Groupe ADP
The Extime launch – What they said
Groupe ADP Chief Customer Officer Mathieu Daubert – on the completion of T1: “Today, despite many headwinds, including a global health crisis, we can say that we have done it. Extime is born and Terminal 1 is its first incarnation. And we thank all of the partners, Maisons and brands for supporting us as we would not have achieved this without you.
“But the Extime journey has just begun. It’s now up to the real stars, our Maitre de Maison, to write their adventure in this beautiful venue, along with their community of 600 ambassadors, to create unforgettable experiences and emotions day after day.”
On the use of digital: “We don’t want too much digital but the right offers in the right places. That means airport TV giving information or sports events played live and so on. And not every screen is digital; in the seating lounge near gates we have gone for an under-stated look. Even within retail, in P&C many brands wanted screens but we had to say no – not every experience must be a digital one. We want the emphasis on products and services.”
On design: “Terminal 1 really is a tribute to [original architect] Paul Andreu. With different design we have to tell different stories but they have to mean something. We have to be in line with the place, its history and find the right story to tell at each boutique terminal.
“We had been told that with this design we would lose seating but in the end, maybe surprisingly, we have +30% more seating than if we had created a classical design, with seats at different angles, rows and so on. So the capacity is in fact much higher.”
Mathieu Daubert: An ambition realised
Extime Duty Free Paris Executive President Guy Bodescot – on building the Extime brand: “We hope we have created something memorable for all passengers. To do that, not only in terms of concept and architecture but management of space will help create the good vibes around the location. That then offers us the opportunity to import the brand Extime which is the symbol of French hospitality, it signifies having a good time, being cared for.
“People post-COVID are looking for emotions and inter-personal relationships, so even though we are digitalising retail we also have in mind that travelling is an emotion first, and in an airport we have an obligation to make people feel happy and create an emotional bond. We aim for a memorable, peaceful time and a comfortable experience. And if they have that, they are more open to services.
“Pushing products to them is a nonsense as they can buy on their phones any time so we have to create new relationships. Extime is a balance between facilitating the journey and making it memorable and experiential. And it will take us time to deliver.”
On luxury spend: “If you take transactions over €10,000 in one basket in 2022, we are double-digit higher compared to 2019. If you take €5,000 to €10,000 we are at the same level as 2019, and it’s only on those transactions under €5,000 where we are about -5% down.
“Compared to the general trend in 2022, with the heavy pandemic impact in the first quarter, it is very good. From June to December we were roughly -7% to -13% compared to 2019. But on those high-ticket transactions we have reached a high level since May last year, at 2019 levels or beyond.”
Groupe ADP Retail Director Aude Ferrand: “Each terminal is created to be memorable in its own right. In T1 we have developed a department store-style experience for the traveller.”
Groupe ADP Chairman & CEO Augustin de Romanet – on Extime as a concept: “My priority at Groupe ADP has been to set hospitality at the core of everything we do, as a mindset. Hospitality in the act of welcoming a foreigner who knocks at your door and making them feel at home. It’s an action that means opening yourself to the world. It demands personality, generosity and the desire to reveal a part of your own intimacy.
“An airport is a place in its own right, not just a passage from plane to city solely to serve the airlines. Obviously an airport must offer that connection from city to aircraft or between aircraft through many complex flows, and must offer seamless passage, but is that all? Our ambition is not limited to this.
“We know that our travellers on long-haul flights spend more than two hours with us and this time must not be lost. We want to offer them a hotel in which they don’t sleep, and an incredible place where they can immerse themselves after passing through the checks, before they embark.
“It should be a home in which we put our heart and energy to welcome them as if each one was a dear friend visiting our country. We call these places boutique terminals, a collection of places at human scale where troubles disappear and give way to emotions and experiences.
“We are very proud of our Extime brand and it is up to us to build on this achievement to build a magnificent collection of boutique terminals in Paris Aéroport and abroad. [Among these] we will try to establish Extime in Antalya, an airport we manage with Fraport, and we aim for big success there too.”
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The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 320 | 10 February 2023
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 14 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com