CONSTRUCTION WILL ADD NEW FOOD AND SHOPPING CHOICES
BY BRIAN M. KALISH
As construction marches forward, a team
focused on the sights, tastes, and experiences
offered at Reagan National Airport finds itself
on a renewed mission. When the airport’s
capital improvement program, dubbed Project
Journey, is complete, new concessions and
amenities will become available throughout
the airport. New shopping and dining
opportunities abound in the new concourse
and new security checkpoints, as well as in
post-security National Hall in Terminal B/C.
At the mission’s core, “is the chance to make
our concessions program even better with
more brands and additional amenities,”
explains Deven Judd, Director of Customer
and Concessions Development for the
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority,
the operator of Reagan National and Dulles
International Airports.
The vision for all the new concessions space
expands on qualities that please passengers
today at Reagan National and Dulles
International. “We provide passengers with
dining and shopping opportunities along
with exceptional customer service from our
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concessionaires,” Judd explains. “That means
passengers have exciting brands to choose
from, and their walk to their gate gives them
a chance to purchase items they may need on
their trip or a souvenir for their loved ones.”
There are 10 spaces programmed for
concessions in the new concourse, including
retail such as a travel essentials store and a
technology store, as well as dining that could
serve pizza, burgers or coffee.
After security relocates to new structures
and National Hall becomes a post-security
environment, passengers will gain more
shopping and dining choices convenient to
their flight. “There is an opportunity for us
to provide passengers a better experience as
they traverse through our airport,” Judd says.
space in such high traffic areas, explains
MWAA Principal Architect Chad Menge.
“We got really lucky because the remodeled
locations in the existing terminal are ideal for
passenger amenities,” he says.
While no brands have been finalized yet for
the new spaces, MarketPlace Development,
which is responsible for leasing, marketing,
day-to-day oversight, and construction
management of concessions at Reagan
National and Dulles International, will request
proposals from potential tenants.
In National Hall, store managers are looking
forward to their locations being post-security
so passengers can hang on to their beverages
and shop or dine with the confidence of being
just a minute or two away from several gates. Final brand selection is based on what
passengers want, and MarketPlace
Development will survey passengers in the
airport about their experience and needs,
explains the company’s Area Vice President,
Kathleen Verret. The selection is also based
on the Airports Authority leadership team’s
vision for the airports, such as reflecting
the unique flavor of the region and serving
customers with a variety of needs.
Repurposing existing space for higher use is
a once in a lifetime chance as most airports
never get an opportunity to regain quality Final selection takes all these factors into play.
“It’s not just a revenue goal,” Verret explains.
“It is also a customer service goal.”