A simple solution to smoking

Airports that completely banned smoking on their premises a year ago are now experiencing costly problems associated with not offering services for their smoking customers says Jeanine Roberts, CEO of Medialounge.

The result of banning smoking totally is secret smoking in corridors, in toilets, by potted plants and in aircrafts, not to mention the rush at the security checks by last minute outdoor smokers trying to catch their plane. Not only does this mean an unhappy and dissatisfied group of customers - on average about a third of the total - it also constitutes a major fire hazard.

The Swedish company Medialounge hear about these problems daily, problems that can end up with a very costly surgery on the infrastructure of an airport. Medialounge specialises in solving the smoking problem at airports - with a twist: they do it without any costs.

A subtle, but yet very costly, not to mention hazardous event, is that passengers seeking to get round the smoking ban actually tear down fire detectors in washrooms and toilets. "These are the latest reports coming from the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway and Sweden," says Roberts. Also many airports that have dedicated rooms for smoking are now experiencing the problem of keeping a room sufficiently ventilated allowing for many to smoke in it at the same time.

With an average of 30 percent of the passenger population in Europe being smokers, this constitutes a large number of customers for both airports and airlines. Airlines are now starting to complain about the lack of smoking services at airports, as smoking in airplane toilets has become a common event again.

Creative ideas
"As all successful companies, Medialounge continuously develops the products and business offers, even if the current products meet the standard very well," says Roberts. "We are now launching a new product series and when we started the development we set the aim high - we want the Medialounge solution to heighten the overall image of an airport," exclaims Roberts with a big smile. "By turning the Medialounge unit even more into an infotainment lounge, as well as a high-tech airport solution, it will be appreciated by everyone concerned: airports, passengers, airlines and advertising concessionaires selling advertisements on the Medialounges."

The new model takes the Medialounges a step further in all directions; a more stylish appearance, higher air cleaning capacity, better media channel abilities, and better scalability to fit the needs of various locations and of course more welcoming for the actual user. Better still, no interference with the airport infrastructure is needed. "We are very fortunate to have the best solution on the market right now, when most of the world suffers a slump in demand as a result of the financial crisis," says Roberts. The Medialounge solution can even heighten the commercial potential of the airport by managing the passenger flow more efficiently, she says.

The new Medialounge unit

The new Medialounge smoking lounge series has matured into an elegant infotainment lounge with groundbreaking air-cleaning performance and many new creative features for example:

• New exclusive and elegant design, sturdy and spacious
• Modular concept. Modules can be added to reach a capacity from 8 pax at a time to 60
• No infrastructural modifications are necessary at the airport
• The air-cleaning consumption will be impressive and just one filter tower will clean about 1200 m³ of air per hour, removing all harmful substances and odours leaving just clean air. The air in the lounge will be exchanged up to 2.5 times per minute
• Self-sustained, just plug it in
• Illuminated advertising signs outside and digital displays inside, ensuring the financing of this solution
• Low energy consumption and noise level
• Self-closing sliding doors

 

Jeanine Roberts has managed companies since 1992. In 2002, she started a company that built and marketed smoking lounges in Sweden. The smoking lounges were placed at large work places like Atlas Copco and the bank SEB. This was to be the predecessor to Medialounge advertising solutions AB of which Roberts is now CEO.