British Airways is a great airline but I wish they could add some magic to the brand experience

British Airways (BA) are our national carrier so an easy target for negative media stories. They are not alone. Even Virgin get it wrong [see previous post]

I am a regular business traveller and I think that, to be honest, they deliver pretty good brand experiences. 

So, how does BA perform on the Brand Experience Promise, Deliver and Deliver framework?

They promise and generally deliver a pleasant, safe and reliable service. I’m writing this blog from the JFK in New York. I fly home on the red-eye tonight and (God willing) will arrive home safely and on time.

Do they deliver brand experiences that delight?

I am loyal to British Airways and am pleased to be traveling with them. I’m in the executive lounge so have access to good food, drink and a nice shower. I am on-line thanks to their wireless network which is free. The air stewards should be polite and I hope to enjoy a recent film then catch a little sleep. 

Do I think they will do anything that will delight me in such a way that I go wow..that was a great brand experience? I suspect probably not. 

Should British Airways be trying to find ways to delight me? Absolutely. 

It’s tough, but if they could do something a bit magical I would probably move from being more than a loyal traveller by becoming a fan, and possibly even an advocate. 

If BA could delight more customers with great brand experiences they would turn more customers into advocates. This should help them achieve higher levels of business success that marketing alone could never deliver.