INTER V IEW
Kerzner’s r ules
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If you really want to
know what’s going on
in your business, get
out of the boardroom
WHAT CREATES BRAND MAGIC?
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
056 NOVEMBER 2019
ABOVE: THE FUN RANGE OF SOCKS
ARE A COLOURFUL MOMENTO OF
A GREAT EXPERIENCE. NOTE THE
IMPRESSIVE WINDOWS SEPARATING
THE A350 LOFT SOCIAL ZONE FROM
THE UPPER CLASS CABIN
is a choice, and we’ve always chosen in favour of our
customers and our people, and that’s why we are loved.”
THE PREMIUM ECONOMY GAP
At the recent Aircraft Interiors Expo in Los Angeles,
there was much discussion of whether premium economy
class is lagging behind in its offer, having remained largely
static in its offer while the experience gap to business
class widens. We posed the idea to Kerzner.
“I would agree that across the airline industry, the
emphasis in premium economy is on the economy side,
not on premium. Last year we changed the name of our
Premium Economy cabin to just Premium. A lot of other
airlines and even some of our direct competitors see
premium economy as a step up from economy, but the
way we look at our Premium cabin is that it is as a step
before Upper Class. We’ve
exploited incredible trim and
finish, and we offer 13.3in
IFE monitors and seat
comfort that make it really
a nod to Upper Class versus
thinking of it as a better
version of economy.”
Virgin Atlantic has added
more options in economy class too,
from the basic Economy Light with hand
luggage only, to Economy Classic, which includes a 23kg
checked bag and advance seat selection. For a little more,
customers can select Economy Delight, which adds extra
legroom (34in on the A350), premium check-in, and
priority boarding.
Kerzner explains, “Economy Delight is our version of
a step up from economy, with Premium the step before
Upper Class, and the customer satisfaction scores from
our Premium cabin are the highest of any cabin. It’s where
people feel like they’re getting the best value for money,
especially on daytime flights. We have made Premium
super comfortable with great recline and great leg room,
helped by moving the IFE boxes from under the seat.”
DISRUPTION IMMINENT?
It sounds like premium economy is improving and will
continue to do so, albeit incrementally. Are there any
areas of cabin design that Kerzner predicts will receive
greater disruption soon?
“I think the gap between our customers’ expectations
on an aircraft and how they live the rest of their lives is
shrinking. The race isn’t so much in terms of physical
product design, as many airlines are catching up in terms
of giving their customers strong physical product design.”
Where Kerzner sees opportunity is in giving
customers the opportunity to customise their
experience in advance, allowing airlines to provide
a very differentiated experience onboard.
“Customisation is going to be the big change
moving forward, giving passengers the option to
select what they want before they travel. Do you want
an amenity kit and what would you like in it? What
type of meal do you want and when do you want to
eat it? What type of sleepwear and bedding do you
want? It’s much better for us and for the customer
to know that in advance,” states Kerzner.
“This approach gets rid of loading more meals
on a plane than you need, and it creates potentially
the most sustainable amenity kit ever, as the most
sustainable amenity kit is not having an amenity kit
“The magic on board is our crew,” states
Kerzner. “You know we can give you a
great product with a great design, but it’s
our crew that bring that product to life. I
think that the ‘wow’ that customers say
when they walk through Door 2 on the
aircraft is the product, with the social
space, music and mood lighting. When
you walk off the aircraft the ‘wow’ is the
crew. It’s the crew that people remember
and that really stand apart. I think it’s
impossible for another airline to replicate
the magic that happens when you have
the crew that we have.
“Every step along the way and every
decision that we make, it’s how can
we do more for our people how can we
do more for our customers. And if we
do those things properly we’re going
to be loved by our customers and those
customers are going to come back
for more.”
and listen
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com