Innovative Branding Strategy for British Airways in Long Haul Market

This report examines British Airways' branding strategy within the competitive long haul market, particularly as it approaches its 100th year of flying. It identifies key competitors such as American Airlines, Air France-KLM, and Emirates, and assesses BA's current branding strategy, which focuses on a premium image, punctuality, high customer service, and a lucrative loyalty scheme. The report proposes innovative branding strategies, including the implementation of advanced technology like free Wi-Fi, promoting budget travel, improving infrastructure for customer comfort, increasing flights to tourist destinations, leveraging British heritage, collaborating with travel companies, and creating online platforms for customer feedback. It also suggests promotional activities, such as ad campaigns on traditional and digital media, to reinforce the brand's new statement: 'YOUR GLOBAL FLYING PARTNER DELIVERING BEST EXPERIENCE AT A LOWER PRICE,' targeting economy passengers with improved services at competitive prices.

Branding Strategy of British
Airways in Long Haul Market
Name of the Student
Name of the University

Introduction
• British Airways (BA) the national airline of the UK.
• It is completing 100 years of flying in August 2019.
• Fleet size: 280 (British Airways 2019)
• Revenue: £13 billion(Statista 2019)
• It operates both short haul and long haul.
• BA flies to more than 75 countries and in all the 7
continents.
• It faces a tough competition from the
international airlines in their long haul routes.

New Brand Statement
BRITISH AIRWAYS: YOUR GLOBAL FLYING
PARTNER DELIVERING BEST EXPERIENCE AT A
LOWER PRICE

New Brand Statement - Messages for the audience
• The essence and cultural heritage of British
hospitality will be improvised and delivered to
passengers of both the business and economy
class
• Pricing policy will be revised to make the flying
experience with British Airways affordable to a
larger group of people
• The global travel experience will be made easier
and comfortable with BA with the best quality
services on board and on ground.

Target market and Opportunities for British
Airways in the long haul market
• The major competition is from the low cost carriers.
• Opportunity for BA originates from delivering best
services at a lower cost.
• Key ideas for the brand reestablishment consists of
lower price, better service in terms of technology,
food quality and in-flight services for the economy
class
• The economy passengers are the major target
market for British Airways.

Travel destinations of British Airways
(Source: Britishairways.com 2019)

Competition in the Long Haul Market
• Major international airlines are the main competitors of British
Airways in the long haul market.
– American airlines
– Air France-KLM
– Delta
– Emirates
– Qatar
– Etihad airlines
– Lufthansa
– Aeroflot Russian Airlines
– Air Canada
– Turkish airlines
– Air China
– United Airlines (Zhang 2019)

Current branding strategy of British Airways
in the long haul market
• Vision of British Airways: ‘To become the world’s leading
global premium airline (Britishairways.com 2019)
• Positive brand image
• Excellent punctuality
• Premium pricing to establish the brand
• High level of customer service
• Wide variety of food and drinks under long haul economy,
premium economy, business and first dining options
(Britishairways.com 2019)
• Lucrative loyalty scheme
• Numerous benefits (British Airways 2019)

Innovative branding strategy for British
Airways in the long haul market
• Implementation of high quality advanced technology, such as, free
wifi on board
• Promoting budget travel for long haul
• Promoting improved infrastructure, such as, improved seats to
enhance customers’ comfort for long journeys
• Increase flights to more tourist destinations internationally
• British heritage should be promoted to capture more potential
domestic as well as international customers
• Collaboration with travel companies to design tour packages for all
economic class
• Creating online platform to interact more with customers directly
and get their feedbacks
• Launch of promotional activities in other countries

Proposed Promotional Strategy
• Promotional activities, such as, new ad
campaigns with the new brand statement in
traditional media, such as, radio, television,
newspapers and magazines
• Advertisements on the new initiatives on the
digital platform, using social networking
channels

References
• British Airways, 2019. BRITISH AIRWAYS FACTSHEET. [online]
Mediacentre.britishairways.com. Available at:
http://mediacentre.britishairways.com/factsheets/details/86/Factsheets-3/33
[Accessed 14 May 2019].
• Britishairways.com, 2019. Food and drink | British Airways. [online]
Britishairways.com. Available at:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/food-and-drink [Accessed 14
May 2019].
• Britishairways.com, 2019. British Airways: Where We Fly. [online]
Britishairways.com. Available at: https://www.britishairways.com/travel/where-
we-fly/public/en_gb/map [Accessed 14 May 2019].
• Statista, 2019. Worldwide revenue of British Airways 2018. [online] Statista.
Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264296/british-airways-
worldwide-revenues-since-2006/ [Accessed 14 May 2019].
• Zhang, B., 2019. The 20 biggest airlines in the world, Ranked. [online] Business
Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/The-20-biggest-airlines-in-
the-world-Ranked/articleshow/68292259.cms [Accessed 14 May 2019]