Hamburg Airport has become the first commercial airport in Germany to launch a test phase for a new gate delivery service where passengers can order snacks and drinks online and have them delivered directly to their departure gate.
Hamburg Airport is operating this innovative service in cooperation with VAAIR Airport, the company that already operates Café Scoom and Pier2Bar at the airport. The test phase will initially run until mid-July 2018.
Lutz Deubel, head of center management at Hamburg Airport, said, “Gate delivery is an innovative extension to our digital service offering. The service has many advantages for our passengers, ranging from waiting time at the gate being saved to the reduced distance to be covered in the terminals.
“The target group for ‘Gate Delivery’ is diverse, from business travelers without much time to families departing on holiday who would rather spend their time at the gate, enjoying the view over the apron. During the test phase, we want to find out how well the service is received by our passengers.”
To use the service, passengers first place their orders online by choosing from a selection of snacks including baguettes and cinnamon pastries, and then pay via PayPal or credit card. Registration is not necessary.
The prices are the same as in the VAAIR cafes and bars, with no extra charge for delivery. The Gate Delivery staff, easily recognized in their red uniforms, bring the order to the departure gate that the customer named within a specified 10-minute time window. The service is currently available daily between 5:00am and 10:00am but if the test proves successful, a permanent all-day service is planned.