33 'unsustainably loss-making' Dixons Travel outlets set to be shuttered affecting 400 staff

Dixons Carphone is to permanently ground its airport stores that employ 398 staff, amid mounting losses and following the British government's discontinuation of airside tax-free shopping at the start of 2021. The decision to shutter the Dixons Travel outlets was confirmed in a trading update covering the 51 weeks ended 24 …

[Phil O'Sophical]

Not really a surprise

The only uses I ever saw for those shops were (a) to browse the pretty gadgets while killing time waiting for your flight to be called, or (b) to buy an extortionately over-priced phone or laptop charger when you realised you'd left yours at home.

[Jay 2]

Re: Not really a surprise

Not too far from their high-street equivalents in those respects. Generally I wouldn't by much from them, but every now and again the click and collect came in handy for the odd very reasonably priced hard drive (or small gadget) that I really did need in a bit of a hurry.

But overall, that sort of behaviour isn't really going to fill their coffers enough to keep them running.

[Mr Dogshit]

Oh dear

How sad. Never mind.

[Ol'Peculier]

I'd forgotten to bring a powerbank with me, so when I got to Manchester airport I looked into how much I could pick one up from the Dixons shop at the terminal. Oh wow...

Now I know these places have a captive market, but even so...

[Ken Moorhouse]

Re: powerbank

If it was called a powerbrick or powercube they wouldn't be able to charge as much. Having said that, its ability to charge is important, so maybe that's why they are called powerbanks.

[Tempest]

Great News! More Room for Passengers

UK airports are filled with sales outlets of all types, making passage from Check-In to Boarding lounge all but impossible.

As for prices, the BAA financial piggies are largely to blame as they try to bleed stores serving PAX of their last Pound/Shekel/Dong before they board their aircraft where they become a captive market for yet other money grabbers. Good riddance to Dixons, Boots, etc.

I (just) remember Northolt, yes - Northolt, which had open halls bereft of all this commercial clutter.