This summer is yet another exciting and fun year for travellers. Airports around the world have come up with fun and creative ways to entertain travellers and boost the overall passenger experience, ranging from music festivals and art installations to relaxation activities. Here, Airport Business has selected its top 5 fun things to do around the airports in 2016.
5. Brussels Airport’s Summer of Sport
For Brussels Airport the start of Euro 2016 was the ideal moment to kick off the Summer of Sport at the airport. BRU is putting on its tracksuit and stimulating passengers to do a bit of sport at the airport. Travellers can join in the 100m Gate Run or show their skills at kicker tables and shuffleboards.
Moreover, passengers not wishing to miss a minute of the exciting sports events this summer have the opportunity to watch everything from Euro 2016 and Wimbledon, to the Tour de France and the Olympics on large screens in five bars and restaurants, including Beers & Cheers (in the shopping area of Pier A), Leffe Bar, Sports bar (both in Pier A), Brussels Plaza (in the tax free zone of Pier B) and Hi! Brussels (arrivals hall). Additionally, for several football games, a Brussels Red Devils pop-up bar has been opened in the tax-free area of pier B.
Brussels Airport is also inviting passengers to support their favourite team or athlete and show their sporty side on social media using the hashtag #sportattheairport.
At the heart of Brussels Airport’s entertainment this summer are the sports events of 2016, including Euro 2016, Wimbledon, Tour de France and the Olympics. Passengers can watch the events on large screens in five different bars and restaurants, but also have the opportunity to take part in various sports activities, such as the 100m Gate Run, kicker tables and shuffleboards. Additionally, during Euro 2016, the airport opened a Brussels Red Devils pop-up bar in the tax-free area of pier B.
4. An inner journey at Paris Aéroport
This summer, Paris Aéroport is unveiling its summer venture “ParisYogAéroport” – simple yoga classes in the boarding lounges open to all travellers every Friday and Saturday, between 15 July and 13 August.
Passengers can enjoy simple yoga and breathing exercises at Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle airports to prepare themselves for the trip. The short yoga sessions have been specially designed by Le Tigre Yoga Club and its teacher for Paris Aéroport and are particularly recommended to help travellers relax.
This special campaign is part of the pledge in the new Paris Aéroport signature, “PARIS VOUS AIME” (Paris love you), a pledge driven by the goal to offer entertaining, outward-looking and amazing experiences, in order to match the new inspirations of the travellers. Making their stay at the airport truly enjoyable, where everyone has control of their time and how they choose to spend it, whether it’s working, learning and discovering, enjoying themselves or being amazed.
On 20 June 2016, the eve of the World Yoga Day, Paris Aéroport hosted a symbolic launch of the summer venture – two giant Yoga classes. The airport invited yogis to come together and experience an unprecedented inner journey during this exceptional event, orchestrated in partnership with two major players in the world of Yoga: Le Tigre Yoga Club, a haven of peace and better living and Lolë, a clothing designer inspired by well-being and helping people to “live out loud everyday”.
3. Changi Airport introduces new interactive experiences
Changi Airport has introduced new interactive art to showcase Singapore. Visitors can now enjoy new interactive installations and visual treats across its three terminals. Jointly launched by Changi Airport Group (CAG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the showcases are designed to engage, excite and encourage visitors to explore Singapore in and beyond the airport.
The highlight of the new spaces is a contemporary digital wall designed to boost interaction with the use of motion-sensing technology. Travellers now have the perfect photo opportunity to bring home a memento at the new flip-dot wall in Terminal 2’s Departure Transit Lounge, where the interactive technology is being introduced at Changi Airport for the first time. The LED ‘Dots Portrait Wall’ allows passengers to bring home monochromatic portraits of themselves at different spots of Singapore, without having to step out of Changi Airport. On the other side of the interactive screen is a ‘Motion Silhouette Wall’, which responds to movements in real time. Adopting the same motion-sensing technology, backdrops and patterns change as passengers in front of the wall move and interact with the animations.
Across the terminal within public and transit areas, airport visitors can also experience other interesting photo opportunities. Uniquely crafted cardboard art pieces depicting local places of interest such as the Singapore Flyer, the Sultan Mosque, the Supertrees and Flower Dome of Gardens by the Bay, decorated with creative doodles, offer arriving passengers a glimpse of the attractions that await them on the island as they collect their luggage.
Moreover, departing passengers and airport visitors can also explore lively photo spots at the airport, showing Singapore’s colourful culture and unique attractions.
“We are excited to introduce to our visitors these interactive experiences at Changi Airport,” enthuses Bernard Siew, CAG’s Vice President of Experience Creation. “These new variations are designed to engage their senses and create pleasant memories of their visit to Singapore and Changi Airport. To capture greater mindshare among tourists to this region, CAG and STB continue to work together to constantly refresh and promote the Singapore experience. We look forward to offering even more unique concepts to delight our travellers.”
