On September 12, 2008, Air New Zealand flew from Auckland to San Francisco in what 270 passengers believed was just a regular flight. But just before take-off, they were informed that they were part of an experiment to fly green.

By the end of the flight, the experiment cut waiting time, trimmed flying time, saved 1,200 gallons of fuel, eliminated 30,000 pounds of harmful carbon emissions and took a quieter landing approach at San Francisco International Airport, according to the LA Times.

Flying “Green” to lower costs

In an era when airlines are struggling with high costs, Air New Zealand demonstrated to that there is no need to ruin already floundering airline brands by nickel-and-diming customers in order to increase profits. Flying green saves substantially more costs compared to increasing profits by measures like charging a baggage fee. In fact, cost savings from less fuel consumption might just be passed to the customer by some airlines in the future.

Moreover, building an environmentally friendly brand resonates better with customers better too. In December, Air New Zealand plans to fly a Boeing 747 jumbo jet partially powered by fuel refined from the seeds of the jatropha, a type of fast-growing weed.

The airline’s environmental efforts are “consistent with what motivates people to come to New Zealand,” Chief Executive Rob Fyfe said.

How can other airlines learn from Air NZ on flying green?

In addition to flying the great circle route the shortest distance between two points, here are some key steps Air New Zealand took in this flight to be kind to Mother Nature and save substantial costs most of which can easily be duplicated by other airlines.

1. Real time weather updates. The flight used satellite-based communications to get up-to-date weather reports that were used to divert the flight to a the most fuel-efficient flight path.
2. Electricity to power up. While waiting at the gate as passengers boarded, the aircraft used the airport’s electrical power instead of its own auxiliary power unit to save fuel.
3. Accurate fueling. The flight practiced “just in time fueling” procedure, as it was fuelled up once the passengers had boarded. This way, the amount of fuel was closer to the actual passenger load, which showed that the plane was 1,800 pounds lighter than expected and didn’t need as much fuel as initially estimated.
4. Quieter landing. As the plane approached San Francisco, it began a gradual descent that was smoother and quieter than usual. It followed a “tailored approach,” in which air-traffic controllers worked with the airline to have the plane descend in a straight line, as though it were on cruise control, without having to throttle the jet engines up and down to follow the typical “step-down” landing pattern.

So, what do you think of Air New Zealand’s efforts? Is it possible for other airlines to easily trim costs in an environmentally conscious manner? Let’s discuss.

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With air travel in the US probably as commoditized as bus rides in Brazil, the industry was ripe for some disruptive innovation. The spark was provided when Virgin American entered the foray a few months ago. Much has been written about their famed safety video as well as a bunch of innovative in-flight amenities. But there is also a ton that other airlines not only in the US, but globally, can learn about fresh, innovative branding from the folks at Virgin.

Welcome to the Branding 101, Virgin style. Here are the Top 5 insights to be cherished.

1. To exceed great expectations, do the unexpected. As it is, it’s tough upholding the promise of being the airline that is “reinventing air travel”. But Virgin actually does a good job in not just meeting expectations, but exceeding them too, by consistently surprising and delighting the customers. On Earth Day, all passengers in green were allowed to board first. Even the toilet plays trance music. How is that for a pleasant surprise?
2. Create a strong brand personality. Be it Sir Richard Branson or the zingy flight attendants. Be it the smaller-than-usual boarding passes or the in-flight safety video. All elements enforce a strong Virginisque brand personality, and it is this which continues to linger in the customer’s mind long after he or she leaves the plane. Virgin is excellent in doing this across its plethora of brands, and has done a great job here as well.
3. Engage. Virgin America has taken the phrase “engage the customer” literally. Passengers can communicate with each other using the in-flight chat system. They can even chat alongside their TV shows, about a particular scene. Now, that’s truly engaging. Everything from the now-famous in-flight safety video (see above) to the check-in staff go an extra mile in engaging the customer. And the customer remembers the engagement and shares it with others. A great example of the true power of a strong brand being leveraged.
4. Stay consistent. People across the globe have heard of the Virgin brand and associate it with certain attributes – trendy, hip, great value for money and disruptive in nature. Brand extensibility across brands cements the customers’ trust in a brand. Virgin America stays true to the overall brand values of the Virgin group, by offering better-than-full-carrier amenities at budget prices and ensuring that the customers feel the chic nature of the brand at almost every touch point.
5. Fire from the shoulders of giants. Piggy-backing on a hot trend can result in unexpected benefits for a brand. Virgin America has utilized this same technique by tapping on the “green” fever. It has been approved as a Ceres network company for its commitment to being a sustainability leader in the airline industry. It has also partnered with Method, the environmentally-friendly home and personal care product company that creates the hand soap provided on all Virgin America flights. In addition to that, Virgin America is also sponsoring California State Parks Foundation environmental restoration projects across Northern California and surprising Virgin America passengers with a special gift that offers travelers a few easy tools to go green at home. How is that for being eco-chic?

Virgin America is truly leading the way in the US airline market, making the journey an experience in itself. Let’s see who’s the next one to follows in its footsteps.

Ponder that!

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