licitados en un total de 10 expedientes, que empezarán a dar servicio a partir del segundo trimestre de 2019.

El objetivo de esta licitación es dotar al Aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche de una amplia y variada oferta de restauración, que ofrezca un alto nivel de calidad a los pasajeros y que refleje la gastronomía local, nacional e internacional. Aena pretende así proporcionar una verdadera experiencia gastronómica a los viajeros y usuarios del aeropuerto, combinando las últimas tendencias de restauración con aquellos conceptos más demandados por el pasajero del Aeropuerto.

Para ello, se licitan puntos de venta en los que ofrecer conceptos multi-cocina en ambientes ‘mercado de alimentación’, espacios gourmet, cafeterías internacionales, chocolaterías, heladerías, fish&chips, sushi, hamburgueserías, bocadillerías, cervecerías y comida italiana. Los establecimientos se sitúan en su mayoría en las zonas de embarque y facturación.

La licitación de estos concursos del Aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche, tiene  plazo de presentación de ofertas el 10 de octubre de 2018.