Qantas goes retro [To improve Brand Loyalty?]

[Flying High]

RetroRoo: John Travolta unveils Qantas plane

If Qantas wants to restore brand loyalty, perhaps a better way would be to invest in some modern planes, give passengers a little more leg room and make their prices more competitive.

But hey, if they think a paint job from the 70s will do the trick, then who am I to stand in their way...

 

[opusman]

Unfortunately marketing gimmicks are cheaper and easier.

What's next? This as the F amenity kit?

 

[dk4]

The painting of a B737 in a colour scheme from the Qantas heydays, as the world's only all B747 airline, just demonstrates to me how far the carrier has fallen. (I think that a TAA or Australian Airlines retro livery would seem more appropriate for a B737 - Qantas orange just seems oddly out of place and too small a vision for a narrow body domestic jet.)

 

[nlagalle]

If Qantas wants to restore brand loyalty, perhaps a better way would be to invest in some modern planes, give passengers a little more leg room and make their prices more competitive.

But hey, if they think a paint job from the 70s will do the trick, then who am I to stand in their way...

Given the fleet is the youngest it's been in any recent memory, I'm not sure how much younger you think it is.. the 767's are going in 4 weeks and there will only be a handful (sadly) of the 747's. The only thing they are missing is the 787, so I am not sure why you think the remaining fleet isn't modern??

 

[Princess Fiona]

There is already a thread on this, can the mods please merge ? Thanks
http://www.australianfrequentflyer..../qantas-unveil-retro-livery-boeing-63498.html

 

[Flying High]

...the 767's are going in 4 weeks...

And being replaced by Jetstar A330 hand me downs. While the new 737s are arriving with even more seats jammed into them if I'm not mistaken. Like I said, rather than going with a backwards looking marketing campaign, Qantas would do better to concentrate on the actual customer experience.

 

[nlagalle]

And being replaced by Jetstar A330 hand me downs. While the new 737s are arriving with even more seats jammed into them if I'm not mistaken. Like I said, rather than going with a backwards looking marketing campaign, Qantas would do better to concentrate on the actual customer experience.

Which were originally Qantas birds to begin with. Again is there a problem with the A330?? I don't believe so.

An the extra seats are from a re config of the galley so no reduction in pitch..

I don't see an issue with marketing a retro livery, heck other businesses do it..

 

[mannej]

And being replaced by Jetstar A330 hand me downs. While the new 737s are arriving with even more seats jammed into them if I'm not mistaken. Like I said, rather than going with a backwards looking marketing campaign, Qantas would do better to concentrate on the actual customer experience.

Where did these 330's first come from?
Let's not forget that they will be getting spruced up to offer a fairly competitive product so I am not sure what the issue is?

 

[TomVexille]

I don't get the anger with the retro livery. I mean, the plane is going to be painted either way. I assume this doesn't really cost QF much and it's a chance for AVgeeks like me to have a bit of fun.

 

[RooFlyer]

I don't get the anger with the retro livery. I mean, the plane is going to be painted either way. I assume this doesn't really cost QF much and it's a chance for AVgeeks like me to have a bit of fun.

I agree with the sentiment "no harm done" but also with the sentiment of the OP, which I might paraphrase as "Why fiddle around with stuff like this (which does have some additional cost) when there are more important things to do to revive the airline".

This is like another pet hate of mine - the "entertainment" at major sporting events - it adds to the ticket price but detracts from the actual main attraction :evil:

 

[TomVexille]

I agree with the sentiment "no harm done" but also with the sentiment of the OP, which I might paraphrase as "Why fiddle around with stuff like this (which does have some additional cost) when there are more important things to do to revive the airline".

This is like another pet hate of mine - the "entertainment" at major sporting events - it adds to the ticket price but detracts from the actual main attraction :evil:

Definitely have no argument against better legroom and lower prices. Just think that a one off retro livery is likely to have a pretty decent advertising return for a minimal cost.

(And sporting events should be just that. No side gimmicks needed.)

 

[Flying High]

I agree with the sentiment "no harm done" but also with the sentiment of the OP, which I might paraphrase as "Why fiddle around with stuff like this (which does have some additional cost) when there are more important things to do to revive the airline".

