Airline Industry Review

How to Earn Customer Trust ?

Miyuru — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:15:40 +0000

How to Build Trust ?

There are many ways an airline can build trust with their customers. But when it comes to the airline’s website and social media – they need to take two different ways.

1. Website

The main goal of the modern airline website is neither to show your route network nor to talk about your management – but to make sales. To do this, the website needs to be shown trustworthy. Trustworthy in a way, that shows your airline is a trustworthy institution.
To make it happen, you do not need either the cheapest fares or the largest route network ( although they play a small part ). What it takes is a professional and clean website that proves your airline as trustworthy.
Stating the actual ticket prices, and clearly marking when you have to switch planes – can take you a long way. The most important part nevertheless, is to have a well functioning booking engine.

2. Social Media
For an airline to earn trust in social media, it takes a totally different approach. Show your airline as a trustworthy human.
The goal of social media should be to establish connections with your current and prospective customers. The only reason why people use social media is to establish connections, connections with humans. And the best and only way is showing the human side of your airline.

This trust helps the airline to more easily achieve the call to action they need – people travelling more.Similar Posts:

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Where is Your Brand Voice ?

Miyuru — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:22:27 +0000

In building an online brand presence, having a voice of your own – a popular insider as an online brand ambassador – could be very beneficial. It helps to make a brand’s activities online look more closer, credible and responsible to a customer.
Apple has Steve Jobs. Nokia has Anssi Vanjoki. Microsoft has Ray Ozzie. Where is the aircraft manufacturers’ ambassador ?
Needless to say, the first mover in to this space will gain a huge advantage.

P.S: Not just for an aircraft manufacturer, an online ambassador who can influence, will undoubtedly help an airline too.Similar Posts:

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I’m Starting Consultation ( and how to win an exciting gift )

Miyuru — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:35:15 +0000

Yes, I will be available for aviation consultation from today, and I will focus on social media ( for the start ).
Social media is an effective tool to connect with your customers, and to drive sales. And having realised this, many leading companies from most industries have now begun to use social media marketing. The topic is now hot, and trending, everywhere in the world.
The key for many companies to adopt social media marketing is that it is such an effective way of marketing. It only needs so minimal an expense to start using social media, and you get to capture the attention of millions of loyal fans. Using social media makes these fans feel your brand as closer to them, and develops their trust around your brand. And then these loyal fans naturally start spreading Word of Mouth marketing about your brand to their close friends, and so on, and you start to get a constant flow of sales multiplications.
And yet, many airlines are yet to enter social media. But the few ( or, the thousands ) who already did, such as Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Lufthansa and AirAsia are already reaping the harvests of their efforts, with great brand exposure, direct connections with millions of customers, and increased sales. So, if your competitors are already doing it and seeing success with it, why should not you ?
Perhaps, you have just started using social media and are new to it. Or, may be you did use social media, but could not find success with it ?
Social media is an art. As the world’s most respected online marketing guru, Seth Godin, says

It’s a process, not an event. Dating is a process. So is losing weight, being a public company and building a brand.

.
But if you know the right way to do it, finding social media success is not hard. And I’m here to help you.
To create a tribe around your brand who will spread your message, to increase your sales, to achieve your targets, to deliver your expectations, and to help you find success with social media marketing.
I’m still young, but with my years of experience with building valuable brands on social media and achieving success with them, I’m sure that I can help you succeed too. Over the time, I have advised a number of airlines and market leading companies, and helped them see social media success. And I’m now ready to help you succeed too.
Still not begun social media marketing ? New to it ? Or, already given up ? In whichever the situation you’re, I think I can help you. Let’s discuss.

And what else, I’m also planning to offer a unique service called AirBlog, which will set you up an expectation-exceeding, excellent quality airline blog at a fixed fee. Everything from setting up, designing, search engine optimizing to strategy mapping will be taken care of, and you will only need future article content to keep it running.

- You can read more about my consultation work here .
- You can read more about the revolutionary AirBlog product here .
- You can find me on LinkedIn here .

The umbrella that I use to host my consultation work under will be known as AirSocial.

And now let me move to the exciting news. To celebrate the launch, I’m offering one lucky airline a AirBlog package TOTALLY FREE of charge.

What you get with AirBlog will be a complete blog with
- Server and databases set up
- Blogging software installed and fully tuned up for best reader engagement
- A semantically coded, and navigation enhanced, design
- Full search engine optimization
. Plus, you will also get a future strategy plan for your blog – absolutely free !

To win it, all you have to do is tweet the following message

Win a free package of AirBlog – the revolutionary new one off airline blogging suite by @AirSocial http://j.mp/azHY6i

( Click here to automatically do it with no hassle )
and leave a comment below with your Twitter username.
Just that, and in a week, I will announce the lucky winner !

