Image by eturbonews via Flickr

In these trying times for the airline industry, anything that brings the employees closer together and builds authenticity in the brand is more than welcome. Emirates Airlines has recently done a fabulous job of achieving these aims. A video by Emirates employees, featuring themselves, has hit the internet recently. Entitled “Make Someone’s Day”, Emirates’ employees are singing, playing instruments from around the world and just seem to be enjoying themselves. It’s nice to see that an airline still does stuff like this that isn’t a necessity contributing towards the bottom line. And it should do good for the brand too.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy watching the video below (couldn’t find one with a better quality).

Bringing authenticity into the brand
Nothing’s more authentic about a brand than the collective voice of the people behind it. As I mentioned in my recent webinar on airline branding, involving the employees adds personality the previously faceless …

When an American Airlines passenger died in-flight earlier this year resulted in a public outrage, the airline’s attempt to rescue its reputation fell flat on its face. Two days after the death, American Airlines decided to honor a stewardess for saving the life of a passenger on board a flight – three years ago!

What already sounds like a bad attempt at generating positive PR turned much worse when the stewardess blatantly rejected the award, at the ceremony, instead spilling the beans on bad management practices at the airline. All this in front of shocked executives and ever-eager media. Check out the stewardess’ interview with MSNBC, after the incident.

So what’re three key lessons from this blunder for American Airlines and others?