Skift Travel News Blog

Lyft launched an on-time pick-up promise when riders schedule an airport trip, and if the driver is 10 minutes or more late, the company pledges to shell out $100 in Lyft cash to passengers if they ended up needing to use another service such as Uber or a taxi.

Screengrabs of the Lyft app. Source: Lyft

“To help ensure all of your scheduled rides will be there when you need them, drivers can accept the ride in advance and they earn more on scheduled rides than standard rides,” Lyft stated in its announcement. “Scheduled rides are also the first priority to be matched to a driver. If you’re not picked up-on time for a scheduled ride to the airport, you’ll automatically get Lyft Cash credit.”

Lyft pledged to pay passengers $20 in Lyft cash if their scheduled ride arrives more than 10 minutes late; $50 if they still had not been match with a driver 10 minutes after the scheduled pickup, and an additional $50 if the driver was a no-show 10 minutes after the scheduled meet-up and passengers needed to take another service. They can submit a receipt that the took an Uber or another service by tapping help in the Lyft app.

Of course, you can only use the Lyft cash credit on a Lyft ride — but it’s the passenger’s compensation when forced to use another service when the Lyft driver is tardy or doesn’t show up.

Many U.S. customers can choose between taking Lyft, Uber, other rideshare services, and taxis so Lyft hopes the on-time pickup promise will sway passenger decisions.

Lyft also introduced a service where customers can schedule rides up to 30 days ahead and can lock in that price.

A new store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology has opened at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. 

The Market on Las Olas, which is located post-security in Terminal 3, is the first location in a Florida airport to feature Amazon’s checkout-free shopping platform. 

The Just Walk Out technology is made possible by using artificial intelligence to determine what shoppers take from shelves in order to create a ‘virtual shopping session’.

To enter, shoppers simply hover their credit card or device at the entry gate at which point a digital shopping cart is created. Shoppers can then choose their items and then leave the store without having to physically check out, with payments taken upon exit. 

You can take a look at the video below for a demonstration of how the system works:

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Amazon and Delaware North to introduce this exciting store format to FLL travelers,” said Mark E. Gale, CEO/Director of Aviation. “As an airport, we strive to explore and embrace new technologies to innovate and elevate the guest experience, and we anticipate this checkout-free store will be well-received by 

“We are proud to bring Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport,” said Jon Jenkins, Vice President of Just Walk Out technology, AWS Applications. “Even when running late for a flight, South Florida travelers will soon be able to grab snacks and beverages with a fast and frictionless shopping experience.”

Orlando International Airport has launched a pilot program that will see non-traveling members of the public given access to its Terminal C, known as the Experience MCO Visitor Pass.

The Experience MCO Visitor Pass Program has been designed to grant members of the public access to the terminal’s post-security areas in order to explore its ‘unique architecture, interactive media and services’. 

In order to apply for the Visitor Pass, potential guests will need to complete an online application up to seven days before their planned visit, which will then be reviewed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Once approved, guests will receive their Experience MCO Visitor Pass via email, which they will then use to get into general screening before being granted access to the terminal. 

Passes are limited and granted on a first-come, first-served basis and entry will be available from 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy Airport is set to undergo a $125 million commercial redevelopment program with a focus on bringing the local community into the airport, thanks to a new partnership between American Airlines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports.

Following the completion of the $400 million expansion of the terminal, which saw American Airlines and British Airways move in at the end of last year, the new commercial redevelopment aims to enhance the retail offering within the terminal. 

According to American, the redevelopment will focus on bringing locally owned and diverse businesses to the airport in order to boost economic opportunities for the local community. This includes the introduction of a small business accelerator program for locally based businesses to take up space in the terminal. 

The new project will be built around a ‘Great Hall’, and will host more than 60 new shopping and restaurant facilities, alongside a performance space and enhanced duty-free shopping. 

The redevelopment will also see a new partnership launch with The Green Restaurant Association, with the aim of ensuring all new tenants become Certified Green Restaurants. 

“We look forward to working with our project partners, the Port Authority and the local community to deliver a transformative dining and shopping experience that represents the dynamic New York region,” said Amanda Zhang, vice president of airport affairs and facilities at American Airlines.

