Aviation Technology
Article | July 26, 2022
Whether you’re a small, newer airline looking to make a splash in the online world or a niche brand wanting to expand your customer base, you’ll need the right aviation marketing strategies in your arsenal. Similar to any other industry in today’s market, digital strategies are non-negotiable for brands in the aviation space who are hoping to connect with customers online and restore customer confidence in the aftermath of COVID-19.
And if you’re looking to take your brand to the digital skies, you need impactful strategies that help you offer a seamless customer experience. Let’s look at five strategies you can use for your aviation marketing strategy.
Aviation Marketing through Social Media
Visibility is a hugely important goal to achieve for any business. After all, how can you hope to attract new customers if no one knows about you? This is especially true and important for smaller airlines or those not operating in the commercial space. For example, when the average customer thinks about traveling by plane, they probably aren’t considering private airlines.
But if customers see content online about airlines, perhaps even highlighting that some private airlines fall in their price range, things can change. Once customers are aware of your company, you’re one step closer to securing a sale. The key is getting in the picture in the first place—something social media can do.
In addition to visibility, use social media to keep your customers informed. Despite us seemingly living in a post-COVID world, uncertainty is still a big factor that customers and airlines alike have to consider. Positive coronavirus results or transmission outbreaks can throw a wrench in travel plans right up until check-in, but social media offers a way to keep customers informed with live information and updates.
Airlines can use social media platforms like Twitter to post live updates on flights, including regular information on delays, but also more unexpected and yet super useful updates on things such as weather conditions at their destination.
And if you’re looking for international aviation marketing strategies as a multinational company, social media is a great way to connect with customers across territories too, thanks to its global reach.
Digital Customer Service Strategies
We saw during COVID-19 how important it was to provide quick, accurate information to customers, with things like up-to-date websites, live social updates, and automated texts for flight changes. These strategies all helped to streamline customer service offerings, as well as free up helplines and customer service booths at airports, and they have helped establish a new benchmark when it comes to customer service.
Having a solid customer service strategy in place is more important than ever—specifically, having one that’s responsive, flexible, and digital. This means offering smart chatbots that can assist with frequently asked questions, detailed guidance online addressing common challenges that customers face, and over-the-phone support in multiple languages that can enhance an international aviation marketing strategy.
Customer service might not seem like it matches with airline marketing, but going above and beyond for your customers is essential in creating the right reputation for your brand. Establishing your company as a gold-star service provider will not just give you something to shout about online, but it will also keep customers loyal and engaged with you too.
Mobile Solutions
We all know that the future is mobile—and it’s no different for aviation companies, who have that same pressure to keep up with technological advancements if they want to provide the best service possible for their customers.
Smartphones are an integral part of all of our lives, and they’re now just as important as ever, as people are taking their digital identification with them on their travels. Aviation companies must recognize the company they keep in the travel space, where mobile apps support customers on their journeys and trips—from navigation to weather and accommodation to ridesharing. Without an interactive app or fully mobile-friendly site, an airline’s strategy for marketing won’t be as impactful.
Customers used to have to carry printed versions of their flight documents in order to board, including boarding passes and booking confirmations, but things aren’t so paper-based anymore. Digital wallets that keep boarding passes safe and apps that store customers’ flight information are the norm now.
Mobile apps are also fantastic for driving loyalty programs. With an interactive app where customers can collect and cash in loyalty points, you not only provide an easy way for customers to enjoy their rewards, but also make flying more accessible and cost-effective.
In a post-COVID market, there is even more of an emphasis on contactless travel—another area where mobile solutions can play a key role. Phones allow consumers to have all their information handy, and other contactless technology helps facilitate airport management.
Content that Creates Real Connections
Digital content has the potential to reach a wider audience and, more importantly, turn readers into customers, so it should be included in any airline marketing strategy. Showing customers exactly what your company can do for them, and how you do it, is crucial for establishing strong branding and customer relationships. It’s how airlines can differentiate themselves from their competitors and add value to their services.
Meaningful content that your audience will trust includes user-generated content that offers real insights into what it’s like to be a customer of your company, such as honest reviews and feedback from real customers. You can deliver this content in a variety of ways—e.g., blogs, videos, social media, PR—but however you choose to do so, be sure to keep the story at the forefront of your narrative to create those all-important connections with customers.
Omnichannel Digital Experiences
Alongside social media, there are a slew of other digital channels that should be considered in your digital strategy. This is hugely important because of the myriad ways that consumers interact with the online world nowadays. If it’s not live Twitter updates, it’s check-in reminder emails. The point is that brands need to be present across different platforms and digital mediums in order to provide a competitive and effective experience for their customers.
For airlines, it’s about making sure that no matter what device a customer is using, their journey is cohesive and streamlined. They should be able to switch seamlessly between your website on their laptop and emails on a tablet, with the right information easy and quick to find in a consistently branded way.
It’s also worth considering that people tend to carry multiple devices with them while traveling, making it even more important for airlines and airports alike to offer omnichannel digital content to their customers.
