MPH1980

I disagree completely.

If you're going to lead - lead.

You can't mix and match your brand. I've been scratching my head trying to think of a brand which has successfully tackled all markets at the same time - simultaneously luxury and top of the line to some and cheap as chips/no frills to others.

You don't look at VW and thing 'cheap in some cars, expensive in others' - they've got the Skoda brand for the cheap ones. VW hold their brand for the quality cars. (despite the fact it's pretty much the same chassis/components etc).

People have been referencing Waitrose and the essentials range. That isn't 'cheap' - it's 'cheap for Waitrose'. It's not there to attract Aldi/Lidl shoppers - it's there to stop the existing customers leaving to those brands.

You could argue Tesco did a fair job for a while with their finest range and their basics range. But then you have to look at how many customers they haemorrhaged in the last few years - at both ends - when it turned out they were neither quality nor cheap!

If BA want to create an image of a class leading business/first product - great. But they need to remember that their customers will know that the Y product is not good and when time comes to book in Y (for SH or family holidays) they'll think "hmm - let's give <insert other airline here> a try". When they find out the other airline is either comparable or better - the frequent flyer will then be pondering "well - maybe I should give <airline> a try for my next business trip and I could be switching my miles earning over ..."

Once you let someone away from your brand - you lose them. As above - Waitrose know that - that's why they have the essentials brand. It's to stop the people who think "must save money" from walking into Aldi/Lidl because they feel they already have by buying essentials.

Creating a LCC in Y LH and SH and then trying to be something else up front will just end up in a branding mess.

Let's try this - what's BA's next TV ad? Is it images of a man in a suit settling into a luxury seat being served champagne? Or is it a "top flight deals - Copenhagen from £x return?" ad? The former will give false impressions to those who expect a bit of that luxury at the back, the latter doesn't scream quality. If you're carefully crafting an expectation of luxury you don't want to put anything else into someone's head, but you don't want to raise expectations for those at the back.