End the captive market at our airport shops

Airport shops must offer greater product variety and fairer prices, because exploiting captive consumers is neither ethical nor sustainable. When travellers step through security, they become a captive audience with no alternative but to pay whatever is asked. This model, which charges inflated prices for limited choices, is not simply bad business—it is fundamentally unfair. No traveller should be forced to overpay because they happen to be inside an airport terminal. The financial struggles of airports do not justify this exploitation. Addu International Airport recorded a net loss of 68.7 million rufiyaa in 2025, despite revenue rising sharply to 94.3 million rufiyaa. Operating expenses more than doubled to 112.6 million rufiyaa, creating significant pressure to find new income. However, channelling that pressure onto passengers through overpriced shops is the wrong solution. The government, which owns 70% of the airport, must recognise that burdening travellers with unfair costs will only erode trust and discourage use. There are better ways to address financial losses. Competing on value, rather than exploiting a captive market, builds long-term passenger loyalty and encourages repeat business. Offering diverse products at reasonable prices can attract more spending overall, even if margins per item are lower. Airports should treat travellers as valued customers, not as trapped sources of revenue. This shift in mindset is essential: fair pricing and genuine choice should be the standard, not the exception. If airports want to build long-term passenger trust and reduce reliance on state bailouts, they must abandon the captive-market model and compete on value. The accumulated loss at Addu International Airport has already reached 817.4 million rufiyaa. Continuing an ethically questionable pricing strategy will not turn that around. Only by respecting travellers and offering them fair treatment can airports hope to become sustainable, respected institutions that serve the public interest rather than exploit it.