Mobile food and drink ordering platform introduced at Teesside Airport

Credit: Teesside International Airport - Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, at Teesside Airport.

Teesside International Airport (MME) has made it easier than ever for passengers to order food and refreshments in a safe, COVID-19-secure way while waiting for their flight.

The OrderNext ordering platform is now live at the airport’s departure lounge café and bar, and is the latest in a series of improvements for passengers at Teesside Airport.

There is no need to download any apps – all customers have to do is scan the QR code on their table or around the terminal with their phone’s in-built camera to instantly bring up an online menu of all the food and drink available at the airport. Customers can place their order, pay using a credit or debit card and relax while their order is brought directly to them.

The platform, developed by VenueNext Europe, has been introduced following the coronavirus pandemic and is crucial for ensuring that customers and staff stay safe through contactless ordering.

It lets passengers using the airport place orders without the need to leave their tables, in turn reducing contact with others in line with social distancing guidelines.

Credit: Teesside International Airport – the Interface of the OrderNext platform.

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, said: “The safety and wellbeing of travellers and staff at Teesside Airport is our number one priority. We have introduced a number of measures to keep everyone safe, including our six-step process for passengers using the airport, and this is the latest measure.”

“The new system means that people won’t have to worry about social distancing, as there will be no need to queue at the bar or crowd around tills to pay for your order. It also means that people can place an order after they’ve checked in, which will be waiting for them when they’ve passed through security, with the minimum of fuss – and we’ll be rolling out more ways to access the service in the coming weeks,” he continued.

Houchen added: “As well as delivering new routes, such as the first flight to Heathrow for more than a decade, we’re investing in our airport terminal. From a £1 million overhaul of our security to a new look for our arrivals hall, we’re giving our passengers an airport for the 21st century that they can be proud of.”

The launch of OrderNext comes after it was announced that major renovations were taking place to improve the customer experience for those departing and arriving at the airport.

A £1 million redevelopment of the security area, including state-of-the-art body and bag scanners, will be complete by April 2021 and make moving through security checks quicker than ever. Work is also being carried out at the arrivals hall, with new walls, signage, fresh flooring and paintwork set to make moving through arrivals as smooth and welcoming as possible.

OrderNext also complements the six steps to staying safe at Teesside International Airport, which was put in place earlier in 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Measures including social distancing, face masks and the use of hand sanitisers were established to protect the health and wellbeing of passengers and staff as the airport reopened.