Singapore Airlines - differentiation through service

The service on Singapore Airlines is impeccable and faultless, even in Cattle Class. It was certainly not your average domestic no-frills flight.

And they know it.

The global airline industry is as competitive as any global business. While American Airlines is struggling with their inability to keep their aircrafts compliant with basic US FAA maintenance regulations, Singapore Airlines seem to be actively leveraging their reputation and record of good customer service to further strengthen their market presence.

Here’s an interesting and innovative move: they are converting several planes in their fleet into business-class only flights. These planes will service key routes where the demand for business class travel. This is very clear positioning – we are the customer service leaders when it comes to flying. And this moves Singapore Airlines clearly beyond the somewhat jingoistic/pastiche differentiation by national identity alone.

I can only think of two other airline brands with clear differentiation:
Virgin (and their various sub-brands) = funky fun and good value.
Qantas = safety record

As a result, all the other airline brands thus, in my mind at least, are competing primarily on price. For long haul flights, would I pay a bit more for better service? Would I pay a bit more to fly in a modern plane with wider seats than yet another bloody 747? Definitely.

Surely there must be opportunities for these others to find clear positions of their own?

3 comments on “Singapore Airlines - differentiation through service”

1. Heather Smith said:
   

   Hey Zern,
   Virgin has an impeccable safety record too!!
   Cheers,
   Heather Smith (from flying solo)

   
   20 April 2008 at 8:39 pm
2. Zern said:
   

   Hey Heather!

   Yes indeed Virgin has an impeccable safety record.

   Having said that - shouldn’t an impeccable safety record be one of the base requisites to operate an airline (that people want to fly on) anyway?

   This is why it is important to look beyond the base requisites that any competitor can relatively easily achieve. And to carve a niche in the soft/human/emotive aspects of the business - like fun and fair, or top-notch customer service.

   
   25 April 2008 at 1:32 pm
3. Heather Smith said:
   

   Zern,

   Virgin are all that and more

   You can vote for their funky & fun CABIN STAFF

   http://www.worldairlinesurvey.com/svyAPP/cbnstf-entry.htm

   
   2 May 2008 at 10:09 pm

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