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.
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