Auckland Airport has moved to a single operator model with LagardèreAWPL as its duty-free partner.
Aelia Duty Free – owned by Lagardère Travel Retail SAS – will operate as Auckland Airport’s main duty-free operator, after winning an extension of their contract until mid-2025.
As part of the transition, around 90 per cent of existing duty free staff are being transferred across to Aelia Duty Free. New roles are also being created, with some positions still to be filled across logistics, operations and other support functions.
Auckland Airport’s chief commercial officer Mark Thomson says Auckland Airport were delighted to partner with Aelia’s owner Lagardère – one of the world’s largest duty-free businesses, which operates stores in both the departures and arrivals area of Auckland Airport’s international terminal.
“Aelia Duty Free offers a great choice of products, with beauty and cosmetics typically topping the list as some of the most purchased at Auckland Airport. All of our customers’ favourites will still be available plus many more being added.
“With the shift to a single duty-free operator, we are looking forward to providing a larger range of products, without the duplications experienced in a dual operator model. As always, Aelia’s products will remain tax and duty free,” he says
Initially scheduled for September this year, Auckland Airport’s shift to a single operator was brought forward by three months with the agreement of all parties to ensure a seamless transition.
“We are also grateful to The Loop Duty Free (operated by Aer Rianta International) for their tenure over the past seven years, when duty free was operating under a dual model, and for being a fantastic partner to Auckland Airport,” says Mark.
Within the next year, a tender process is expected to get underway for a long-term duty-free contract at Auckland Airport.
