Page 23 - AAA MAY - JUNE 2015 Online Magazine

INTERVIEW SCOOT AIRLINES

and without the sand, the pearl can’t There isn’t much difference running a
form.” LCC compared to full services airline like
Wilson started his career as a SIA, but is “running an airline with a twist” he
Marketing Executive at Singapore Airlines’ said. “We don’t sell ourselves with the fuzzy
Auckland office in 1996, before relocated attributes and the belts and whistles, but
to Australia three years later to manage instead focusing on what customers value.
the sales operation there. He was later And by value, what they pay for.” We aspire
posted to Singapore Head Office between to be premium in a context like Singapore
2003-2006, and later giving a posting as Airlines, we do want to be the best LCC, we
Vice-president in Vancouver, Canada. He are safe offer reliable, punctual service, our
returned to Asia two years later to take up staff are friendly and engaging etc.”
the posting for General Manager of Hong “One of the flipside of giving the
Kong and Japan in 2010. license to (the cabin crew) be themselves
Campbell was just picking up his and show personality is that you can get
luggage for a vacation at his hometown inconsistency, which can be both good
Christchurch when he got a call from or not. If we tell you to do “X-Y-Z”, you
Head Office that he was appointed as the immediately constrain people personality
CEO for a new start-up low-cost airline. into a box and become generic. It is a risk
Recounting on his recreation, Campbell I am willing to take. I believe more often
was shocked and flattered “Goodness! than not you will be pleasantly surprised.”
This is going to be a big project and how he explained to the media panel during
do you start?” he later added “General the delivery ceremony, when asked about
Manager in Japan was probably the their fun loving cabin crew.
biggest role and I think I was at a stage When dealing with pessimist on the
of meeting a bigger challenge and starting long haul low-cost concept, Campbell said
an airline is certainly one!“ said “It is our responsibility to educate a
lot from our marketing, social media,
The Start Up is to educate people of what we don’t
The notion of low-cost carrier in do but what we do do. We don’t hide the
Singapore started when Air Asia first fact that our tickets are not refundable,
entered the market 2003 which followed most of the time when haters hate, their
the establishment of Tigerair in the same communication haven’t been effectively
year and Jetstar Asia and Valuair in 2004. received.” Scoot’s impact was quickly felt.
By 2011, 30% of Changi’s passengers A year prior to Scoot, there was a decline
were low cost passengers, “ The natural of 0.5% of Singaporeans travelling to
progress is for people to travel more Sydney. Just six months after flying direct
than four hours and the gap is present to Sydney, the numbers rose by 33%, with
between LCC Tigerair and premium 69% travelling for vacation.
Singapore Airlines.” Said Campbell. At Scoot relied heavily on social media as
the same time, long haul Air Asia X and their marketing medium; launching the
Jetstar began operations that presented brand on Facebook in 2011 even before
a threat to the Singapore Airlines group they are allowed to sell tickets, allowing
and Singapore as an air hub. Scoot was them to build a fan base. “Which also
eventually launched on 1 November help because of the demographic we were
2011, and carried their first commercial targeting, we are a leisure airline, which is
passenger in June 2012. typically taken by young or retirees, usually
In the airline office with no walls with more time and money. We took the
between colleagues, employees sit calculus that the retirees just want to know
shoulder to shoulder next to each other. what the deal was and the young wanted
“It is a start up it has to have its culture, to part of the community and engagement,
everyone has to be accountable to each perfect for social media. We discovered the
other” Campbell said, “We wanted to feel older don’t mind associated with young
like a start up. We wanted to call us by our things as long as we don’t make them feel
first names instead honorifics. “ old!” Currently it has just passed 900,000
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