Photo: At Your Gate
Some fledgling apps are enabling travelers at a number airports to order food, gifts or other items for delivery wherever they are for a small fee.
Billing itself as “Your in-airport personal shopper,” AtYourGate officially launched at San Diego International Airport in March and recently expanded to Newark Liberty International Airport.
Travelers use their mobile devices to shop from airport food and retail outlets, then choose to pick up or have their order delivered to a location inside the airport. Deliveries can be made across terminals and arrive within 20 to 30 minutes.
According to USA Today, airport personnel and flight crews in San Diego have embraced the app with its promise of more choice and convenience, but also because flight crews often face short turn-around times. AtYourGate research also finds 60 percent of travelers want to make a purchase at the airport, but don’t due to lack of time.
“We solve the common traveler issues of ‘no time’, ‘too far’ and ‘limited choice’ that have historically prevented them from ordering items at the airport,” AtYourGate president David Henninger told APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association).
Airport restaurant and retail outlets partnering with the service are promised to increase their exposure while earning opportunities for new purchase occasions and increased transaction sizes.
Airlines can also offer vouchers for such services to passengers to help manage lengthy delays. AtYourGate is working on delivering meals to passengers stranded on runways.
AtYourGate charges $2.99 per delivery for airport and airline employees and $6.99 for travelers, while pickup is free.
Airport Sherpa, a similar service operating at Baltimore-Washington Airport, charges between $3.99 to $7.99 based on how far the delivery person has to travel. Both AtYourGate and Airport Sherpa have aggressive plans to reach other airports.
Grab, another app accessible in 18 airports in the U.S and four in the U.K., enables mobile ordering in terminals, but only for pick-up.
- Take-out at your airport gate? Start-ups look to deliver – USA Today
- AtYourGate Raises $2,000,000 in Seed Funding, Bolstered by TRITON FUNDS – AtYourGate
- AtYourGate and GOLO Team up to Launch App to Take the Hassle out of Airport Shopping – AtYourGate
- AtYourGate
- Airport Sherpa
- Grab
- AtYourGate Airport Delivery Service to Expand – Apex
- Now Boarding: On-Demand Food Delivery With Airport Sherpa – Pymnts
- Entrepreneurs bet big on airport e-commerce – Airport Technology