( Your tweet will be automatically featured in the comments section below & just make sure that you use a valid email address, so we can easily notify you of the victory. )

The only condition is you need to be an airline, airport, aircraft manufacturer or a MRO provider.
If you’re not one of them, tell a friend who works at one of the above places, and stay tuned. We’ll soon have something for you guys too !

Interested in reading more about me ? You can do it here .

Not interested in consultation ? No problem. Read more of my articles about social media below.

How to use Twitter to Grow Your Sales
Who’s Who in Aviation
The Ancillary Art my eBook on maximizing airline ancillary revenue
Twitter Predicts Sales
The Ultimate Airline Marketing Guide

Thanks a lot for reading, and hope to see you as a client soon !
Sincerely,
M.Similar Posts:

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China Eastern launches Colombo and Malé

Miyuru — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:54:36 +0000

China Eastern Airlines will be launching service to Colombo, Sri Lanka and Malé, Maldives from today.
The event turned out quite suprisingly given the very short notice at which the flight was announced.
This is the first scheduled service to Sri Lanka by any Chinese carrier, and is the first link between Kunming and Sri Lanka.
The flight was launched at a ceremony attended by high profile delegates from both countries, including Sri Lanka’s ambassador to China Mr. Karunathilaka Amunugama.
The flight operates thrice weekly on a Kunming – Colombo – Malé routing. The launch flight will reportedly operate with an Airbus A330, however an aircraft switch to either the Boeing 737 or 767 is expected.

MU713 KMG1740-2010CMB2110-2150MLE 247 EQV
MU714 MLE2240-0010+1CMB0110+1-0830+1KMG 247 EQV

Thanks to Jimmy at AirlineRoute.net for spotting this.Similar Posts:

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Changing the game

Miyuru — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:54:22 +0000

Note: From today onwards, you’ll see a slight change of direction in Airline Industry Review. This blog starting today, will focus more on airline management, rather than just breaking airline news. It doesn’t mean the news and analysis coverage will end – not at all. In fact, coverage will get increased. So, tell your friends ( specially who’re in management positions ) too !

Most airlines spend most of their time optimizing. How can you be better than your competitor ? How can you reduce your costs further ?
While this is not a bad thing

at all

, some airlines tend to spend too much time and all their energy only on optimizing.
While you’re at it, a new entrant might have invented something – and changed the rules of the game, forever. Now that all your effort spent on optimizing is wasted – because it is no longer the old thing.
While the majors were optimizing, Southwest came along and changed the game. So did AirAsia, JetBlue and a whole lot of others. Not just LCCs, but legacies too. Even the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787.
Hence, do not spend all your time and energy on optimizing. There’s a fine line between optimizing and inventing. Once you strike that right balance, you can change the game. And everyone else, except you, loses.
Be a game changer. How to do it ? To totally redefine your airline, it’s culture and the organization. To beat the competition and be the best. To achieve your biggest profit.
That’s what we’re going to talk about in the coming days, weeks and months.
Keep an eye on this blog.
Subscribe to the RSS feed if you haven’t already, follow @AirlineIndustry or simply subscribe to the free email newsletter and don’t miss a beat.

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Aero Lanka to relaunch as Lankan Cargo

Miyuru — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:56:52 +0000

Colombo, Sri Lanka based cargo carrier Aero Lanka ( QL ) is to resume operations after a few years break as Lankan Cargo.
The carrier had already leased a Boeing 727-200Adv F, TU-TAB ( MSN 20190/738 ), for the operations.

Aircraft Fact File
Registration : TU-TAB
MSN : 20190/738
Ex N315NE of US Postal Service
Operated by Ivoirienne de Transports AŽriens ( I.T.A )

The aircraft is now reportedly at Colombo ( CMB ).
Director General of Sri Lankan Civil Aviation Authority confirmed to this website that the carrier had applied to renew its AOC.
Aero Lanka, partly owned by AirSmith Inc. of Florida, used to operate all cargo flights to regional destinations, mostly on a charter basis.
The only other all cargo airline based out of Sri Lanka is Expo Aviation.Similar Posts:

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Boeing 787 EIS delayed by three months due to Trent 1000 failure

Miyuru — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:56:43 +0000

The Boeing Company today officially announced that it now expects the delivery of the first 787 only in middle of first quarter, 2011.
The delivery date revision is followed by an assessment of a Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engine needed for the final phases of flight testing.
The Trent 1000 engine prototype at Rolls Royce’ facilities recently incurred an uncontained failure.
GE’s engine offering for the 787, the GEnx is not affected. However, a majority of customers have ordered the Trent 1000 for the 787 thus the latter featuring a larger part of the flight testing.
The delay was met with angry reactions by some customers, such as Kenya Airways, who threatened to cancel their 787 orders.Similar Posts:

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V Australia and Virgin Blue announces network restructure – Drops Africa, Thailand, DJ adds A330s

Miyuru — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:46:15 +0000

Virgin Blue Group today announced the second phase of its network restructuring plan, under the leadership of CEO John Borghetti.

