January 24, 2008
Retail revamp at Hongqiao Airport?
Okay, it may be the case that we don't fly enough, but yesterday at the Hongqiao Airport, we were really surprised to see this Virgin bookstore at the departure hall (that Richard Branson has really acted fast, hasn't he?). Does anyone know how long the store has been there? Food and beverage options appear to have widened up quite a bit too. Element Fresh has been there since last summer, located just outside the exit (sorry, no picture there), serving decent food at the same rates as their outlets elsewhere in town. With the competition, travellers are finally getting food that can actually be eaten, and prices also seem to have come down a bit on the average. In the meanwhile, we think the retail experience at Pudong Airport continues to rot away with its portfolio of Chinglish brand apparel stores and cafés that get away with serving bad coffee for RMB50. What do you frequent flyers out there think?
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Hung Hom train station in HK has better shopping than Pudong International Airport.
I remember going through airports like Vancouver and being mesmerized by their huge airside facilities. Restuarants, bars, duty free shopping and lounges. For Pudong I just draw a mental blank trying to remember what's back there.
Pudong is good for Chinese tat that you forgot to pick up at Yu Yuan, and that's it. I'm working on the new terminal but no-one seems to know what the retail outlets are going to be there.
When I know, you will too.
It's slightly better than Harbin airport however, where I paid 48RMB for a lukewarm Lipton's tea.
The virgin store has been there since at least early December (I bought a book there on my way to Kunming) - and there's an "Italian" cafe with pizza (!) where the terminal changes from B gates to A gates.
In Pudong, there's a tapas bar with a decent panini and antipasto selection - well, decent until you route through Hong Kong or land in LAX. But you after months and months of provinicial Chinese airports you learn to appreicate the little things. Even if they are Element Fresh and Richard Branson.
I solve all these problems, however, by buying my airplane food BEFORE leaving for the airport.
Unreleated, but I was surprised to find out that China Eastern's crappy food also extends to their flights which LEAVE from the US too. I thought it was just local crappy catering, but no, leaving LAX we got the same stupid zhu rou mian/niu rou mi fan selection we get on the way to Beijing.
I could vouch that the store has been there since November - was impressed at first only to step in and realize it is not any different from the other Chinese chain bookstores lurking in the airport 'cept this one has the flashy Virgin logo slapped on.
I am at the Xiamen airport which is really nicely designed. The coffee here is RMB68 flat but with free refills! I wanted just one cup, but there wasn't such an option. Crazy.
A few months back a new cafe opened at Pudong where you can get a decent enough cup of coffee and a sandwich at not totally outrageous prices. I can't remember the name but it's opposite the China Telecom internet place.
I just touched down at the spanking new Suvarnabhumi Airport (not sure if I spelt it right). For all the buzz surrounding its opening, it didn't quite turn me on. As soon as I stepped out of the airport though, I knew I had come to the right place to defrost.