Amsterdam Airport Schiphol handled 58 million passengers last year and in 2016, its centenary year, it expects to reach 60 million. “More people are flying and the economic prospects are getting better,” asserts Michiel van Goor, Project Manager Lounge 2, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Michiel van Goor, Project Manager Lounge 2, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: “In March the Bvlgari store will open with a focus on jewellery & watches, and at the beginning of April we will open in this same area a Hermès store and a Gucci store – both fashion & accessories.”
He is responsible for leading the renovation of Departure Lounge 2, which is part of the airport’s wider master plan – a comprehensive renovation programme for Schiphol to strengthen its capacity and improve levels of comfort and efficiency for passengers. The master plan includes the introduction of centralised security throughout the terminal, the construction of a new Hilton hotel, the development of Area A to the south of the terminal, and the renovation of the security filter in Departure Hall 1 – all of which is expected to be completed in 2018.
Van Goor explains that the new Departure Lounge 2 is being sub-divided into seven themes, each offering passengers a specific experience. On the first floor will be the Luxury World (luxury brands); See Buy Fly (fragrances & cosmetics, news & books, electronics, liquor & tobacco); Fashion and Lifestyle (with, among others, the Johnnie Walker House, sunglasses, The Fashion Gallery); and Modern Dutch (Dutch-related concepts to create a sense of place).
A new Omega store recently opened in the Luxury World within Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s renovated Lounge 2.
Meanwhile, on the second floor will be Care & Wellness; Travel & Culture (shops with electronics & books, and an area where people can use tablets, computers, printers and scanners); and Family World (with a food court and playing area for children with a real plane).
Developments are also taking place on Holland Boulevard, the corridor with typical Dutch facilities and services connecting Departure Lounges 2 and 3. “At the end of this month we will open a Rituals store with spa,” says van Goor. “It will be open and transparent in order to keep the whole area open, so everybody can have a good overview of the area.”
There are a number of coming retail openings in Lounge 2. In the Luxury World, Rolex and Omega stores recently opened, and two new fashion & accessories stores – for Bottega Veneta and Burberry – will soon open. “In March the Bvlgari store will open with a focus on jewellery & watches, and at the beginning of April we will open in this same area a Hermès store and a Gucci store – both fashion & accessories,” comments van Goor.
The new Departure Lounge 2 is being sub-divided into seven themes, each offering passengers a specific experience: The Luxury World, See Buy Fly, Fashion and Lifestyle, Modern Dutch, Care & Wellness, Travel & Culture, and Family World.
Also opening in March is The Fashion Gallery, in the Fashion and Lifestyle World, with brands including Hugo Boss, Zegna, Ferragamo, Michael Kors, and Longchamp. Meanwhile, a new MAC cosmetics store will open in the Care & Wellness World at the end of this month.
“Finally, the airport library will open in March and the Rijksmuseum reopens in September,” adds van Goor. “The Rijksmuseum is being built in a different area of the airport, but still in the area for international passengers (non-EU), with a totally new design and more space. The Airport Library is also being built in a different location, but very close to the old location of the library, with a brand new, modern interior design.”
Its network and destinations served by the airlines make Schiphol one of Europe’s key hubs. Passenger numbers are growing fast and the airport is clearly investing to facilitate that growth, strengthening and enhancing its infrastructure.