Key Points are as follows

- Virgin Blue to add two A330-200 aircraft to its domestic fleet
- V Australia to launch new thrice weekly Abu Dhabi route from Feb 2011, as part of a partnership with Etihad. The “major new partnership” will enable customers of both networks to access destinations of both carriers and earn miles under their own respective frequent flyer programs.
- V Australia route from Melbourne to Johannesburg cancelled effective 24FEB11
- V Australia routes to Phuket from Melbourne and Brisbane cancelled respectively from 24FEB11 and 25FEB11

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Saudi Arabian LCC Sama Ceases Operations

Miyuru — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:48:21 +0000

Saudi Arabia based low cost airline Sama has announced the carrier will be ceasing operations from today, after the carrier reported a 1 billion riyal ( USD266m ) loss.
The company had not been able to get government support.
CEO Bruce Ashby also mentioned that they tried to find strategic investors to pump necessary liquidity, but could not succeed.

Sama Fact File

IATA : ZS
ICAO : SMY
Call Sign : NAJIM
Chairman : Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal
CEO : Bruce Ashby
Fleet : 6 737-300 ( Built between 1989-1997 )
Destinations : 10 ( 7 international )

Dammam based Sama used to compete with Riyadh based Nas, the only other LCC in the kingdom.

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SriLankan to be Sold to SIA ?

Miyuru — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:13:00 +0000

A report on a trusted Sri Lankan newspaper, The Sunday Times, states that the island nation government is looking at selling a stake of SriLankan Airlines ( IATA:UL ) to Temasek Holdings, parent of Singapore Airlines ( SIA ).
SriLankan has constantly been losing cash ever since it ended the management contract with Emirates Airline. The Government of Sri Lanka recently bought out the 44% stake Emirates held in UL.
SIA was the airline which provided launch assistance to UL back in 1979, when it was known as Air Lanka.
SIA’s recent acquisitions and managements are largely considered unsuccessful, with Ansett Australia going into bankruptcy after an unsuccessful takeover bid by SIA ( while being fully owned by Air NZ, again partially owned by SIA ) and Virgin Atlantic – SIA’s European investment – suffering financially.

However, if this deal goes ahead, and UL gets under SIA management, it could well provide UL with the fleet renewal it has badly needed. SIA will be able to provide UL with some of the former’s older 777s with the needed expertise, and perhaps even some 787/A350 slots.
More info on SriLankan Airlines

Article Excerpt -
Lanka seeks Singapore funds to
bail out SriLankan Airlines

After aid and investment from
China and India, Sri Lanka is now
turning to Singapore’s biggest
investment arm, Temesek
Holdings, to bail out state entities
like SriLankan Airlines and the
Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB),
through equity investments,
official sources said.
They said a team including
External Affairs Minister G.L.
Peiris, Deputy Finance Minister
Sarath Amunugama and most
likely, Treasury Secretary P.B.
Jayasundera is due to fly to
Singapore later next week for
discussions with Temesek, one
of Asia’s biggest investment
firms, set up by former Prime
Minister Lee Kuan Yew as a
government-funded agency but
run independently.
Various options have been
looked at the running,
maintaining and funding of
SriLankan Airlines after it ended
its long relationship with
Emirates and bought back a 44%
stake held by Emirates for $53
million, taking full control of the
airline. While the airline has been
making operational profits, its
debt burden has risen even so,
after the Emirates stake buyout
through a consortium of banks
led by Bank of Ceylon which
holds the shares on behalf of the
government.
Finance Ministry sources said
there had been suggestions to
seek foreign expertise and
consultancy services to maintain
the airline and other institutions
with potential Temesek
involvement as a serious
funding option. There were
suggestions at one point to look
at Singapore Airlines as an
investment and management
partner, the sources said.
With the government strapped
for cash, particularly to sustain
huge loss-making entities like the
CEB, equity investment in
SriLankan Airlines is being
considered with the airline now
rolling out a new financial and
strategic restructuring under a
new business plan prepared by a
team from the airline and the
Treasury. SriLankan Airlines CEO
Manoj Gunawardene unavailable
for comment this week on the
Temesek plan, told the Sunday
Times last month that the airline
business plan also saw
stakeholders like hotels and
travel operators being consulted
to look at long term needs.Similar Posts:

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