Air Asia sees blue sky through the clouds

SINGAPORE – Low-cost carriers remain optimistic about the global economic mess and believe they are well placed to pick up business as people adjust their budgets.

Kathleen Tan, vice-president marketing for Air Asia, quoted a Chinese proverb to explain why the Malaysian LCC would not be cutting back on investment.

“If small money doesn’t go out, big money doesn’t come in,” she told a Web in Travel brand building and marketing session at ITB Asia.

She added, “The success of the low cost carriers is achieved by stimulating demand. Boosting advertsing and PR activities builds up brand loyalty and stimulates consumer confidence.”

Tan said she preferred marketing to PR activity because with PR “you can’t control what the journalist writes”.

Gerry Oh, regional vice president for India’s Jet Airways, said crisis was always “an opportunity for change and focus”.