Implications of 1549

[SolidCactus]

There's a very good reason that airlines don't use safety as fodder for the ad campaigns. Much like lightning, one never knows when or where misfortune will strike next. Can you imagine the field day the media would have if US (or any airline) made a big issue of how safe it was, how experienced it's crews, etc, then had an accident with a less fortunate outcome?

Jim

Hi Jim, I don't agree totally. There is a way to market safety in a tactful manner. If a company does a campaign titled "The Safest Aircraft in the Sky" - or "We're the Safest" then yes, that's quite a statement to live up to. But marketing a message like "safety comes first", "safety matters" or something similar is not a potential marketing disaster.

It is important to educate your customers. When price becomes the ONLY differentiation as to why you are different, you are destined to fail.

Toyota puts a big message behind "safety"... Do people die in Toyota's? Of course they do. Do we know as consumers that Toyota cares about safety - yes.

 

[ClueByFour]

The late 1980s and early 1990s are still remembered (fairly or not) by many. You don't want to advertise on being a "safe" airline.

 

[PA18]

I agree with Jim.

In the early 80's, a large northeast regional airline was shut down by the Feds for what amounted to paperwork violations. The entire airline was completely scrutinized, and all the pilots had to go back through basically initial training in order for the airline to regain its certificate.

When the airline returned to operation, a station supervisor being interviewed by a Boston TV station boasted that as a result of the recent FAA scrutiny, his was now the safest airline in the country.

A couple of weeks later they had a fatal crash, from which they really never recovered. Guess what TV clip was played again ad nauseum after the accident?

You just don't want to tempt fate. Or the media. (Ask Gary Hart.)

 

[hp_fa]

Hi Jim, I don't agree totally. There is a way to market safety in a tactful manner. If a company does a campaign titled "The Safest Aircraft in the Sky" - or "We're the Safest" then yes, that's quite a statement to live up to. But marketing a message like "safety comes first", "safety matters" or something similar is not a potential marketing disaster.

In my opinion the only tactful way of "marketing" the safety aspect would be for a one-time ad from US Airways thanking the crew, the passengers and the all the various EMS folks for all their efforts in avoiding what could have been a huge tragedy.

 

[N903AW]

In my opinion the only tactful way of "marketing" the safety aspect would be for a one-time ad from US Airways thanking the crew, the passengers and the all the various EMS folks for all their efforts in avoiding what could have been a huge tragedy.

Well then we know that THIS would never happen. When has this airline management team EVER spent a dime in advertising, no matter how noble the cause? Speaking of "marketing", do we even have a marketing department since the departure of Christ? Not that we had one when he was here, either! :blink:

 

[ableoneable]

Competition ends where safety begins.

Not to mention the fact that trying to capitalize on this in any way would be tantamount to slapping Hubris in the face.

I would not even want to be under any of our planes if management (or USAPA for that matter) was so stupid as to exploit this to further an agenda.

 

[SS255]

I think that instead of trying to come up with what could be perceived as an exploitative, opportunistic marketing campaign, US should just focus their efforts on running an airline that people choose to fly. By a combination of a fluke of timing (and location), and an incredibly skilled pilot and crew, US is now the darling of the airline industry.

But people (and the media) have very short memories. They will remember Captain Sully, but they will forget what airline logo was on the tailfin. (Somebody yesterday said it was a United jet.) And next time they have a choice of what airline to fly......they will surely remember any bad experiences which they personally had on US, instead of the fact that they saw on the news that US employees saved 150 lives on January 15, 2009.

 

[CGAft]

In this case we dont need to do anything. The media is doing it all for US for once. As ive explained to many friends and family memers Sully and Crew did their job to the highest level. This incident (not accident) will be included in every airlines training programs for the forseeable future. Hats off to NYC....if this had to happen it was the right place, right people , right time.

 

[SolidCactus]

In my opinion the only tactful way of "marketing" the safety aspect would be for a one-time ad from US Airways thanking the crew, the passengers and the all the various EMS folks for all their efforts in avoiding what could have been a huge tragedy.

An ad in major markets thanking the passengers, crew and EMS is what should happen NO MATTER WHAT... On a side note...

I do agree with all the comments about it being tacky to advertise around the basis of an event like this, and there is a ton of truth to that. I also would never suggest that US should start advertising "only" about safety, but it isn't something that I think should be totally avoided. It's at least worth a mention, even if only on a subliminal basis - example - imagine an ad where the flight crew is walking towards their airplane, and the audio says "...our professional experienced flight crew..." Professional and experienced implies safety.

There is so much power in advertising. Advertising "reinforces" behaviors and beliefs about a product or service. Continental's advertising tells me that they care about customer service, that they have one of the newest fleets in the USA, and that when other airlines are going to cheapen the customer experience, they arent.

Southwest's advertising tells me that the price I pay is the final price, and that they aren't going to nickel and dime me, or charge fees that most airlines charge. In many airports, you approach this advertising as you walk towards the US Airways gates. Southwest is very effective in relaying their messages...

American's advertising tells me that I can travel in comfort around the world.

US is not carving a niche out for itself, and I think in the future this could be a big mistake. By not defining themselves, they are going to end up being the carrier of last resort... Regardless of all the initiatives US is trying to implement to be RELIABLE, SAFE, CLEAN, ON TIME, ETC.

I do agree with everyone, to campaign on safety alone would be a huge mistake - but to work it into an advertising campaign while it is fresh in people's minds would be very powerful.

In any case, this is MOOT as we know US doesn't advertise, and US will always be destined to just attract the customer who doesnt have a choice, or the one who gets the lowest priced ticket on Expedia - while others will actually develop brand loyalty, reinforced and reminded by the company's advertising...

 

[flightattend21]

CAn you say Experience?!

well said you must have experience, having said that if they would let us reserve fly instead of letting senior people over fly then some of reserves could get some experience

 

[LD3]

Bank of America, Wells and others are thinning out their corporate fleets due to financial crisis, I am kind of surprised they didn't use 1549 as a " see what could happen" excuse if our exec's fly commercial.

 

[Doc]

In a nutshell, everybody deserves a raise. Wait til the press digs in that "Sully" and his East counterparts are the lowest paid of the majors. Gosh, that will look crappy in headlines.

New York POST
PILOT PAY SHOCKER: Captain Sully and colleagues lowest paid aviators in the industry

New York Daily News
CHUMP CHANGE!! How little US Airways pays its heroes

San Francisco Chronicle
OH MY STARS! Captain Sully makes less than a gay bartender on Polk Street

London Daily Mirror
BLIMEY! US Airways crews can't afford bangers and mash on a layover

Later,
Eye

come on no one cares how much you make they just want the cheapest ticket

 

[ggiby]

you forgot to add that he has no retirement.....???? Along w/ the Flight Attendants... who got all
of the PAX off unharmed....

In a nutshell, everybody deserves a raise. Wait til the press digs in that "Sully" and his East counterparts are the lowest paid of the majors. Gosh, that will look crappy in headlines.

New York POST
PILOT PAY SHOCKER: Captain Sully and colleagues lowest paid aviators in the industry

New York Daily News
CHUMP CHANGE!! How little US Airways pays its heroes

San Francisco Chronicle
OH MY STARS! Captain Sully makes less than a gay bartender on Polk Street

London Daily Mirror
BLIMEY! US Airways crews can't afford bangers and mash on a layover

Later,
Eye