Airports are helping passengers get into the Christmas spirit during this holiday season, turning their terminals into a veritable winter wonderland.
Budapest SkyCourt Christmas Fair
Among the most impressive examples is Budapest Airport’s recreation of a traditional Hungarian Christmas market, which has created a wonderful festive atmosphere in its SkyCourt. Budapest is popular for its Christmas markets in the city centre, where visitors enjoy mulled wine and traditional Hungarian cakes, like the chimney cake or gingerbread. “We would like to give this experience to our passengers in the terminal this year,” Kam Jandu, Chief Commercial Officer, Budapest Airport, explained.
Budapest Airport has recreated a traditional Hungarian Christmas market in its SkyCourt. The winter atmosphere, the wooden hut characteristic of Christmas markets, and the enticing smell of gingerbread and chimney cake, all contribute to a special experience for travellers before departure.
The promotional period began on 1 December and lasts until 23 December, between the hours of 09:00 and 19:00. The winter atmosphere, the wooden hut characteristic of Christmas markets in the middle of the SkyCourt, and the enticing smell of gingerbread and chimney cake, all contribute to a special experience for travellers before departure. “In SkyCourt, there is a Christmas market inspired ‘village house’ set up, along with an artificial oven generating artificial fire and smoke,” Jandu added. “Passengers find the warm chimney cakes and gingerbread in front of the oven, while hostesses offer mulled wine flavoured tea and Christmas candy for children. Around the installation, passengers can smell delicious gingerbread thanks to the scent marketing approach used.”
Passengers who make a purchase in any shop or restaurant during the promotion receive a piece of freshly made aircraft-shaped gingerbread or chimney cake – in four flavours – as a gift, if they show their receipt to the hostesses. Those who make a purchase in any two shops or restaurants receive a unique branded Christmas ornament to decorate their Christmas tree when they get home. Budapest Airport is also helping passengers prepare for Christmas by gift-wrapping items purchased in the terminal, also offering mulled-wine flavoured tea while they wait.
Visitors to Budapest Airport’s SkyCourt can enjoy traditional chimney cake and gingerbread, and when making a purchase in any two shops or restaurants receive a unique branded Christmas ornament.
Jandu commented that there is additional support for shops and restaurants in the terminal. Four themed glass display cases highlight great gift ideas in the terminal for all ages.
“Early results show that passengers love the Christmas market in the terminal with the traditional Hungarian chimney cakes and other gifts, and based on the first week’s results, hostesses greeted 50% more participants at the installation,” Jandu concluded.
Christmas shopping in Zurich Airport’s Airside Center
To celebrate the Airside Center’s 10-year anniversary, Flughafen Zürich AG came up with an imaginative and special Christmas offer: For two weekends – 29/30 November and 13/14 December – it opened the entire range of shops and restaurants in the passenger area to the public.
To celebrate the Airside Center’s 10-year anniversary, Flughafen Zürich AG opened the entire range of shops and restaurants in the passenger area to the public. Visitors who registered to participate received an ‘X-mas Boarding Pass’ and were able to enjoy the diverse collection of shops and restaurants in the Airside Center.
Visitors who registered to participate received an ‘X-mas Boarding Pass’ and were able to enjoy the diverse collection of shops and restaurants in the Airside Center, alongside the wide range available in the Airport Center. During the four days, there were special Christmas promotions and events throughout Zurich Airport.
The special ‘X-mas Boarding Pass’ entitled the bearer to one-off access to the Airside Center and to shop in its stores. It was possible to shop in the duty free stores, but special rules applied. Tobacco products were completely excluded from the Christmas shopping offer for non-passengers. Certain conditions also applied to the purchase of alcohol: one-litre of spirits for people aged 18 and over, and five litres of wine, dessert wine and sparkling wine per person. The value limit of CHF300 (€250) for duty free goods could be exceeded, as the airport operator took care of customs fees and VAT as a little Christmas gift to all visitors.
Changi Airport transformed in a winter wonderland
A sprinkling of snow, a touch of winter, and a dazzle of Disney magic welcome travellers and visitors to Singapore Changi Airport this Christmas, as it is transformed into a winter wonderland.
From 14 November 2014 to 5 January 2015, visitors can soak in the Christmas festivities and enjoy an elaborate Disney-themed set-up. Taking centre stage in the Terminal 3 Departure Hall is a three-storey, interactive Neuschwanstein Castle. The castle – inspiration for the original Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty Castles – features a moving train experience from within, taking visitors through the idyllic charms of Germany’s countryside. Visitors are treated to daily multi-sensory shows that combine captivating lights and songs with an engaging storyline. To complete the Christmas winter wonderland experience, Changi Airport is, with a magical touch, making it snow within the terminal.
Singapore Changi Airport has been transformed into a winter wonderland this Christmas, with a sprinkling of snow and a dazzle of Disney magic welcoming travellers and visitors.
Visitors at the Neuschwanstein Castle can collect tickets before each show, which can be exchanged for a special Disney gift. Roving performers are also handing out goodies for guests airport-wide at various times of the day.
Aside from the Germany-inspired centrepiece, there are picturesque displays of snowy Swiss chalets (T3 transit area), traditional Japanese cottages (T2 transit area), a Broadway-styled New York City (T1 transit area) as well as Spanish costumes adorned on larger-than-life Mickey and Minnie Mouse topiaries (T2 public area) at 5m tall. At these displays, visitors can read more about the different country destinations, giving them inspiration for their next holiday destination.
The festive cheer continues at the Mickey Mouse Club House Bouncy Playground, located in the Terminal 3 Departure Hall. Visitors can also capture memorable moments with Mickey and Minnie Mouse during meet-and-greet sessions, and be entertained by interactive storytelling as well as stage performances by professional ventriloquists, French visual performers and contact jugglers.
Disney fans can collect a set of six limited edition Christmas plush toys featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse in various country-themed costumes. Shoppers and diners can purchase each of these plush toys for S$3 (€2) when they spend a minimum of S$60 (€35) in a single receipt in Changi Airport’s public area, or S$100 (€60) in the transit area.
