Standing in the way of this was a fragmented marketing environment, which made it difficult to collaborate and gather the data and insights needed to offer truly personalised experiences. This level of insight would enable SAS to create dynamic travel packages that provide more than just a seat on a plane. To accomplish this, SAS needed to integrate customers’ online and off-line experiences-from booking flights, visits to the airport lounge, in-plane experiences and destination offerings to helping arrange a dog sitter or grocery delivery while away. “We want to get closer to our customers and offer them more personalised experiences.” We are a lifestyle brand that connects to travellers on an emotional level,” says Fjeldstad. “SAS is no longer just an airline company.
These customers view travel as a form of self-realisation, exploration and discovery. The biggest opportunity for SAS lies with its frequent flyers-those who travel five or more times annually with the airline. “We want to redefine the travel experience and find ways to generate revenue outside of the actual plane.” “Surging oil prices, fluctuating currencies and new, low-cost entrants to the market are just a few factors affecting our business and our bottom line,” says Didrik Fjeldstad, Vice President of Marketing, SAS. However, the changing face of the airline industry means that new strategies are needed to succeed and attract customers long before take-off. Seventy years later, the airline transports more than 28 million passengers to 119 destinations around Europe, the United States and Asia each year. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) was founded with a mission to help Scandinavians experience more of the world-and it has done just that.