Inside Retailing Online
7 Apr 2008
A growing number of high end retailers are using Singapore’s Changi Airport JetQuay CIP Terminal as a venue for product launches.
Most recent launch at the terminal has been a range of Porsche-designed men’s watches for Cortina Watches, a retailer of quality timepieces. The company paired with Porsche for the event, which also showcased a new model sportscar for 200 guests and media.
OSIM, Samonsite, and the HaKaren art gallery have incorporated their products in a ‘lifestyle marketing’ movement throughout the terminal, showing off their products to the high net worth individuals who travel through the terminal.
JetQuay’s CIP Terminal is a unique location and the only venue worldwide where a local visitor can interact with transit passengers.
The terminal targets business travellers zipping around Asia. Company guidelines usually stipulate economy class travel for journeys under about five hours. For a lot of Singaporean business people, this means travel to Hong Kong, Indonesia or the Philippines is by economy class.
Without the business class ticket, lounge access is dependant on membership and miles, and within the terminal, it means queuing and wasting time getting access to facilities.
For a fraction of the cost of a business class ticket, whether flying by budget airline or on a branded carrier, corporate travellers can use the CIP Terminal.
There, they enjoy free wireless internet access, table top computer monitors in the lounge area, personal copiers at desk stations in the business centre, private meeting rooms and a full service boardroom for meetings with non-travellers, so it is possible to hop straight from the meeting on to a plane.
Perks of using the CIP Terminal include driving up to the terminal, having a staff member park the traveller’s car for the unlimited duration, returning to find it washed, cleaned and ready to go at the lobby entrance. For travellers leaving in the middle of the night, or arriving very early in the morning, use of the nap room is complimentary and can be booked in advance.
For example, for no additional cost, a traveller can have dinner at the terminal with a glass of wine, go to bed in the nap room at a decent hour and be woken by an attendant when the flight is almost ready for boarding. The traveller is then taken by electric buggy directly to the air-bridge, bypassing all queues and inspection points as security and immigration were cleared when when leaving the CIP Terminal.
Showers, gym and spa facilities are available at JetQuay in addition to the business facilities.
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