Following the successful unveiling at Nice in May of the new Aelia Duty Free store branding - a distinctive new black brand identity, and elegant and functional store design including colour-coded category zones - Aelia is rolling out the concept with the opening of stores at Bordeaux-Mérignac and Lille Lesquin.

Working with the two airports and supplier partners, Aelia has tailored the design and offering of these two new Aelia Duty Free stores to be uniquely aligned to the passenger profile at each airport.

Bordeaux-Merignac’s billi

Opened at the end of May 2010, Aelia’s new 355m² tax- and duty-free store at Bordeaux-Mérignac’s new “simplified services” terminal, known as ‘billi’, is located immediately after security and features a walk-through format, so that all passengers enter via the commercial space in the 750m² departure area.

billi, designed with the simplicity of operations in mind in order to reduce costs, makes Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport more attractive to low-cost airlines. At many comparable airports, low-cost traffic typically accounts for as much as 30% of total traffic; at Bordeaux- Mérignac, prior to billi opening, the proportion of low-cost traffic previously recorded, even during peak Summertime months, was less than half of this. Now, with the new simplified services terminal open, low-cost airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair are operating routes out of Bordeaux-Mérignac to French and other European destinations, and the Airport is better realising its potential for low-cost traffic.

Aelia Group was awarded the master retail concession at Bordeaux-Mérignac’s billi in February 2010 after an open tender for a single retail partner in the new facility. This is the first master concession for Aelia. As well as the new 355m² tax- and duty-free store, the contract covers almost 650m² in total of the departure area, and includes a 120m² bar and café - TASTE ‘ N FLY - managed by airport catering specialist Elior, and a 110m² news and gifts outlet operated by Relay, Aelia’s sister company within the Lagardère Services group, both of which also opened at the end of May 2010.

The range on offer in the new Aelia Duty Free store is closely aligned to the passenger profile for destinations served by low-cost airlines – mainly European and domestic traffic.

In line with the new Aelia Duty Free store design concept, approximately 180 m² (half) of the shopfloor is designated to perfumes and cosmetics and is clearly colour-coded pink. This is complemented by a green colour-coded area offering a full range of liquor, wines and champagnes; an orange colour-coded area offering confectionery and fine food; as well as areas offering fashion and accessories, and tobacco.

Making its debut in French airport retail is skincare brand Caudalie, renowned for its beauty treatments containing the polyphenols found in grapes. The brand’s inclusion in the offer at Bordeaux is part of Aelia’s drive to tailor its range to suit each airport environment, and to test new brands with real legitimacy in a given location. Other new local brands also on offer include Écume d’Arcachon cologne and L’Eau de Bordeaux perfume.

Among highlights of the product offer is a dedicated wine cellar offering famous vintages from the Bordeaux region. France’s South-West is also well represented in fine food and confectionery, with several regional specialities prominent within the offer.

Fashion and accessories brands include Lacoste and Polo Jeans, and ranges of sunglasses, jewellery and watches. The tobacco offer is available to passengers travelling outside the EU.

The new 355m² Aelia Duty Free store in Billi, more than doubles Aelia’s sales area at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. Aelia’s two existing stores - the 202m² duty free store in terminal A and the 72m² perfumes and accessorizes store in the public area of Terminal B - will be renovated and refurbished (and in Terminal A, relocated) by the end of 2010.

Lille Lesquin

Aelia’s existing tax- and duty- free store at Lille Lesquin has undergone a full transformation having been renovated, enlarged and rebranded. The new Aelia Duty Free store opened in early July following the renewal of Aelia’s retail contract announced, after an open tender, in December 2009.

The 208m² Multi-store offers a full range of tax- and duty-free categories - from alcohol and tobacco, food and confectionery, to toys and souvenirs and perfumes and cosmetics. The product selection is closely aligned to the passenger profile of the main destinations from Lille Lesquin - mainly North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt), southern Europe (Turkey, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Bulgaria) and French domestic traffic. The range includes a strong selection of regional speciality products from Northern France to meet the demands of both the seasonal tourist and business traffic.

The Aelia Duty Free colour-coded zones signpost the ranges clearly within the store. making it easy to navigate. There’s green for alcohol, tobacco, wine, champagne, gourmet food and confectionery; pink for women’s perfumes and cosmetics; and blue for men’s fragrances. Combined with the stylish lighting, oak-fittings and black pathway on the otherwise white floor, the colour-coded zones create a vibrant, contemporary and easy-to-shop environment.