In this second part of the interview with Sanjay Kumar, the Chief Commercial Officer of Indigo Airlines, we talk about my favorite topic – airline branding. Sanjay believes that branding is all about how customers experience Indigo as a brand, not just how they perceive as a brand. And there is a conscious effort at Indigo to translate the brand promise into a great experience through systematic implementation.
Consistency not only in the sky, but also on the ground
When someone flies Indigo Airlines, what he looking for? Sanjay believes that it’s not a five star flying experience. He’s looking for an easy, hassle-free travel experience. And Indigo lives up to the expectation. Not only do they have Queue-busters – mobile check-in counters that Sanjay mentioned in the first part of his interview last week, but they are also the first airline to have welcome announcements on the “coach” that takes passengers to the aircraft. It makes them feel that the journey has begun.
Why low pricing isn’t sustainable?
Sanjay feels that the current spate of low airfares in India is a short-term phenomenon and it’s a ploy to get …

Closing off the Indian Aviation Special Month here at SimpliFlying, this week, I’d like to share with you an exclusive interview with Binit Somaia, Director India & Middle East, at Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), based in Sydney, Australia. CAPA is a leader in consulting and advisory to airports, airlines, investors and governments on business and strategic issues. Binit himself is a treasure trove of knowledge when it comes to Indian aviation. I was privileged to have an enriching interview with him on the challeges and future of airlines in India, as well as what branding means to airlines there. So, without much further ado, let me dive straight into the interview.

SimpliFlying: India has a lot of first-time fliers. What’s different about marketing to first-time fliers vs frequent fliers?

Binit: First time fliers may be quite apprehensive, and they require reassurance that the experience will be a pleasant one. Apart from the actual act of flying, in a market such as India flying for the first time can involve crossing social barriers which can in itself be quite daunting. Low cost carriers have made flying affordable for some who might otherwise never have dreamt that they could fly, something which was once a preserve of the elite.

However, apart from Air Deccan, which pitched itself as the common man’s airline (see video below), it is not obvious that any of the other carriers have made an effort to specifically appeal to first time fliers, but end up getting them anyway. Air Deccan’s ethos was built around first time fliers and their marketing included a wonderful television advert that captured the mixture of nerves and excitement that a first time flier feels and portrayed itself as the airline that understood and would take care of such passengers.

SimpliFlying: India is well known for disorganized retail and non-traditional channels. Which are the key channels through which Indian airlines build its brand awareness among the target markets?

Binit: Indian carriers have generally pursued quite traditional channels for brand building, namely print media advertising and outdoor billboards. Television has not been a major medium due to cost. Kingfisher has probably adopted the most diverse approach – the airline has been associated with sponsorship of the Indian Premier League and Formula 1, whilst it also benefits from the fact that Kingfisher is a brand beyond the airline and it benefits from the spin off of initiatives such as the Kingfisher Calendar and promotion of its water and beer. Air Deccan when it first launched made efforts to promote its presence in the smaller towns and villages by sending branded vans into rural India, which also doubled as booking locations.

SimpliFlying: Do you think a strong brand can soften the impact of downturns on airlines?

Binit: In an economic downturn, where people are reducing consumption it’s questionable whether strong brands will prevent travellers from flying less per se. However, individual airlines with strong brands may benefit in two ways 1) they may be in a position to maintain stronger yields because of the value of their brand and 2) in times of uncertainty, passengers may prefer to travel with a brand in which they have greater confidence and trust – therefore a strong brand allows them to increase their market share even though overall industry traffic may be declining.

I flew on Indigo Airlines for the first time about three weeks ago. This was a flight from Bangalore to Jaipur, via Ahmedabad, in India. All airline staff seemed to have a spring in their step that morning, from the point of check-in, where I was greeted by a lady smiling ear-to-ear. But the best seemed to be reserved for in-flight.

When the stewardess, Neha Shenoy, came to ask me if I wanted any drinks or sandwiches, she greeted me by name. Yes, you read that right. I was asked, “Mr. Nigam, how’re you doing today? Would you like to have some sandwiches…?” I was bowled over. It was the first time I was being greeted by name, in an Economy Class on a domestic sector in India. Something that’s usually a feature of international Business Class on reputed carriers like Singapore Airlines had somehow made its way to this Indian budget airline. And very simply too. Neha was carrying a copy of the passenger list on her cart, and just read out my name from there. A simple method. But very, very effective. I got a drink from her.

But that was …

Image via Wikipedia

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Jet Airways recently hinted that the worst is over for them and they expect to break even again in the middle of this year. And this is mostly because of the drop in fuel prices (obviously!) as well as the prudence shown by the management in cutting unprofitable routes, including that the San Francisco. And I don’t see this as an isolated case.

After my recent interactions with key airline executives in India, including the CEO at SpiceJet, it is my belief that airlines in India will not only be one of the first few to emerge from the recession, but also come out the strongest. Here are three key reasons for this conviction.
1. Airlines that stand by their customers in bad times win hearts – brand matters
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Just look at what’s happening in the western airlines in this recession. US Airways recently started charging for blankets, and they already charge for water (which can …