Austin Okere, a renowned thought leader and business mentor, has provided valuable insights to guide Air Peace in gaining a competitive edge in the airline industry.
As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Columbia Business School and facilitator at prestigious institutions, Okere’s expertise is widely recognised, particularly for his contributions to business education and knowledge transfer in Africa.
Okere commended Air Peace on its successful inaugural flight to London and the airline’s ability to achieve full bookings for the upcoming months, thanks to attractive ticket pricing.
He acknowledged the airline’s recent social media impact, including a positive endorsement from former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and allegations of aviation safety violations reported by Nigeria Stories.
On a positive note, the airline shared a LinkedIn post featuring a picture of former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, aboard a return flight to London. The caption highlighted his positive experience, stating, “I went, it was pleasant. I came back, it was even more pleasant.” However, on a different note, Nigeria Stories recently reported that the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority has contacted Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority regarding alleged violations of aviation safety regulations by Air Peace.
The significance of Air Peace’s impact on airfares along the Lagos-London route cannot be overstated. Since commencing operations on March 30, Air Peace has maintained its round-trip economy ticket price at $1,000 (₦1.2 million), a substantial reduction compared to the previous rates charged by international airlines, which could soar up to $2,500 (₦3 million). This bold pricing approach has disrupted the established norms, prompting foreign carriers to reassess their pricing frameworks.
Okere commended Air Peace on its successful inaugural flight to London and the airline’s ability to achieve full bookings for the upcoming months, thanks to attractive ticket pricing.
He acknowledged the airline’s recent social media impact, including a positive endorsement from former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and allegations of aviation safety violations reported by Nigeria Stories.
Highlighting Air Peace’s disruptive impact on airfares along the Lagos-London route, Okere noted the airline’s round-trip economy ticket price of $1,000, a substantial reduction from the previous rates charged by international airlines, which could reach up to $2,500.
This bold pricing strategy has prompted foreign carriers to reassess their pricing frameworks.
To ensure long-term viability and customer loyalty, Okere emphasised the importance of Air Peace exploring additional strategies for differentiation. He outlined four competitive strategies based on Austin’s Four Models:
To uphold customer loyalty and ensure long-term viability, it is imperative for Air Peace to explore additional strategies for differentiation. I have outlined these strategies using Austin’s Four Models of Competitive Strategies below:
Technological Leadership
This approach is commonly embraced by firms that have secured a substantial leadership edge on the innovation spectrum. Their dominant position within their specific market niche is profound, making it exceedingly challenging for competitors to replicate or close the gap. Companies like Apple, Alphabet, Airbus, SpaceX, Netflix, and Tesla, among others, adeptly employ this strategy to significant effect. Typically, they command premium prices for their offerings, allowing for greater investment in ongoing research and expertise, thus fortifying their technological supremacy and perpetuating their cycle of success.
Service Excellence
This strategy is often embraced by companies that may not necessarily lead in technology but excel in delivery and customer experience to secure patronage and foster loyalty. Airlines like Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Japan Airlines consistently rank among the world’s top 10 airlines as voted by travellers worldwide, thereby drawing more patronage.
Customer Intimacy – (Personalised Customer Engagement)
This approach is predominantly employed by companies that strive to create a familial bond with their customers. They foster a sense of intimacy with their clientele, exemplified by Ghana’s Africa World Airways (AWA), which has established a reputation for punctuality in West African travel. Air Peace appears to be following suit with this strategy, offering popular Nigerian cuisine and beverages on the Lagos-London route, and outfitting their crew in vibrant Nigerian attire. Companies employing this strategy often boast prolonged customer retention rates. They possess a deep understanding of their customers, accommodating their unique preferences, while customers reciprocate with steadfast loyalty.
Cost Leadership
This strategy is predominantly adopted by companies that have enjoyed an early lead in product development and launch, leveraging the returns on their investments over time. They employ low pricing to dissuade competitors from entering the market. A classic example is Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola.
Additionally, other companies that may employ this strategy are those that have accessed the experiences and intellectual property of more advanced competitors without incurring the costs and challenges of research and development. They are content to price their products relatively lower to attract patronage.
Many established companies with mature infrastructure also aim to increase their market share through periodic sales promotions, satisfied with extracting contribution margins from fixed costs. Airlines often utilise this strategy during low seasons to improve their load factor rather than flying with empty seats or cargo space. They prefer to capture customers at any price rather than allow competitors to benefit from lost sales.
Drawing from his extensive experience, including founding the globally recognised CWG Plc, Okere advocated for a dynamic and data-informed approach to pricing strategies. Airlines should continuously fine-tune their fares in response to market dynamics, competitive manoeuvres, and consumer preferences, employing seamless and automated processes to optimise revenue streams.
Bringing it All Together
In the fiercely competitive landscape of the airline industry, pricing strategies serve as a cornerstone in attracting passengers and maintaining a competitive edge. Employing competitor pricing, a dynamic and data-informed approach, enables airlines to swiftly adapt to market fluctuations and consumer preferences while optimising revenue streams. Airlines continuously fine-tune their fares in response to market dynamics, competitive manoeuvres, and various other factors, employing a seamless and automated process to uphold competitiveness, optimise load factors, and maximise revenue streams.
While competitive pricing may serve as an initial strategy to penetrate the market and garner market share, I am cautious about relying solely on it for sustained success. It’s essential to recognise that no matter how aggressively priced one may be, there’s always someone offering a lower fare. This approach risks triggering a downward spiral in pricing, potentially leading to a race to the bottom. In such a scenario, financially robust incumbents may outlast vulnerable newcomers, only to subsequently increase prices to recoup lost revenue once the newcomers are forced out of the market. This fate should not befall Air Peace.
More About Austin
Austin Okere is a thought leader, and business mentor. An Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Columbia Business School, New York, Austin has also facilitated at the United States International University in Kenya and has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the Global Business School Network in Washington in recognition of his contribution to the development of business education and knowledge transfer in Africa. CWG Plc, the company that he founded, has been recognised as a ‘Global Growth Company’ by the World Economic Forum and is the largest security listed in the Technology Sector of the NGX.
With his impressive credentials and recognition from esteemed organisations like the World Economic Forum, Austin Okere’s guidance to Air Peace stressed his commitment to fostering business success and knowledge transfer in Africa.