This is like another pet hate of mine - the "entertainment" at major sporting events - it adds to the ticket price but detracts from the actual main attraction :evil:

Much better put than me...

But I would also question the wisdom of the implicit message of the retro livery - i.e. Qantas was better in the old days. For a company with such a PR problem, is that really the best option? Surely the more logical action would be to re-position the airline as dynamic and forward looking?

 

[Princess Fiona]

I will be part of the welcome party for #RetroRoo at SYD on Wed.
Looking forward to it and will try to get some pics

 

[Pushka]

The trend in marketing these days is to go back to the homely look as people see more authenticity in that.

Recently Beerenberg jams relaunched their product labels. They are an old SA company. Their originals were green and gold based with a picture of the fruit on the front. I loved them as I instantly recognised the flavour I was looking for.

The new labels are white with red writing cursive style. They look like the labels grandma would have put on her home cooked jams. No picture of the fruit just words with something like "johns favourite tomato chutney". I hated them as I now had to put the glasses on to read each label. Plus they didn't "look" like Beerenberg.

Hmmm. Sales boomed interstate as a result of the new labelling. They became rated as being authentic and genuine. I still don't like 'em but their produce is excellent.

I think that the angst is there because the colour of the livery and focus on that takes away from potential concerns about the things that really count like service.

 

[777]

I'm a rusted on Virgin flyer but personally i think Qantas is playing to it's strengths here. Most Australians have a deep association with Qantas and it works to remind people of that and play it up occasionally. Whether that is papering over the cracks is another question but the argument that they can't do 2 things at the same time is silly. Regardless of what they do or don't do with the product they are going to have a budget for marketing/ painting planes/ promotion and this is a clever (if obvious) use of it.

Still i'm waiting for the inevitable passenger on social media who complains about QF operating planes that are "Really old!" from looking at the livery.

 

[Quickstatus]

Definitely have no argument against better legroom and lower prices. Just think that a one off retro livery is likely to have a pretty decent advertising return for a minimal cost.

(And sporting events should be just that. No side gimmicks needed.)

Better legroom and lower prices?. Name one airline past and or present that has delivered that combo. Sorry just pie in the sky stuff IMO. Though the current international J offerings may qualify if you compare fares on a % of AWE

 

[Quickstatus]

(And sporting events should be just that. No side gimmicks needed.)

our LOTFAP friends do sporting side gimmicks really well especially the eye candy variety.

 

[TomVexille]

Better legroom and lower prices?. Name one airline past and or present that has delivered that combo. Sorry just pie in the sky stuff IMO. Though the current international J offerings may qualify if you compare fares on a % of AWE

Very much a response to the OP which said:

If Qantas wants to restore brand loyalty, perhaps a better way would be to invest in some modern planes, give passengers a little more leg room and make their prices more competitive.

We do all wish I think... (unless you're a shareholder )

 

[harvyk]

Personally I quite like the design, it does work on a 737 since the original paint job was on things like 707's (and the 747's during the all 747 stage).
It's just a little bit of fun, which probably cost them peanuts extra to have done over their normal paint job. It would have certainly not been a "company saving" amount as some claim.

RetroRoo: John Travolta unveils Qantas plane

If Qantas wants to restore brand loyalty, perhaps a better way would be to invest in some modern planes, give passengers a little more leg room and make their prices more competitive.

But hey, if they think a paint job from the 70s will do the trick, then who am I to stand in their way...

A definition of irony, using a thread which is about welcoming in a new plane into the fleet to complain about fleet age and the fact they don't invest in modern aircraft...

 

[Quickstatus]

Personally I quite like the design, it does work on a 737 since the original paint job was on things like 707's (and the 747's during the all 747 stage).
It's just a little bit of fun, which probably cost them peanuts extra to have done over their normal paint job. It would have certainly not been a "company saving" amount as some claim.




A definition of irony, using a thread which is about welcoming in a new plane into the fleet to complain about fleet age and the fact they don't invest in modern aircraft...

And wanting to go back to an age of fantastic service and lots of legroom