You can find out more about the development on the official website here.

At Skift, we are looking to unearth the most creative and forward-thinking innovations in travel through our Skift Ideas Franchise, which includes the Skift IDEA Awards, Skift Editorial Hub and the Skift Ideas Podcast.

You can listen and subscribe to the Skift Ideas Podcast through your favorite podcast app here.

Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) has unveiled the Foster + Partners and Buro Happold designed concept art for Poland’s new “mega airport,” railway station, and all-around transport hub outside of Warsaw.

The newly released designs showcase the proposed terminal, a new railway station and public transport interchange, with the central element of the concept being the building’s atrium, which has been designed to “connect the transfer space for passengers of the airport, railway station and bus station under one roof.”

The new terminal is set to occupy an area of approx, 400,00sqm and will be spread across two levels, which according to CPK, will feature traditional check-in points, along with self-service check-in desks and self-bag drop kiosks with biometric capabilities.

The proposed railway station will not only serve the airport, but is also set to act as a nationwide transport hub, with six underground platforms serving regional and long distance services.

The first phase of the airport – two parallel runways and the infrastructure to handle 40 million passengers – is set to be completed by 2028.

CPK have also released a video outlining the concept design for the new airport, which you can can take a look at below:

At Skift, we are looking to unearth the most creative and forward-thinking innovations in travel through our Skift Ideas Franchise, which includes the Skift IDEA Awards, Skift Editorial Hub and the Skift Ideas Podcast.

You can listen and subscribe to the Skift Ideas Podcast through your favorite podcast app here.

Dublin Airport has released a new advice guide to support senior travelers when preparing to visit the airport during the busy summer months. 

Dublin Airport operator DAA, in partnership with Age Action, has created the free guide with the aim of alleviating travel anxieties for older passengers as they navigate through the airport.

The guide provides practical information and guidance on every step of the airport journey, such as getting to the airport, check-in desk locations, preparing for security screening, restroom locations, as well as the whereabouts of shops and restaurants. Additionally, it offers valuable guidance on seeking assistance from airport staff when needed.

The guide can be downloaded here. 

“We want to take the stress out of traveling for our older passengers or anyone who feels anxious ahead of their journey,” said Louise Bannon, director of marketing at Dublin Airport.

“The short, but comprehensive guide, will give reassurance to passengers with a helpful overview of the passenger journey, offering practical travel tips, and contact details for further assistance. It has been thoughtfully designed, in consultation with Age Action, to help anxious or unfamiliar travelers navigate the airport more easily, providing crucial information about facilities, services, and procedures.”

At Skift, we are looking to unearth the most creative and forward-thinking innovations in travel through our Skift Ideas Franchise, which includes the Skift IDEA Awards, Skift Editorial Hub and the Skift Ideas Podcast.

You can listen and subscribe to the Skift Ideas Podcast through your favorite podcast app here.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has revealed the itinerary for the latest instalment of its ‘SFO Celebrates‘ program, which aims to bring San Francisco’s neighborhoods and cultural events to airport guests.

The Pride Series will feature live entertainment in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 to showcase the talent and creativity of San Francisco’s LGBTQIA+ community. 

In addition to the live activations in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 – which includes a Drag Extravaganza – there will also be Pride-themed photo stations in Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, a performance by the world’s first LGBTQ-identified cheerleading team, Cheer San Francisco, and much more.

For more information about SFO Celebrates, please visit: www.flysfo.com/sfo-celebrates.

At the Skift IDEA Awards, we are celebrating the ideas that are redefining what it means to be truly innovative in the travel industry, including the organizations and projects leading to social change or benefiting communities.

If you have an exciting project to share, head to the Skift IDEA Awards today and start your submission. The final deadline for entries is June 20, 2023.

Listen to the Skift Ideas Podcast here.

Online travel company Trip.com Group has joined hands with flag carrier Cambodia Angkor Air to position the new Angkor International Airport as a smart airport in the region.

As part of the agreement, Trip.com Group will contribute to enhancing the digital services of the new airport scheduled to commence operations in October 2023.

