Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2025

ONE ON ONE

Our objective here is to set up an innovative partnership where it’s not just local businesses involved in food and beverage at the airport or in T4, but that they are mentored and that they have an equity stake. These seven partners are equity stakeholders and they are mentored as part of this project. While they gain that experience, we can build the next generation of concessionaires. We think this is a good approach, because starting a restaurant in an airport requires a lot of investment, training and getting used to the airport dynamics. But with this setup, we give them the opportunity to learn, manage operations, and be an equity stakeholder – to really be part of the business.

BELING: Are there any new lounge experiences as part of the North Star initiative? If so, what are they and who is operating them? HUININK: Delta Air Lines launched their great Delta One Lounge last year. And next to that, we’ve renovated and opened the new Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways. We are going to redevelop the Emirates Lounge, and we’re also opening a new common-use Capital One Lounge. BELING: What are you and your team looking forward to most in bringing an updated airport experience to T4 passengers? HUININK: We’ve really tried to set that new world-class experience but also tried to find our sweet spot, and our sweet spot

is all these initiatives around innovation and improving the qualitative feeling of our terminal, whether it’s [through] restaurants or art or look-and-feel upgrades, bringing our unique T4 touch. What really makes me proud is the employees that service our passengers are proud members of our community who really want to contribute to that innovation and customer experience. That is something that we can really distinguish ourselves with. Above: The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways (pictured) was recently renovated. JFK IAT is adding a Capital One Lounge and is redeveloping the existing Emirates Lounge. A Delta One lounge opened last year.

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AX NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2025