Food outlets at Sydney International Terminal

[Alan Dent]

Today I was talking to the daughter in law who works at the International Terminal. She told me that many of the food outlets there have closed and are relocated on the airside of the Immigration gates.

Is this true? Sounds that the powers that be don't want people hanging around seeing folk off.If that is the case the car parks wont be making much money in car parking, or will they put the fees up once more?

[David M]

It'll all be put under the banner of "security" as the reason for the closures.

They'll paint the windows black and make you wear blindfolds soon!

If only they promoted their airport as a place to go and see people depart and arrive, like they do in some parts of Europe, then the extra "bums on seats" would bring in plenty more revenue.


David.M.

[Ash W]

Could it be less sinister in that they have relocated so as to enable the airport to build the centralised immigration facilities?

[Nigel C]

Alan,
Rather than making negative assumptions, why not give SACL a call and find out what's really happening?

Call 02 9667 9111...I'm sure someone there will give you all the correct information, without the negative rubbish that's just been trotted out here.

You might just surprise yourself. And if you do call them, then please share what you learnt here so that others don't jump on your negative doomsday bandwagon.

[Robert S]

Originally Posted by Nigel C

Alan,
Rather than making negative assumptions, why not give SACL a call and find out what's really happening?

A quick glance at http://www.sydneyairport.com.au should be sufficient to rapidly realise what the deal is.

Hint... http://www.sacl-interactive.com/gall...asing_plan.pdf (PDF, 878KB). The landside food court is of course unrecognisable compared to how it was, especially with a depatures level airside corridor now required for Pier C passengers to get back over there from Pier B's outbound immigration control... can't have them escaping, sorry, missing out on the new shopping experience.

[David Sims]

Hopefully it won't be long until all the shops are brought back

[Andrew P]

so if one check-in at K section, one has to backtrack to E section, to got thru immigration etc, then back track to gates 50-63

stupid IMHO

Banjo

[Nigel C]

If you look at the scope of the works, I don't think they have a choice but to do it that way.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by Nigel C

If you look at the scope of the works, I don't think they have a choice but to do it that way.

That is the first time I have seen the plans. Prior to seeing them I was under the impression that they were going to centralise the immigration and security more than they have. Looking at the plan it seems like a minor shift to the right and little if any expansion on the current facilities. In fact it seems like overall the outgoing immigration and security area has been shrunk. Ie it seems as if the new area is the same as the one that serverd peir A and B, which will now also serve peir C.

I guess I am cynical like the others, it seems as if it has been done to maximise the number of duty free shops and to direct passengers through the main one even more. I doubt it will be an impovement to those using peir C, just more walking and more shops to go past. It will be interesting to see how the combined arrivals will look and see how they funnel people through the duty free shops on their way to immigration. More so now that it is more or less impossible for people to buy duty free grog/perfumes (ie. liquids) at places like Bangkok and Singapore, to name but a few.

[Robert S]

Originally Posted by Ash W

It will be interesting to see how the combined arrivals will look...

I wasn't aware that they were planning to combine arrivals.

...and see how they funnel people through the duty free shops on their way to immigration. More so now that it is more or less impossible for people to buy duty free grog/perfumes (ie. liquids) at places like Bangkok and Singapore, to name but a few.

No problem purchasing at Singapore - you just have to follow the procedure correctly (which involves the items being delivered to you at your gate for collection after security). You can't purchase items duty free at a previous port and carry them in your hand luggage through Singapore though, no.

Brochure: http://www.changiairport.com/changiw...uidBanBroc.pdf (note list on page 2, noting that for Australia, large containers will be delivered to the gate holding pens for your collection).

Duty free on arrival is not popular, I would say particularly so in Australia as everything other than trans-Tasman is medium-haul travel at least... people just want to go home. That's why they have the purchase-on-departure/collect-on-arrival system as well as someone standing at the duty free forlornly spruiking "Last chance for duty free! Anyone? anyone?"

Other than that speciality market, there's no general demand for a "shopping experience" on arrival... it's the captive market on departure that they are going for... and they're just catching up with the rest of the world there.