JAPAN REPORT: NAA


NAA re-opens duty free shops as flights and passenger numbers begin to rise


Japan’s reputation for exemplary customer service is being maintained at Narita International Airport, where David Hayes reports that FaSoLa Shops is offering departing passengers a shopping by appointment service.


tax free shops on limited hours to coincide with the departure of the few daily flights to major destinations in Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East. “We reduced opportunities for


passenger and airport staff contact as a means of curbing the spread of Covid-19,” says Eguchi. “Some shops have closed temporarily or reduced their trading hours since 10 March. “FaSoLa Duty Free Cosmetics and


Above: FaSoLa operates 90 shops and boutiques that account for more than 50% of Narita Airport’s total travel retail revenue.


A


fter temporarily closing all its luxury boutiques and most of its duty


free and tax free shops at Narita International Airport at the start of Japan’s Covid-19 lockdown in early April, FaSoLa began re-opening some of its brand boutiques from the start of August. This was after international


flights and international passenger numbers began to show a small improvement in July. Since August, fourteen of


FaSoLa’s luxury boutiques featuring 10 individual brands are offering shopping by appointment. Among these, four – Coach,


Burberry, Bottega Veneta and Salvatore Ferragamo – were at the time of writing running sales promotions with price reductions of up to -50% on selected items. In Narita Terminal 1 South Wing,


four boutiques are offering shopping by appointment: Cartier, Gucci, Hermès and Tiffany & Co. In T1 North Wing, three boutiques are doing so:


Since August, fourteen of FaSoLa’s luxury boutiques featuring 10 individual brands are offering shopping by appointment.


TRBusiness 26 TRBUSINESS


Bulgari, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bottega Veneta. At Terminal 2, seven luxury brands


are offering the service: Cartier, Coach, Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hermès and Tiffany & Co. Departing passengers are able


to book appointments up to one month in advance and at least 24 hours before international departure flights.


Improving customer service FaSoLa is the travel retail arm of Narita Airport owner NAA Group’s NAA Retailing Corporation. As the airport’s largest duty free operator, it runs 90 shops and boutiques that account for more than 50% of Narita Airport’s total travel retail revenue. “Although there are not as many


customers as before, they are trying to offer an improved service to their customers,” says Hiroomi Eguchi, Vice President in the Retail Operations Department of NAA’s Marketing Division. Most landside and airside travel


retail shops and restaurants at Narita Airport closed in early April as Japan entered a 10-week lockdown, with very few foreign travellers entering the country. NAA permitted FaSoLa to open a small number of duty free and


Perfumery, FaSoLa Duty Free Liquor and Tobacco, and some FaSoLa Tax Free shops in T1 and T2 remain open to offer our customers minimal essential services. “There has been no change in


the situation as of 1 September, but brands operated by NAA Retailing, Japan Duty Free [Jatco] and JAL-DFS have decided to re-open some of their boutiques.” Around 30 international


flight departures were operating from Narita Airport daily in early September to major cities across the world. To ensure passenger and airport


staff safety during the pandemic, duty free operators and other retailers, along with restaurants and all passenger service providers have implemented appropriate infection prevention measures before re-opening. Although international flight


movements and international passenger traffic started to improve in July, passenger numbers are still a fraction of the levels in 2019 due to global travel restrictions and travellers’ fears of contracting Covid-19. Eguchi says the severe travel


restrictions in Japan have resulted in a 93% decrease year-on-year in overall passenger traffic covering the January-July period, which has placed a burden on shop operations. In the seven-month period to July,


OCTOBER 2020


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