These new showcases at Changi Airport are part of the two-year partnership between CAG an STB, aimed at boosting awareness and visitorship to Singapore and Changi Airport. The collaboration, which started in April 2015, has seen the launch of the enhanced Free Singapore Tour that now boasts more interesting itineraries and increased frequencies.
When a passenger stands in front of the wall, motion is detected and the option to take a portrait is offered. Next, the passenger picks a backdrop and the portrait is superimposed on it. The entire creation then appears on the screen in a black and white flip-dot display, which can be sent to friends and family over email. Iconic background options include Gardens by the Bay, and Merlion Park, as well as Changi Airport’s control tower and Kinetic Rain art installation.
2. Art, Culture and Music at Hong Kong Airport
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is marking its 18th anniversary with local art and culture, as the “Art, Culture and Music at the Airport 2016” festival launched in July. Hosted by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), the five-month programme features an array of art and culture displays, with local talents showcasing the city’s unique blend of Eastern and Western culture.
This summer, travellers can experience performances and exhibitions by local artists in the Hong Kong Classics programme as Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) celebrates 18 years of excellence. Part of the event is the vibrant, bold and dynamic visual exhibition, capturing Bruce Lee’s stunning martial arts abilities.
The debut of “Hong Kong Classics: Art, Culture and Music” last year received positive feedback from travellers and the public, encouraging the Airport Authority to host the event again.
“To enhance passengers’ overall airport experience, we cannot only rely on hardware improvements,” comments Anita Fung, Chairlady of AA’s Art and Culture Advisory Committee. “We must also introduce new services and ideas catering to passengers’ different needs. This is why the AA established the Art and Culture Advisory Committee last year – to showcase local art and culture at HKIA.”
This year, the festival features a wide range of vibrant performances and exhibitions, ranging from Cantonese Opera, classical and Jazz music and photo exhibitions to comics and cityscape sketches – creating a memorable cultural experience for airport users. The event also allows visitors from around the world to get a glimpse of Hong Kong’s multicultural ambience, and its talented artists and musicians.
“The committee has organised various art, culture and music activities at the airport, providing a unique and memorable experience for travellers, and introducing them to Hong Kong’s talented local artists and its one-of-a-kind East meets West culture. We hope to use the airport as a stage to showcase our lively local culture and arts to passengers from around the world,” Fung adds.
1. “Airport Weekend Experience” at Zurich Airport
Zurich Airport yet again didn’t disappoint and provided every aviation fan with the ultimate airport experience.
Between 25-26 June, Zurich Airport hosted its first Airport Weekend Experience (‘Erlebniswochenende’), which provided a unique insight into the daily business of Zurich Airport.
Playful yet informative, the event was a great opportunity for families and aviation fans to get to know the airport from a different perspective and cast a glance behind the scenes of Switzerland’s gateway to the world.
Eight event platforms, located in and around the airport in an impressive setting, shared the fascination for aviation with the local population.
In front of the Airport Centre, visitors discovered Zurich Airport by going on an exciting riddle track. In cooperation with Zurich Airport’s exclusive partner Swiss International Airlines, kids and their parents had the opportunity to use a tool that contains interesting questions about the airport. Hints and tips, which assisted the young explorers, were scattered on different points of the riddle track and were marked on a simple map, so that they could find the solutions to the questions asked in the tool. The riddle track could be done on inline skater or on a bicycle, both available rent-free at the airport’s bus terminal.
Visitors also were presented with a closer look at the fleet of various vehicles, used at the airport on a daily basis for a smooth operations, such as the Police’s New Eagle IV or the massive snow-clearing trucks especially designed for quickly freeing the runways of snow.
Other more exotic events included watching the planes, while sitting on a camel’s back close to the runway, organised by Ben’s Camel Farm. A sweet highlight was the Chocolate Workshop at Radisson Blu Hotel, where participants had the opportunity to decorate their own chocolates.
While many of the events took place outdoors, plenty of the fun activities were located within the airport structures, too. Close to the action and with a stunning view of the runways, Zurich Airport’s Observation Deck B was transformed into a children’s paradise with concerts, magic shows and other performances. Besides the versatile programme on the stage, several airlines and other partners, such as the Zurich Cantonal Police Corps, presented themselves to the visitors.
Organised tours from Observation Desk E to the hangar of SR Technics one of the world’s leading total solutions providers of aircraft, component, engine and technical services, as well as experienced tour guides, which commented and explained what is happening in front of the spectator’s eyes on the runway, left no aviation fan unsatisfied.
The vast majority of the attractions were free of charge and there were countless possibilities for kids to play and have fun all over the airport, such as inflatable jumpers on all prominent sites. The first Airport Experience Weekend in June this year was a great success with almost 9,000 visitors attending the event.
If you missed the fun don’t worry, the second edition of the “Erlebniswochenende” will take place on 10-11 September, and Zurich Airport hopes to be able to welcome just as many happy guests as the last time.
