Guest Post: A sky of sameness - why airline brands matter more than ever

Ben Thrasher, strategy director of Design Bridge and Partners, explains seats, check-in process, lounges etc are all the same. It's time to stand out

I’ve flown a lot recently. A whirlwind of airports, lounges and gates: from the States to Peru and from Italy to Azerbaijan, all in a matter of weeks. Six different airlines, a mix of long and short-haul, economy and premium cabins. But for all of the miles travelled, one thing stuck with me: it all felt exactly the same.

The seats? Identical. The check-in process? Standardised. The lounges? Largely interchangeable. Even the safety videos are all largely similar in concept.

We’ve entered the era where, for the large majority of flyers, the experience of air travel is becoming a commodity – with price the largest contributing factor to consumer choice. Further turning what was once an industry of glamour into a race to the bottom - even in premium cabins - where the sole focus of the experience seems to be getting passengers from A to B at the lowest cost.

And as the market has commoditised, airlines have also pushed to streamline, automate and digitalise everything and within this many airlines have sacrificed distinctiveness for efficiency, but that efficiency has led to a sea of sameness.

Airlines, which once celebrated cultural nuance and national pride, now often feel like clones of each other. Airlines operate at the intersection of global culture and personal emotion, they’re with us in some of life’s most memorable moments. Yet, somewhere along the way, many carriers swapped brand richness for operational uniformity. 

In doing this, airlines overlook a key question – once they have achieved price parity, how might they create unique experiences to stand out in their customers’ minds and drive greater stickiness and or ‘loyalty’. 

It’s time for a rethink of the total customer experience: making every moment distinct and compelling by putting brand back in the centre 

With a captive audience for hours at a time, carriers should be using the travel window to create emotional connections, elevate their own storytelling and build experiences that reflect their identity. 

At every touchpoint between passenger and airline, the question should be: What does this say about who we are? How does it elevate us beyond mere transportation to something meaningful? If we blindfolded this passenger, would they know which carrier they were with? 

It might sound like a frivolous investment – but ‘stand out’ sells – and creating experiences which stick in the customers minds will increase recall and favourability when they are booking their next trip and might weaken the weight of price in their decision making – within reason.

People’s perceptions of an airline build slowly over the journey through numerous interactions (from arriving at the airport to leaving the destination airport). It is therefore important to have a clearly defined red thread which runs through all of these interactions to ensure that a clear and consistent image is being built in the customers’ mind. 

This means a brand’s effectiveness as a business driver is also function of consistency: consistency in articulating what a brand stands for and consistency in how a brand stands out. Nailing the strategy on what you stand for, and how you stand out is the recipe for a meaningfully differentiated and compelling airline experience.

Take Virgin Atlantic for example. Bold, playful and unmistakably confident, Virgin uses its personality in everything from cabin crew uniforms to in-flight announcements. Whether in a standard or premium seat with Virgin, its signature character shines through at every touchpoint. 

LoganAir, a small Scottish carrier, once served me a shortbread and tablet on a tartan adorned ATR during a regional flight in Scotland. It was simple, but it left a lasting impression because it felt rooted in something real. This experience is indicative of the opportunity of brand in aviation; it has the power to turn even a basic seat allocation into a memorable moment. 

Even Ryanair understands the power of its brand. It leans unapologetically into its low-cost DNA, turning blunt messaging and no-frills service into distinct brand assets. There’s no confusion about what Ryanair is offering and in doing so, it's built a clear brand that customers choose with their eyes wide open. 

The future of loyalty: Experience over status? 

The industry is at an inflexion point. The infrastructure of airlines is largely standardised and even the flow of frequent flyer points is becoming increasingly interchangeable with growing currencies such as Avios which are useable and earnable across an increasing list of airlines. 

Many airlines are overlooking the emotional foundations that make customers stick around. The experience has been commoditised in pursuit of scale.

This is a moment of opportunity. Airlines have rich histories, deep cultural ties, and stories waiting to be told. By embracing their heritage and weaving brand into every touchpoint - from the boarding experience to the in-flight atmosphere - they can create identities that stand apart. 

Those that recognise this shift and bring meaning back to the journey will be the ones passengers remember, choose, and stay loyal to.