Grab and AtYourGate partner to offer contactless in-airport retail delivery service

Partnership will allow retailers to serve guests and comply with social distancing rules

Airport e-commerce platform Grab has partnered with retail delivery specialist AtYourGate to provide new pick-up and delivery services.

With new social distancing rules expected to be imposed on airport operators for some time, the partnership will allow compliant food and beverages services to be offered.

The partners said the service will offer flexibility to passengers who will be able to order from their own devices while socially distancing.

Grab’s omni-channel platform allows guests to order through a variety of digital channels.

And AtYourGate will facilitate food and retail purchases being delivered to their gate while waiting for their flight.

Grab said users will “have the ability to order across terminal and security lines, enabling a wider breadth of dining options”.

The firm added: “Complemented by Grab’s expertise with concession POS integrations and its distributed e-commerce platform with integrations into many popular travel channels, travelers will enjoy a seamless ordering experience and airport concessions will be able to extend their customer reach.

“The collaboration is designed to make the process for airports and concessionaires more efficient and stress-free, and customers can still order from the existing Grab and AtYourGate apps while at the airport.”

Jeff Livney, chief experience officer at Grab, said: “This collaboration is designed to support the industry as we face some of the toughest challenges we’ve ever seen.

“Having contactless ordering options during this health crisis is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ and they are going to be fundamental to the way we all do business going forward.

“We’re confident the combination of the Grab platform technology and integration with AtYourGate’s delivery capabilities will enhance the passenger journey while making operations smoother, scalable and more efficient and therefore more commercially viable for airport concessionaires.”

PJ Mastracchio, founder and chief executive of AtYourGate, said: “The existence of new, safety-focused dining and retail options such as AtYourGate’s contactless delivery service will be a vital component of the passenger’s expectations when they return to air travel.

“This partnership will combine the best available technology with world-class customer service and safety standards to offer safe alternatives to traditional shopping methods and dining inside the airport.”

The partnership will be offered to airports in North America, with opportunity to expand into further markets in the future.

Grab’s platform is available in over 50 airports in four countries and has processed over five million contactless orders.

AtYourGate operates in nine airports in the United States and has delivered over 100,000 orders to hungry airport guests.