The partnership also serves to position Cambodia’s competitiveness as a global destination as it aims to strengthen collaboration in various tourism sectors. This would extend to marketing campaigns, hotel development, travel visa services, and tourism talent training programs in both countries.

Expressing the significance of the new Angkor International Airport in Cambodia’s global tourism strategy, Tekreth Samrach, chairman of Cambodia Angkor Air, said the collaboration with Trip.com Group to enhance services and construct a smart airport presents an opportunity for global tourism revival.

Cambodia is estimated to have lost $3 billion of tourism revenue to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cambodia’s New Airport Worth $880 Million

China’s Yunnan Investment Group, parent company of Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport has invested in the new airport project valued at $880 million.

A steering committee for the construction of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport led by Samrach had announced in March that the airport would be ready in time for its October launch.

Once ready, the airport that would be able to handle long-haul aircraft with the capacity to receive about seven million passengers per year initially, 10 million by 2030, and 20 million by 2050.

China is a significant source of inbound tourism for Cambodia, with Chinese tourists accounting for approximately 36 percent of the 6.6 million foreign tourists arriving in the country in 2019.

Cambodia launched the “China Ready” strategy in 2023 to attract more Chinese tourists.

As of mid-May 2023, Ctrip, a Trip.com Group sub-brand, had reported that the number of users from the Chinese mainland searching for Cambodian tourism products had increased by more than 233 percent compared with the same period last year.

In 2022, Cambodia welcomed 2.28 million foreign tourists, according to the ministry of tourism.

Lagardère Travel Retail has launched its first completely autonomous store, Travelwell, at Hong Kong International Airport.

The contactless store, which has been designed to offer passengers a convenient shopping location to complete any last minute purchases, utilizes an Artificial Intelligence technology system to track shoppers and products to ensure an accurate and safe shopping experience. 

When entering the 88 sqm store, customers will simply need to tap or insert their credit card at the payment terminal and then continue their shopping experience as normal. As they exit with their chosen items, the credit card will be charged thanks to a number of algorithms tracking movements around the store.

However for those who may struggle with this new shopping experience, there will be staff and visual guides on-site to provide guidance. 

Lagardère Travel Retail says it has been working with the airport on the concept store since 2019, and believes Travelwell will offer ‘a new kind of shopping experience’.

“We are grateful to have benefitted from the support of the Airport Authority Hong Kong and of business partners to pioneer this technology-led, innovative new store. Our Travelwell store and the beautiful Sky Bridge are a natural fit to each other. I hope the new shopping experience will appeal to travelers and become a memorable part of their journey. This project represents a key milestone in our ambitious roadmap to innovate to elevate the traveler shopping experience,” said Séverine Lanthier, Asia chief operating officer & group chief strategy and development officer at Lagardère Travel Retail.

At the 2023 Skift IDEA Awards, we are looking to celebrate the projects that are defining the future of airports and the traveler experience.

If you have an exciting initiative to share, head over to the Skift IDEA Awards website today and start your submission. Don’t delay, the entry deadline is set to end June 20.

Bournemouth Airport, located in the United Kingdom, has launched a ‘pioneering’ 360-degree video experience aimed at assisting passengers with additional needs when preparing to visit the airport.

According to Regional & City Airports (RCA), the owner of the airport, the use of this technology for accessibility purposes is ‘a first in the aviation industry’.

The initiative is being launched with Cranfield University, as part of a wider strategic partnership aiming to develop the technologies required to create a more progressive future for travel.

Andrew Bell, chief executive of RCA, said, “We recognize that air travel can be daunting for passengers with additional requirements, and are committed to doing everything we can to make air travel more accessible and inclusive for all our passengers.”

“By providing our customers with the opportunity to explore the airport before their visit, we hope to make the experience more enjoyable and less stressful, and will be closely monitoring the results at Bournemouth to see if and how the concept can be developed further,” Bell added.

Passengers can now access the 360-degree video tour of the airport free of charge via the website, with the narrated tour guiding passengers from the point of arrival through to the boarding gate.

You can view the video below:

At the Skift IDEA Awards, we are looking for airport projects that are defining the future of airports and the traveler experience.

If you have an initiative to share, head to the Skift IDEA Awards and start your submission today.