Airport signage covers the graphics inside a terminal that belong to tenants and advertisers: concession shopfronts, retail and food outlet window graphics, promotional campaigns, and wayfinding within a tenant’s leased area or lounge.
It suits airport concessionaires, retail and food brands trading in terminals, lounge operators, car rental and service desks, and advertisers whose space has been booked through the airport’s media or commercial team. We do not claim to be an approved airport supplier; work proceeds under the airport’s own approval and contractor processes.
About this service
Airports are controlled environments. Signage in a terminal is normally governed by the airport operator’s tenant design guidelines, and at airports run by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) or other operators, drawings and materials usually need approval through the operator’s commercial, technical and safety teams before production. The airport’s own wayfinding, flight information and regulatory signage is managed by the operator and is not something a tenant changes; tenant wayfinding stays within the leased area or as approved.
Access is the biggest practical difference from other sites. Installers working airside, or in many landside areas, need security clearance and airport permits arranged in advance, and some sites require escorts. Tools and materials may be screened, and installation windows are often restricted to low-traffic periods or overnight to keep passengers safe and operations moving. Installation location, access, permits and after-hours work are arranged per project with you and the airport.
Materials must suit the setting. Terminals may specify fire performance for interior graphics, and window graphics must not obscure security sightlines, emergency signage, fire equipment or required visibility. We use films from 3M or Avery Dennison where suitable, subject to material availability, and removable films for short campaigns. Illuminated, structural or electrical signs, such as lightboxes or suspended signs, may require other registered trades and engineering sign-off, and the airport usually sets its own requirements for that work.
Suitable vehicles and common uses
- Retail and food concessions in airport terminals, landside or airside
- Brands with campaign space booked through the airport’s media or commercial team
- Lounge operators wanting branded walls, glazing and directional graphics within the lounge
- Car rental, forex, telecoms and service desks in arrivals halls
- Pop-up and promotional activations approved by the airport
- Concession refurbishments where old graphics are replaced
Available options
- Concession shopfront and bulkhead graphics to the airport’s tenant design guidelines
- Window graphics, frosted or etched-look film and manifestation on glazing within the leased area
- Removable promotional and campaign graphics for walls, columns, glazing and counters, subject to material availability
- Wayfinding and information graphics within a tenant’s leased area or lounge
- Interior materials selected to meet the airport’s stated fire-performance requirements
- Drawings and material samples prepared for airport approval
- Campaign change-overs scheduled within the airport’s permitted installation windows
Options depend on the material available at the time of your project and on your vehicle. We confirm exactly what is possible in your quotation.
Why choose it
- Graphics reach a large, captive audience of travellers and visitors
- Approval-ready drawings and samples help avoid rework after submission
- Removable films make frequent campaign changes practical
- Restricted-window scheduling keeps your outlet trading and passengers moving
- A consistent brand look between your airport outlet and your other stores
Things to consider
- Nothing is installed without the airport operator’s approval, which can change designs and materials
- Security clearances and permits must be in place before installers can work, and they take time to arrange
- Installation windows are restricted and can be changed at short notice by airport operations
- Airport wayfinding, regulatory and flight information signage is controlled by the operator, not the tenant
- Illuminated, suspended or structural signs need other registered trades and may need engineering sign-off
Preparation and installation process
- Brief and airport requirements. You share your lease or booking details, brand files and the airport’s tenant design and contractor requirements. We list what needs approval and which permits are needed.
- Site measure under escort or permit. Where access is granted, we measure the concession or campaign space and note surfaces, sightlines, fire equipment and emergency signage that must stay clear.
- Drawings and approval submission. Scaled drawings, material specifications and samples are prepared for your sign-off and submitted through the airport’s approval process.
- Permits and scheduling. Installer permits and security clearances are applied for, and an installation window is booked with airport operations.
- Production and packing. Approved graphics are produced, labelled and packed for screening, with tools and materials listed as the airport requires.
- Installation in the permitted window. The team installs within the booked window, follows the airport’s safety and housekeeping rules, and leaves the area clear for passengers.
- Inspection and records. Work is checked with you and, where required, the airport’s representative, then photographed and recorded for the next change-over.
What affects the price
- Size and number of graphics, and whether the space is landside or airside
- Materials specified, including fire-performance or specialist films
- Drawing, sample and approval work required by the airport
- Security clearance, permit and escort requirements for installers
- Restricted or overnight installation windows
- Removal of existing graphics and frequency of campaign change-overs
Every vehicle is different, so we quote each job individually. Your final quotation depends on the vehicle, the material, how much of the vehicle is covered, any artwork, and the condition of the paint once we have assessed it.
Turnaround
Timing depends mostly on the airport. The operator’s approval of drawings and materials, the time needed to obtain security clearances and permits for installers, the availability of installation windows, material availability and the size of the job all affect when work can be done. Operational changes at the airport can also move booked windows. Timing is confirmed with the quote once approvals and access are clear.
Care and maintenance
- Follow the airport’s cleaning contractor rules and ask them to use mild, non-abrasive products on graphics
- Keep luggage trolleys and cleaning machines away from low wall and column graphic edges where possible
- Report damaged campaign graphics early, as replacement visits need permits and booked windows
- Remove expired campaign graphics on schedule to avoid adhesive build-up
- Keep artwork files and the approval record together for quicker resubmission of repeat campaigns
Frequently asked questions
Are you an approved airport supplier?
We do not claim to be an approved supplier to any airport. Work proceeds under the airport operatoru2019s own approval, contractor and permit processes, which we follow for each project.
Can you change the airportu2019s directional signs to point to our store?
No. The airportu2019s wayfinding and regulatory signage is controlled by the operator. We can produce wayfinding within your leased area or lounge, and you can discuss any terminal-level listing with the airport directly.
Why does installation have to happen at night?
Airports usually restrict installation to low-traffic periods so that ladders, tools and materials do not affect passengers or operations. The airport decides the windows and we schedule around them.
Do your installers need security clearance?
For most airside work and many landside areas, yes. Permits and clearances are arranged in advance through the airportu2019s process, and the time they take is built into the schedule.
Areas we serve
Customers bring their vehicles to our workshop in Rivonia, Sandton from across Gauteng. All installations take place at the workshop.
