Airport Experience® News - Conference Issue 2025

DIRECTOR’S CHAIR

old and it hasn’t been used in 10 years because it was part of the Continental Airlines hub operation. The simple point is that our facilities require modernization. We’re advancing the planning work in order to proceed with the earliest elements of a modernization program by early next year. CLE covers a relatively small land footprint, so we don’t have the ability to build a new terminal or new terminal infrastructure next door. Instead, our program is going to essentially renovate, replace or build

new infrastructure within the existing footprint. And that means it’s going to be more complex. It will be a multi-year effort and will touch virtually every aspect of the traveler experience from beginning to end. WARD: Turning to revenue generation, how are your concessions performing? FRANCIS; The concessions program overall is doing well. We have the developer model and Fraport USA is the operator. The last of the units that had closed due to the pandemic related traffic declines reopened in spring of 2023. Those are operated by MERA , which is a new partner in the CLE concessions program. Spending has been healthy and concessionaires

continue to enact initiatives to further improve their offerings and increase traveler appeal. For 2024, our concessions sales look like they’ll be up 5-5.5% across the program. We’re seeing about $12.84 in spend per enplanement. WARD: Are there changes underway in your concessions program, or are you on hold until the bigger terminal project comes to fruition. FRANCIS; We recently extended our agreement with Fraport by one year. We did this with the full intention of releasing an RFP for the existing program this spring. We’re planning to release the RFP shortly after the Airport Experience Conference because we want the opportunity to speak to those in attendance about what we have coming up. WARD: Will you be going with a developer model again? FRANCIS; We’re not saying exactly. Given where we are now, it is most likely the general direction we’re going in. We may be able to structure the RFP in a way that that gives a little bit of flexibility. We’re looking at the existing program, not at the future changes to the terminal campus. The existing program will be our focus and then, in a few years’ time, we will be coming back with another opportunity for the newer facilities, once they’re underway. WARD: In terms of passenger amenities, beyond F&B and retail, what’s next for CLE? FRANCIS; Our facilities need to incorporate greater use of current and emerging technology. We strive to be more welcoming and inviting to provide more and better information related to the overall travel experience through our facility. We need to have more spacious and accommodating public areas. Charging stations, as common as they are at many airports, are still hit or miss at CLE, so it’s something I want to become the norm within our facility as we move forward with implementation of the terminal program. I’d like us to create a space for live performances that’s a focal point of the layout of our future terminal facility. I’d also like to have a stronger sense of place. Northeast Ohio has a strong identity and we need to showcase that at the airport.

Left, Below: The concessions program at CLE is currently run by Fraport, but a new RFP will be released in spring. Details are still being worked out but it’s likely the developer model will continue.

16

AX NEWS MARCH 2024