“Diversified routes operated by multiple airlines lead to broadened consumer choice,” said an aviation industry official. “With the increasing competition, airline services and in-flight entertainment have also improved in terms of quality, leading to consumer benefits.” (image: Expedia)
SEOUL, June 20 (Korea Bizwire) – ‘Me-too marketing’ has become a prevalent formula among domestic airline companies. The practice refers to a marketing strategy where a company follows other businesses’ high-demand products or services. And although each airline is trying to keep its own individuality, they’re no longer hesitant to copy each other.
First, the idea of ‘exclusive routes’ is fading away, with a greater variety of airlines operating in a wider range of locations.
For instance, the air route to Sapporo used to be exclusively operated by Korean Air, while the route to Okinawa was monopolized by Asiana Airlines. However, low-cost carriers such as Jeju Air and Jin Air have recently opened flights on those routes, changing the competitive landscape.
Budget airlines are rushing into profit-making routes, heightening the competition between domestic airlines.
Jeju Air will launch flights to Sapporo and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, starting in July. The routes were formerly, and exclusively, occupied by Korean Air and Eastar Jet, respectively.
Jin Air plans to operate flights to Saipan, a route that is currently controlled by Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air.
Free travel lounges, local tourism offices first introduced by Jeju Air, have also been adopted by other low-cost carriers. Jin Air recently opened a lounge in Guam offering local travel information including rental car and hotel reservations, to its customers.
In-flight events are also subject to me-too marketing. Once unconventional events such as in-flight proposals, rock-paper-scissors matches against flight crew, and magic shows are now commonplace on budget airlines.
“Diversified routes operated by multiple airlines lead to broadened consumer choice,” said an aviation industry official. “With the increasing competition, airline services and in-flight entertainment have also improved in terms of quality, leading to consumer benefits.”
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
