Gone are the days when weak coffee and hot dogs in soggy buns represented standard airport concession fare.
In New England’s major airports and others nationwide, demand for better variety and quality has pushed a boom in new restaurants, snack kiosks, retail stores and other concessions in the past several years.
Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport—whose offerings were once panned by a state review agency as “sorely lacking in appeal, products and services”—has more than doubled the number of vendors in its main terminal in the past four years.
In Providence, T.F. Green International Airport plans a major expansion of concessions as part of a remodeling project. And at Boston’s Logan International Airport, travelers don’t have to look far to buy a lobster roll—not to mention Beantown-themed apparel, souvenirs, books, lottery tickets and even diamond engagement rings.
Because of new restrictions enacted after Sept. 11, 2001, many passengers arrive earlier at airports than ever before, wait longer in terminals and cannot carry much of their own food and beverages through security checkpoints.
While it translates into a larger captive audience for concession operators, the changes also mean passengers have higher expectations for the variety and quality of offerings.
“A lot of people coming through are sophisticated and dine at the best restaurants, and just because they’re at the airport, why should that change?” said Sal Amico, manager of Logan’s airport concessions program.
Passengers there spent an average of $5.32 each for food and beverages in 2006, plus another $3.25 at news stands and retail stores, airport spokesman Richard Walsh said.
Nationwide, travelers spent an average of $7.05 each at the 50 North American airports with the highest per-passenger concession sales in 2006, according to Airport Revenue News, which tracks the trend.
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Bradley Milestone
Although Bradley International Airport lags behind those high performers, it hit a new milestone in February when travelers spent an average of $6.20 each on concessions, a 40-cent increase from just one month earlier.
Terminal A had 12 concessions when its new wing opened in 2003. It now has 27, including a nail salon, new snack shops featuring bagels and smoothies, and an expansion at Brooks Brothers to add women’s clothing.
“Our approach has been to give people what they ask for if it’s in any way possible,” said Stephen E. Korta II, aviation administrator for the state Department of Transportation.
Still on many travelers’ wish lists, but not yet at the airport: Dunkin’ Donuts, Krispy Kreme, Cinnabon and a second Starbucks concession.
Hartford resident Robin Sutton, visiting Bradley on a recent afternoon as her 23-year-old daughter Onika prepared to leave for a military stint in Iraq, named Krispy Kreme and Cinnabon as a few favorites.
“I’m not usually fussy. I’ll eat what looks fresh in whatever restaurants are here,” Robin Sutton said. “I’m happy whenever they add more.”
Matt Thadeio, 18, of West Greenwich, R.I., said his idea of great concessions are Dunkin’ Donuts outlets and a store “where you can get things to entertain you during the flight.”
Airports throughout New England say they’re hearing similar calls for variety, and have been boosting their offerings in recent years.
“There’s definitely an upscaling going on,” said Pauline Armbrust, president of Ambrust Aviation of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., which publishes Airport Revenue News.
Yet for every lobster lover and wine connoisseur, airport officials say, there’s sure to be someone who wants an easy grab-and-go snack. The trick, they say, is luring concession vendors to achieve that balance.
At Bradley airport, one of the newest hits is a hot pretzel with pizza flavoring. Lines started forming as soon as the kiosk opened, a pleasant surprise to airport officials who were unsure whether travelers might stick to McDonald’s and other tried-and-true offerings.
“As much as we might snicker—no pun intended—to the response for additional food vendors, it’s certainly something that ties into the broader customer experience that the airport is very serious about,” said Kevin Kelleher, chairman of the state’s Transportation Strategy Board.
