According to a survey conducted, Virgin Atlantic emerged as the best airline brand for 2009, with British Airways tailing closely. Some of the other names that came on top in various categories include brands like Emirates, Singapore Airlines, EasyJet, Qatar Airways, BMI and Swiss International. These brands have been assessed on different criteria like reliability, quality and distinction.
What adds to the overall rating of airline brands is the service that it offers its customers. This is something that can be achieved by good cabin and ground staff, choice of food, variety of entertainment on board, large number of destinations and high flight frequencies, among other services.
Building a popular airline brand requires long term commitment and sustained efforts. It has been seen that passengers value authentic service and airlines that deliver what they promise. Communicating a high level of service and setting high expectations without the basic infrastructure that can support such claims can only lead to disaster. Airlines that differentiate themselves from other companies and live up to their promise stand a high chance of becoming the best airline brand.
Airlines that ensure that they retain their clients by providing consistent good service have a better chance at success than others. It is important to note that customer experience starts from the time of booking a flight, to the check-in process and then in-flight experience. While retaining clients is important and a frequent flier program helps in the process, airlines also need to concentrate on first-time fliers too in order to expand their clientele.
Contrary to what most airline officials believe, spending more money on customer experience is not necessary to win over customers. It is the consistency in service that can set an airline apart from the others.
Airline brands that plan ahead of time and are prepared for predicted fuel hikes and other events stand a better chance of providing value to their customers as well. Last but not the least, airlines that formulate a marketing strategy and interact with their customers through online social media or events can get valuable feedback and more insights to further improve their services.