A future-proof webshop for Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport Company (BAC), operator of the national airport in Zaventem and one of Europe's most important aviation hubs, is strongly committed to digital innovation. Thousands of travellers pass through the airport every day, each with their own expectations in terms of comfort, speed and ease of use. To respond to this, BAC continuously invests in solutions that improve the passenger experience.

One of those strategic initiatives was the development of a new webshop for comfort services. Through this platform, travelers can easily purchase lounge access, fast lane passes and other additional services before they even reach the airport. To realize this project, BAC worked together with various specialized partners within Xplore Group.

The existing webshop was built on a traditional, monolithic e-commerce platform. Although the system had been in service for many years, it did not offer sufficient flexibility to quickly launch new functionalities or to respond to changing customer needs. Adjustments were complex and time-consuming, which limited the innovative power of the organization.

For an international airport, where processes, regulations and customer expectations are constantly evolving, this was not a sustainable situation. BAC needed a modern, scalable solution that was not only more performant, but also future-oriented and flexible enough to support further digital growth.

Thanks to the API-first approach, front- and back-end could be developed in parallel. Clear documentation and clear agreements ensured that all parties could work together efficiently. The close cooperation within the Cronos and Xplore Group ecosystem, combined with short lines of communication and an agile working method, made it possible to switch quickly and successfully complete the project.

The new webshop went live at the end of November 2025. The impact on the user experience was immediately measurable. The average time it takes to complete a purchase decreased by 34% compared to a few months earlier. This indicates a significantly smoother and more intuitive customer journey.

The conversion figures also confirm the success of the new platform. More than half of the visitors who start the purchase process complete it. As a result, the new webshop not only provides a better user experience, but also contributes directly to BAC's commercial objectives.

Moreover, Brussels Airport Company now has a scalable and future-proof platform that enables further expansion and supports data-driven optimizations.