Finnair aims for five stars in Skytrax
Jun 23, 2019, 12:48 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
Jun 23, 2019, 1:10 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: KUO
Programs: HH Diam, AY/AX/KQ/IHG/VISA Plat, SK/Bonvoy/Melia/Strawberry Gold, Radisson Prem, PP Prest
Posts: 2,266
Of the "millennials", and of them instead of Expedia or Trivago - who in the hot place beneath supposedly - would care about such ratings or even know of them?
I know many "millennials" very keen on hotel and airline loyalty programs.
And about the thing far-east companies flying directly to non-major EU-destinations - there might likely to be very many cough ups... So I still believe in AY.
I know many "millennials" very keen on hotel and airline loyalty programs.
And about the thing far-east companies flying directly to non-major EU-destinations - there might likely to be very many cough ups... So I still believe in AY.
Jun 23, 2019, 3:23 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat Lumo, SK Gold
Posts: 954
Jun 23, 2019, 4:49 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,749
I wonder on what grounds millennials, or anyone else for that matter, buy their tickets. My guess is that anyone who pays the tickets himself and is not a loyalty program fan goes to a search engine or OTA, types in London to Tokyo and picks whatever is cheapest or most convenient. Yes, if AY is among the cheapest or most convenient ones, than maybe someone who has flown them before picks them again, even paying a little extra. But I would still assume people 1) don't want to fly certain airlines, so they don't consider them no matter what the price is, 2) want to pay as little as possible, 3) want to transit as smoothly and quickly as possible.
Jun 24, 2019, 12:39 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
I wonder on what grounds millennials, or anyone else for that matter, buy their tickets. My guess is that anyone who pays the tickets himself and is not a loyalty program fan goes to a search engine or OTA, types in London to Tokyo and picks whatever is cheapest or most convenient. Yes, if AY is among the cheapest or most convenient ones, than maybe someone who has flown them before picks them again, even paying a little extra. But I would still assume people 1) don't want to fly certain airlines, so they don't consider them no matter what the price is, 2) want to pay as little as possible, 3) want to transit as smoothly and quickly as possible.
I avoid VN for example due to 4 very ...... experiences with them and airport staff. I avoid China Southern as I hear the same about them. I avoid the Gulf states and other Arabic/Islamic countries as “my kind of people” is totally unaccepted there and out of principle I’d rather not fund those states.
I do often filter for OW flights (Im OWE) but for shorthaul flights to for ex. Spain I’d rather choose Easyjet over Iberia. As the latter has some ridicilous prices.
So for me shorthaul: price is very important, a price difference of about €50 or higher causes me to switch to a carrier of choice (instead of my preferred ones)
For longhaul: airline is more important. I’d easily pay €250 more for an airline I trust. If China Southern offers a flight to Bangkok for €400, and Finnair for €650. I’d definitely choose the latter. If Lufthansa is €500 I think I might still choose Finnair because of all the perks it gives me due to my Platinum status
Jun 24, 2019, 1:28 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: try to stay home
Programs: AY, M&M, BAEC ...and don t care of status anymore
Posts: 2,042
In my experience every airline which aims to become a "5 Star" airline is loosing the focus on the customer. It´s more media, headline and picture focused then. Loyalty programs are never part of the goal. Better champagne, more food options, Limousine rides for a few, fancy lounges etc.etc.. It´s a thing to impress the masses who fly once in a while (and they LOVE to travel on a 5* airline, as well as they LOVE to stay in a 5* hotel). The experienced traveller choose the good airline and the good hotel over the "5 stars". Just do yourself a favour and have a look how much 5 star hotels around - and how many of them are actual good. Hoping the best, I see wonderful meal, fancy lounges and rock bottom prices aimed to a loyal returning guest.
Jun 24, 2019, 4:35 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,105
Everybody tries to guess "what millennials want?" and aligns the strategy accordingly.
Well, here's the conclusive answer: A safe, reliable and cheap tattoo-removing process. And this not later when their kids are old enough to ask "Mom, what's a tramp-stamp?"
But I don't think that AY will move into this niche, not even in C.
Well, here's the conclusive answer: A safe, reliable and cheap tattoo-removing process. And this not later when their kids are old enough to ask "Mom, what's a tramp-stamp?"
But I don't think that AY will move into this niche, not even in C.
Jun 24, 2019, 4:41 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,105
I was happy to hear about the long haul refresh (A333 only?)
For the digital services - please, please make the AY website usable. Not crashing, not 404-ing, just working.
As for the 5* label. It's just that - a marketing gimmick. Sitting 10hrs in the middle seat of a 3-4-3 cabin won't get better just because up front they serve seared panda liver on the dolphin steaks.
For the digital services - please, please make the AY website usable. Not crashing, not 404-ing, just working.
As for the 5* label. It's just that - a marketing gimmick. Sitting 10hrs in the middle seat of a 3-4-3 cabin won't get better just because up front they serve seared panda liver on the dolphin steaks.
Jun 24, 2019, 11:51 am
#25
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
In my experience every airline which aims to become a "5 Star" airline is loosing the focus on the customer. It´s more media, headline and picture focused then. Loyalty programs are never part of the goal. Better champagne, more food options, Limousine rides for a few, fancy lounges etc.etc.. It´s a thing to impress the masses who fly once in a while (and they LOVE to travel on a 5* airline, as well as they LOVE to stay in a 5* hotel). The experienced traveller choose the good airline and the good hotel over the "5 stars". Just do yourself a favour and have a look how much 5 star hotels around - and how many of them are actual good. Hoping the best, I see wonderful meal, fancy lounges and rock bottom prices aimed to a loyal returning guest.
What is going to matter is bells&whistles that impresses infrequent flyers.
I doubt millenials per se would be bothered with Skytrash, they are more likely to be impressed by a fancy review from a youtuber. But on the fringe skytrash could matter. I remember as rookie buying in on the FInnair marketing of "youngest fleet in the world". It sounded cool and made me think the planes were something special - but they still had OH-LQA et.al. - and at that point in time I didn't realise all airlines must renew their fleet at some point and if you have an influx of brand new planes one week, you are likely to have a very young fleet on average. That week...
Jun 25, 2019, 2:01 am
#28
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: AY Plat Lumo, LX SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 464
Lufthansa is already a "5 star airline" and with the constant improvements AY has made in the last years it's no contest in my opinion, AY is simply a superior product. Try flying on LH's A350 in J and then compare it to AY's A350, the difference is like day and night.
Jun 25, 2019, 2:32 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: CX Green | UA Silver | Marriott Lifetime Platinum | Hyatt Globalist | Hilton Gold | AA EXP
Posts: 813
I avoid VN for example due to 4 very ...... experiences with them and airport staff. I avoid China Southern as I hear the same about them. I avoid the Gulf states and other Arabic/Islamic countries as “my kind of people” is totally unaccepted there and out of principle I’d rather not fund those states.
What A333 refresh? To match current A350 or more like next-gen seatings? That would be good indeed ... will board AY5 soon and thinking about the monitor I will have to stare at for the next 9 hours makes me shudder.
Jun 25, 2019, 3:18 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
Lufthansa is already a "5 star airline" and with the constant improvements AY has made in the last years it's no contest in my opinion, AY is simply a superior product. Try flying on LH's A350 in J and then compare it to AY's A350, the difference is like day and night
How much did Lufthansa pay for Skytrax consulting - how much did Finnair pay?