Conclusion
Whatever part of your aviation branding or marketing you need support with, the team at TPT Digital can take your brand to new heights. The 2022 Aviation Festival is a great opportunity for learning, connection, and collaboration—come and say hello to us there!
Also, get in touch if you’d like to discuss how TPT Digital can support your paid social media content. We’re happy to give you a free quote.
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Aviation Technology
Article | June 2, 2022
Blockchain's abilities and features such as security, transparency, and centralizing systems can help aerospace companies reduce maintenance costs, minimize errors in aircraft parts and increase aircraft availability.
Blockchain technology has been valuable to one of the world's most complex and globally interconnected industries—the aviation industry. The technology can deliver ultimate benefits for thousands of suppliers, mainly involved in manufacturing an aircraft.
Aviation business leaders know that they need to adapt and innovate to survive. And blockchain in the aviation industry is one growing area of innovation that is yet to be explored. However, experts agree that aircraft maintenance and operations innovation will enable aviation companies to improve their efficiency. In this way, the technology will enhance performance and safety notions to the next level.
"We believe blockchain is significant in the aviation industry. Its probabilities promise to stimulate efficiency in the industry through maintenance process in general."
- Scott Thompson, the aerospace and defense leader at PwC.
Blockchain: A Technology of Trust
According to IATA's study in "Future of the Airline Industry 2035," blockchain study has been identified as one of the technologies that may significantly impact the future of aviation. It also states that demand for new commercial aircraft may reach nearly 40,000 planes over the next 20 years!
Looking at the demand scale, the companies that manufacture, provide services and operate aircraft mostly seek out AI, 3D printing, and blockchain technology. They would allow airline businesses to optimize performance.
"Blockchain is a lot about trust in the context of aviation, but the trust comes with huge costing."
- Scott Thompson
To him, blockchain for the aviation industry is like medicine. Through blockchain tools, the more data you have on every aircraft part, the better you can predict the parts' performance, longevity, abilities, and performance. Thus, the potential of predictive analytics will increase.
With blockchain, you have a snapshot of every part of the aircraft and know the parts' history. Moreover, the decentralized nature of blockchain made the maintenance process flawless, with all data being analyzed at the same time.
So, what areas can benefit from the blockchain and make a difference in aviation? First, let's highlight the part.
Blockchain Technology: Making a Difference
The Role of Blockchain in the Supply Chain
The supply chain in the aviation industry is looking promising for collaborations to happen in the supply chain. Blockchain will bring revolution in the long term to connect many loose ends in the supply chain ecosystem. The technology offers a prominent way to track data and provide consistent aircraft configuration data across the supply chain.
So, by knowing the absolute configuration of an aircraft part, blockchain solution empowers airlines and defense companies to share and authenticate data securely.
Blockchain in Aircraft Parts Tracing
Blockchain also plays a vital part in transforming maintenance logs and tracing aircraft parts. With the help of blockchain technology, you can ensure that parts being produced are authentic and meet the necessary airworthiness requirements.
For example, a blockchain application named Enspan, formerly known as Parts Pedigree, is pioneering. It could offer a more efficient approach to documenting an asset's lifecycle.
At the same time, with the help of blockchain applications, airlines would be able to sell and purchase parts with confidence. The only consideration is the documentation should be accurate and comply with all maintenance regulations.
Blockchain Applications in Loyalty Programs
Blockchain in the aviation industry can automate loyalty program transactions and security. It is relevant today as more and more airline companies are issuing credit cards, rental cars for accommodation, membership cards, and more like these.
By creating a standard digital currency like tokens using the blockchain, travelers can access instant value for flights on the spot. On the other hand, airline executives get a transparent understanding of how the revenue generates from reward programs.
For example, companies like Loyyal have already leveraged the benefits of blockchain to create digital wallets. These wallets will let customers store their reward tokens.
Deloitte mentions that blockchain for the aviation industry could be a game-changer in this field. This is because intelligent contacts can automate transactions through the blockchain, even in the supply chain.
Blockchain In Enhancing Security Measures
Blockchain technology, along with encryption, offers aviation an outstanding security blanket. As digitalization is speeding up, the need to have extra security layers for users is more critical than ever. So, for optimum security measures, blockchain employs cryptography that serves as a firewall against online threats and attacks. Any part of the information on the blockchain is stored cryptographically in secrecy.
Do you remember Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 that vanished in March 2014? The case was the biggest mystery in the aviation industry. There was no information on the flight's disappearance. Millions of dollars were spent trying to uncover the mysterious reason behind Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's disappearance.
The event is a clear example of why there is a need for a more robust storage mechanism. Blockchain usage in security measures is a priority to tackle such incidents in the future. In emergencies, information regarding flight routes, in-flight operations, location tracking, passenger data, and documents can be easily detected.
Flight-related data on a blockchain backup record adds an extra layer of protection in today's time amid centralized systems. However, it is all being done to ensure that all the processes remain transparent and effective.
Blockchain for Aircraft Maintenance
A commercial aircraft’s average lifetime remains up to 30 years. So, it's a laborious process to maintain documents associated with an aircraft.
