In an effort to pacify delayed passengers a new scheme has been set up by airport representation company Skybreak to entertain them. The company has joined forces with group catering and event specialist Hospitality Line to launch Hospitality for Delays.
Skybreak managing director Neil Chapman said: “It is a fact of airport life that a number of passengers will encounter a delay at the airport. In the case of a lengthy wait, the best solution is to get those passengers away from the airport environment as soon as possible.”
The main objective of the scheme is to provide comfort and care for the passengers, accurate and updated information about the cause and likely length of delays.
“The service we have is unique,” said Chapman. “Some companies are doing these things themselves to a degree but we are packaging it for them.”
Hospitality for Delays will cater for hold-ups ranging from four to 24hrs with a variety of options on offer.
Possibilities include a visit to the cinema, Chessington World of Adventures, Leeds Castle or Brighton. All locations are within easy reach of Gatwick and can be arranged to accommodate large numbers within a matter of hours.
The scheme operates using a menu of pre-agreed options, which cater for differing lengths of delay and different types of passengers, for which airlines or tour operators can phone through their requirements.
The success of the scheme will, of course, depend on the willingness of airlines and tour operators to pay for one of the packages on offer to keep their customers happy.
Prices range from around £15 per head for a half-day coach hire and three-course lunch, to up to £60 for transport and accommodation in a local hotel.
Hospitality Line managing director Michael Clark believes that the demand is there – particularly from the charter airlines and independent holiday companies.
“When flights are delayed for a length of time, airlines have a duty to provide vouchers for their passengers and this is just taking it to the next level of customer care,” he said.
A Gatwick Airport spokeswoman welcomed the Skybreak initiative. “We welcome any move which has the comfort of passengers as a priority.”
Tour operators Tapestry Holidays and Kuoni Travel, which currently use the services of Skybreak at Gatwick, see the product as an important extension to what is already on offer.
Tapestry managing director Nick Wrightman said the new service allows more focus to be put on the needs of individual delayed passengers while providing an effective communication link between airlines, ground staff and passengers.
Kuoni senior quality control manager Dinah Wilson said: “This is about good customer service. There is always a need for innovative new ideas to entertain people at airports.”
Flight delays are now a fact of life for many passengers travelling today.
The latest delay figures for Gatwick, published by the Civil Aviation Authority, show that of the 23,000 flights passing through the airport in July, 7% – almost 1,600 – were delayed for between one and 3hrs.
Passengers on 60 of the 6,000 charter flights were held up for more than 6hrs.
In an effort to pacify delayed passengers a new scheme has been set up by airport representation company Skybreak to entertain them. The company has joined forces with group catering and event specialist Hospitality Line to launch Hospitality for Delays.
Skybreak managing director Neil Chapman said: “It is a fact of airport life that a number of passengers will encounter a delay at the airport. In the case of a lengthy wait, the best solution is to get those passengers away from the airport environment as soon as possible.”
The main objective of the scheme is to provide comfort and care for the passengers, accurate and updated information about the cause and likely length of delays.
“The service we have is unique,” said Chapman. “Some companies are doing these things themselves to a degree but we are packaging it for them.”
Hospitality for Delays will cater for hold-ups ranging from four to 24hrs with a variety of options on offer.
Possibilities include a visit to the cinema, Chessington World of Adventures, Leeds Castle or Brighton. All locations are within easy reach of Gatwick and can be arranged to accommodate large numbers within a matter of hours.
The scheme operates using a menu of pre-agreed options, which cater for differing lengths of delay and different types of passengers, for which airlines or tour operators can phone through their requirements.
The success of the scheme will, of course, depend on the willingness of airlines and tour operators to pay for one of the packages on offer to keep their customers happy.
Prices range from around £15 per head for a half-day coach hire and three-course lunch, to up to £60 for transport and accommodation in a local hotel.
Hospitality Line managing director Michael Clark believes that the demand is there – particularly from the charter airlines and independent holiday companies.
“When flights are delayed for a length of time, airlines have a duty to provide vouchers for their passengers and this is just taking it to the next level of customer care,” he said.
A Gatwick Airport spokeswoman welcomed the Skybreak initiative. “We welcome any move which has the comfort of passengers as a priority.”
Tour operators Tapestry Holidays and Kuoni Travel, which currently use the services of Skybreak at Gatwick, see the product as an important extension to what is already on offer.
Tapestry managing director Nick Wrightman said the new service allows more focus to be put on the needs of individual delayed passengers while providing an effective communication link between airlines, ground staff and passengers.
Kuoni senior quality control manager Dinah Wilson said: “This is about good customer service. There is always a need for innovative new ideas to entertain people at airports.”