The GCC hosts some of the most luxurious and profit-making airlines, i.e. Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, etc. These three luxury airlines have shown relentless growth by underpinning their core competencies. Here are some things which any person from the hospitality industry must imbibe in their business DNA as well.
Stick to your own strategy
Let’s put it this way. Each company possesses its own expertise and ethos. When a company develops a strategy which works for it the most, the company should harness on its weight without thinking about adapting the ropes that help other companies get there. Case in point, Emirates relatively has lesser number of codeshare and bilateral agreements than Etihad and Qatar airways. Emirates has focused more on organic growth which has beautifully worked for it. On the other hand, Etihad’s strategy consists in building tie-ups with Star Alliance, oneworld, sky team, etc. Qatar Airways distinguishes itself from the MEB3 (Middle East Big 3) airlines through its membership in the oneworld global alliance, which it joined in 2013 with the sponsorship of British Airways (Sandle, 2015). This strategic partnership has not only granted Qatar Airways expanded market reach but has also facilitated the growth of its global network through collaborations with other major network carriers within the oneworld alliance.
Bring uniqueness in creative ways
One thing noteworthy about these luxury airlines is that their products and services not only differ from the economic competitors but also significantly from each other. Extreme standardization does not make this usually possible in case of economic suppliers of the market. Emirates created its niche with dedicated relaxation areas, shower facilities, exceptional dining experiences, premium amenities, and well-curated kits created by renowned designers. When Qatar Airways was relaunched in 1997, its aspirations went beyond simply replicating the size and achievements of Emirates. The airline aimed to surpass Emirates and become the world’s leading airline. This ambition was captured in their former tagline of being the “World’s 5 Star Airline,” drawing on the airline’s high rating from Skytrax for its onboard and airport offerings. Lastly, even with aggressive cost cutting in its premium services, Etihad airways has taken luxury to the next level with the introduction of “Residence by Etihad” in 2014. This groundbreaking concept offers passengers a private apartment accompanied by the services of a personal butler trained by Savoy. The exclusivity and opulence of this first-class offering remain unmatched. Interestingly, despite its emphasis on luxury, Etihad has also embraced simplicity in its overall product offering, including airport lounges and on-board services. The airline’s recent tagline, “Choose Well” aims to highlight the value of customization by empowering passengers to make their own choices and decisions based on their preferences.
Crisis management should be a hospitality business’s second language
In the incident of Emirates Airline aircraft EK521 in 2016,none of the 282 passengers and 18 crew on board of the Boeing 777 were harmed, however, sadly one brave fire fighter lost his life while saving others. At this time, Emirates showed accountability, as it should and wrote, “Statement by his Highness Sheik Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive on incident involving EK521. We can confirm that there are no fatalities among our passengers and crew. All passengers and crew are accounted for and safe. They have always been proactive on their social media. Even in cases of flight delays, the airline would make sure that the news went to public by them first before it came from elsewhere. This fosters trust and reliability.