On this, says,
"90% of entire maintenance records of an aircraft are paper-based documents. So there are millions of boxes."
- John Maggiore of Boeing
Understandably, such a system can have many drawbacks and lead to loss or fraud. For example, American Airlines in 2015 was proof of a fraud case in maintenance, which still can be an issue as senior aircraft have no chance of having a digital record.
So, when looking at the role of blockchain in helping airline companies go digital, there are higher expectations for the technology to serve in this field. In addition, the tools associated with blockchain technology can maintain an immutable record of aircraft, benefiting stakeholders in the aviation leasing community.
Furthermore, blockchain technology for the aviation industry can also speed up the release of an aircraft. It would be as simple as scanning a QR code on an engine to provide the entire history of the asset.
Hence, there is no stopping here! For example, companies such as Boeing are examining more and more blockchain applications. Similarly, Airbus has also demonstrated an interest in how blockchain technology could be used in supply chain tracking.
Therefore, by using blockchain to reinforce the Internet of Things, you can understand the potential of two crucial technologies working to work together to digitize and future proof airline processes.
Finally, Blockchain is Gaining Traction in Aviation!
The aviation industry operates under strict safety standards, regulations, and concerns. And the way it leads ultimately comes from the technologies it adopts (historical or present). For this reason, the bar of expectancy always remains high. On top of all, the pandemic has resulted in proving blockchain’s capabilities.
Among most airline companies, Airbus is intensely learning about the potential of blockchain. In addition, several other airline companies have expressed their interest in bolstering blockchain technology. As mentioned above, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Air New Zealand have already implemented the technology in their various airline projects. Whereas Air France in 2020 announced that it is looking forward to using the technology to enhance its maintenance activities.
The blockchain has already captured the needs of aviation businesses across the world. Still, the testing continues on the other side of the table. However, the providers of blockchain solutions are progressing rapidly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is blockchain used in the aviation industry?
Blockchain in the aviation industry is gaining high value. It showcases its capabilities in tracking the status and location of flights, detecting parts, passengers' data in detail, monitoring operations in-flight, and more.
How can blockchain improve the aviation industry?
Blockchain in aviation can bring in much-required shifts and alterations. Shifts like improving ground operations, getting transparency in processes, transactions, costs, and revenue, and provide layers of securities to essential assets..
Do airlines use blockchain?
Airlines use blockchain technology to manage their take-offs and landing slots. The technology helps create cost-effective solutions to allow airlines to swap take-off slots and land more efficiently.e
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Air Transport
Article | July 15, 2022
The UK government has announced that from 11th February, fully vaccinated passengers arriving into the country will no longer have to take COVID-19 tests on arrival. The news follows the removal of pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated UK-bound passengers this month.
The relaxation of testing measures is something the aviation industry has been actively campaigning for, as it removes barriers to travel. Just today, IATA distributed a press release advocating for similar moves to be made by further governments. It cited a study focused on the UK carried out by Oxera and Edge Health which found that because Omicron is now highly prevalent in the UK, “if all travel testing requirements were removed there would be no impact on Omicron case numbers or hospitalizations.”
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Aviation Technology
Article | July 26, 2022
DataBridge recently released a new market research analysis on AI in aviation, and the findings are promising. The aviation industry has relied on artificial intelligence (AI) for years. The technology has assisted pilots through machine learning algorithms to collect flight data about altitudes, air traffic management, weather, and route distance. It has enabled them to optimize fuel usage and reduce fuel costs. And now, it is going further.
AI has been cascading into other areas of aviation. Here are some trends to note from the “Global Artificial Intelligence in Aviation Market” study.
Benefitting Ground Operations
AI is extensively used in real-time support systems and air traffic control. From automated baggage check-in to facial recognition, it is powering several ground operations. These functions contribute heavily to maximizing resources, reducing labor costs, and enhancing seamlessness across different processes.
Improving Performance and Processes with Machine Learning (ML)
The emergence of AI in aviation is thanks to a surge of capital investments by key aviation players. Cloud computing is being used by many organizations as a way to consolidate processes and deal with complexity better.
Impacting How Planes will be Piloted
AI will considerably impact the future of piloting as we know it. Building on Airbus’ first ever takeoff, landing and taxi using vision-based AI in 2020, prominent aerospace tech firms continue to work on self-piloting planes or passenger autonomous aerial vehicles (AV) that will employ AI-powered intelligent navigation to fly.
Improving Efficiency and Accuracy for Manual Processes
According to aviation experts, ML digital assistants are able to process massive volumes of historical data in order to support ground staff and pilots alike. With AI’s capabilities of enabling elusive insights into patterns and complexities of data, the technology is considered ideal for aviation, where there is no room for errors.
The Path Ahead
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of new technologies in pushing the envelope and innovating solutions. The evolution of technology will only propel the adoption of AI further into the aviation industry. With multiple use cases and brilliant results from the use of AI, the aviation industry is all set for a digital transformation fuelled by data, machine learning and precision
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