Flight delays are becoming a hallmark of air travel in 2025. Following a record-breaking year in 2024, ongoing disruptions caused by technical failures, airline staffing shortages, air traffic control constraints, and worsening weather patterns have only intensified. Some airports now report that up to 37% of flights are delayed.
According to FlightAware, the average departure delay stands at 38 minutes—and continues to increase. While this is an inconvenience for passengers, it also presents a significant opportunity for travel retailers to capture attention and drive sales. By applying the foundational principles of the 3 Ps—Product, Product Placement, and Promotion—Retailers can transform traveler downtime into a profitable engagement window.
Product: Fulfilling Immediate Needs and Creating Desire
With travelers spending more unplanned time in terminals, product selection matters more than ever. Travel retailers should ensure they are stocked with high-demand essentials like phone chargers, snacks, water bottles, travel pillows, and children’s games—items that address urgent needs during a delay.
Equally important is offering travel-exclusive products that can’t be found elsewhere. These might include special-edition spirits, beauty kits tailored for in-flight use, or exclusive branded merchandise. These unique offerings help position airport shopping as a value-added part of the travel experience.
Additionally, products that reflect regional identity—such as local foods, crafts, or cultural souvenirs—can turn a stressful wait into a chance to discover something authentic and memorable. This not only supports local vendors but enhances travelers’ emotional connection to their journey.
Product Placement: Maximizing Floor Impact
With passengers lingering longer in terminals, how and where products are displayed becomes a crucial sales lever. Strategic product placement on the floor should guide foot traffic and encourage browsing.
Key tactics include:
- Front-of-store focus: Place high-demand and impulse-buy items—like charging cables, snacks, and travel-size toiletries—at the entrance and checkout areas for maximum visibility and convenience.
- Zoned experiences: Create themed product zones (e.g., “Relax & Recharge,” “Local Treasures,” “Gifts on the Go”) that encourage deeper exploration and discovery.
- Clear navigation: Ensure store layouts are intuitive and open, allowing passengers with carry-ons to move freely while browsing.
In short, product placement on the floor should be purposeful, frictionless, and visually appealing—guiding travelers through a shopping journey that feels seamless and rewarding.
Promotion: Turning Downtime into Purchase Time
Finally, effective promotion turns passive waiting into intentional shopping. Targeted deals such as limited-time bundles. Highlighting travel-only products or regional exclusives with signage and digital screens adds urgency. Sampling stations, live demos, or QR code activations can also engage delayed passengers more interactively.
Promotion should position airport shopping as a source of comfort, discovery, or indulgence during a stressful experience.
Conclusion
Flight delays may be a growing challenge for airlines and travelers, but they offer a clear upside for airport retail. By optimizing Product, Product Placement, and Promotion, travel retailers can transform waiting time into revenue—and elevate the terminal experience into something memorable and meaningful.
ABOUT MARY BETH DEPIZZOL
Mary Beth is an Associate Partner at Columbus Consulting with extensive experience in Replenishment, Allocation, Demand Planning & Merchandise Planning, System Implementations, and Change Management. Prior to joining Columbus Consulting, Mary Beth was a Vice-President with DFS Group. In addition to her travel industry expertise, she worked in luxury and commodities retail. She is Prosci certified and proficient in multiple retail systems software/solutions.
ABOUT COLUMBUS CONSULTING
Columbus Consulting delivers solutions that drive true value and have been transforming the retail and CPG industries for over two decades. We are a retail consulting company of industry experts. Our approach is simple, if you do it, we do it. We are more than consultants; we are experienced practitioners who actually sat in our clients’ seats. We understand the challenges, know what questions to ask and deliver the right solutions. Columbus offers a unique, consumer-centric approach with an end-to-end perspective that bridges functional & organization silos from strategy to execution. OUR SPECIALTIES include: unified commerce, merchandising & category management, planning & inventory management, sourcing & supply chain, data & analytics, accounting, finance & operations, people & organization and information technology. Let us know how we can help you. To learn more, visit COLUMBUSCONSULTING.COM.