Bogotá’s new El Dorado International Airport terminal has opened and is offering a new level of commercial service to the predominantly Colombian passenger base.
After an official opening by President Juan Manuel Santos on 17 October, the new terminal began receiving passengers on 19 October and entered full operation on 1 November.
Redeveloped under the direction of private consortium Operadora Aeroportuaria Internacional (OPAIN), the 104,000sq m terminal handles all international flights and represents the first phase of the New El Dorado Airport.
The existing mixed-use terminal has been reassigned to domestic flights only, with a new 70,000sq m domestic terminal planned for 2014.
Incumbent duty free concessionaire Motta Internacional has opened a 1,250sq m Attenza store in Departures and a 400sq m Arrivals store.
Grupo Wisa has also opened its 1,316sq m, walk-through store in Departures, which showcase a new logo for its La Riviera retail brand.
“The Terminal opened to the Public on 19 October, and we are happy with the design, and the functioning of the new terminal,” Erasmo Orillac, CEO of Motta Internacional, told The Moodie Report.
“Between 19 October and 1 November was the transition phase, and beginning this week all passengers arrive and depart from the new terminal.”
Motta Internacional is still working on its boutiques, which will open in January 2013.
Orillac said the main innovation at the airport is the concentration of the duty free business in two large stores in the Departures area, instead of small stores as was the case in the old terminal.
“The merchandising is much better, and also the Arrivals store is about 400sq m and its sales our tracking above expectations.”
Looking to the key Christmas-New Year period, Orillac said Motta was highly optimistic, due mainly to the Arrivals store.
“The mix is holding from the previous terminal since there are no new airlines, and the customer base remains mostly Colombian nationals,” he noted.
Grupo Wisa, which chose the larger Departures space in the airport over the other package of smaller Departures and the Arrivals store, has delivered a full walk-through store at the new terminal.
“This new operation is part of the company’s growth and expansion strategy designed to enhance existing and new stores through the region,” said spokesperson Juan Luis Correa.
“Located just after the outgoing migration check points, the La Riviera Duty Free store offers a wide range of categories and top of the line products like fragrances, cosmetics, high end watches, accessories, luxury travel items, liquors, cigarettes, lenses, chocolates and toys,” he confirmed.
The Departures outlet features luxury shop-in-shops, with a strong accent on fragrances and cosmetics, which have over a third of the space. The store generates 200 new jobs.
At the start of 2013 La Riviera Duty Free will open four exclusive boutiques exclusively representing Chanel, Tous, Burberry and Bulgari.
About Bogotá El Dorado International Airport
El Dorado is among the busiest airports in Latin America (third only to São Paulo Guarulhos and Mexico City Benito Juarez) and will soon be one of the very newest. Over 20 million passengers a year use the airport in Colombia’s capital city, with approximately 30% on international flights.
