COMMENT Lingering uncertainty trumps change
Now and Then... I
n July 2000, Israel Airports Authority (IAA)
Director of
Commerce and Properties Yoram Shapira spoke of a ‘temporary solution’. This involved incorporating duty free contracts at Ben Gurion International
Airport’s existing Terminal 1 into a fresh duty free tender covering the then-new Terminal 3, which opened in 2004. At that time, it was suggested that should
Terminal 3 open in June 2002, as originally intended, its high traffic volumes would benefit from keeping open Terminal 1’s operations for a limited period. In 2020, major concession news
at international airports in Israel, or elsewhere, has seldom hit the headlines as Covid-19 dampens any meaningful concession activity. That is not to say work isn’t happening; quite the contrary. But the cataclysmic blow to our industry has thread somewhat clinically through our reportage in recent months as attention, importantly, remains pinned to the changing operational picture. In July 2000, IAA was looking ahead to
launching a duty free tender expected to bristle with competitive bids. As mentioned, the picture today is far more opaque. Aside several exceptions, IAA closed all its shops on 15 March with the country prohibiting entry to foreign visitors just days later. When TRBusiness spoke to Shapira, now
Deputy Director, General Commerce and Business Development later that month, he suggested flights not currently operating could restart in July or early August, but things wouldn’t be the same as they were before. The industry knows that all too well. Indeed, IAA confirmed in May that Ben Gurion Terminal 1 would remain closed for the foreseeable future, mauled by a crisis that ACI World predicts will result in a $97.4 billion black hole for airports this year, with the brunt of the pain felt in Europe and Asia. Ben Gurion Terminal 1 was due to stay
closed until at least April, but IAA has said it is now unlikely to reopen until the end of next year at the earliest – a hammer blow given it only resumed full operations for arriving and departing international
46 TRBUSINESS
Big DF&TR bids at Copenhagen & Israel Ben Gurion Airports splash the July 2000 cover.
and domestic traffic in June 2017. In the meantime, international operations will shift to Terminal 3. An IAA spokesperson told Senior Editor
Andrew Pentol recently: “We will apply all guidelines given by the international and Israeli authorities and regulators. These include [and relate to] maintaining social distance, keeping required hygiene rules, protective equipment and wearing face masks at all service points. “Any passenger with a high temperature
and fever will not be allowed to enter Ben Gurion International Airport Terminal 3. The person’s airline will be notified accordingly. “Security and all other employees who
come into contact with passengers and the public will wear face masks at all times. Airline check-in counters will be shielded by a protective barrier. Social distance stickers are pinned to the terminal floor and social distance signs have been placed all over the terminal and on check-in counter displays.” For IAA, there is some light at the
end of the tunnel. Duty free stores are gradually reopening at Ben Gurion, but retailers have been instructed to work with pre-order apps and comply with Israel’s Purple Badge standard for workplaces. Currently, nationals and Israeli residents only are allowed to enter israel subject to quarantining for 14 days. «
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