Airline: Canada Jetlines
Launched: September 2022
Elements: Technology • Comfort • Interior Design • Service/Crew • CSR
Canada Jetlines has debuted in Canada on a mission to be the best leisure airline in North America.
The launch brief was simple, to put the customer experience at the forefront of everything and create a bold, instantly-recognisable brand that would stand out against the competition and give the airline a real personality.
This was achieved through the use of striking, bright livery colours and the development of Frank – an character/logo who would represent the voice of the airline. The airline wanted to engage in ‘frank conversation and speak honestly’ to its market and they would do that through Frank. His look and messaging can change depending on his mood and location in the world but he is a creative device through which the airline can engage with its customers both on and off the aircraft. The goal of the branding was to be forward thinking, fun and creative, and to work to make sure the customers came to love Frank.
The Frank logo reflects the airline’s primary value – to be transparent. It’s consists of a jet with a curved line smile line below to represent a face and a passion for friendly customer service – he’s your smile in the sky! Frank is found on seats, service carts and product, the underbelly and tail of the aircraft.
The meticulous design of the onboard product also incorporated the Frank branding throughout to strengthen the emotional connections between the airline and the passengers. The goal was to establish Canada Jetlines as the value-based leisure airline of the region, delivering a consistent guest experience built around comfort, convenience and leisure, while at the same time maintaining the highest levels of safety and security.
All Jetlines’ employees were encouraged to feel a sense of ownership and pride in the product and positioning. From maintenance departments and inflight service, to onboard product, sales and marketing and airport staff, all would work hand in hand to ensure positive brand promotion – always connected through Frank.
Comfort
Comfort was seen as critical from the start. The team recognised that with long flights and extended periods being seated, seat pitch and comfort was a high priority to its target customer. The Canada Jetlines Airbus A320 was therefore the first in North America to be equipped with the slimline Recaro 3530 seats, and a deliberate decision was made to reduce the number of seats from 180 to 174 to provide additional leg room and seat pitch. Removing seats was a very focused business decision made with customer comfort in mind. The fabric chosen for the seats was charcoal E-leather which is processed to make it more durable, breathable and resistant to wear and tear. This material is also easy to clean so it supported the goal of maintaining hygiene and cleanliness on aircraft to the highest levels. In addition to its physical benefits, this material also had aesthetics that would add to the customer experience. The use of rich texture and sleek lines was designed to bring an element of luxury to the cabin environment – comfortable and relaxed.
Interior Design
The team wanted to create an immaculate and fantastic first impression. To be the best, the team knew its brand and image had to be meticulously crafted. It choose a bold aircraft livery featuring signature primary colours, orange, blue and white, and used these elements throughout the cabin. The charcoal grey E-leather of the seats was set off with a vivid orange headrest to highlight the premium seating. The Recaro seats were ergonomically designed to offer a recline of eight inches and a seat pitch of up to 36. Added convenience was built in with a power source at each seat easily identified by a blue Jetlines label and an illuminated USB port. Matching branded curtains separate the passenger cabin from the galleys.
Service/Crew
Cabin crew recruitment for the new carrier focused on candidates who came from a customer service background that aligned with the airline’s vision to offer a consistent, genuine and outstanding service. The goal was to create a culture of customer service, delivering exceptional guest experiences by taking a customer-centric approach to every decision made. The airline saw every customer touchpoint as an opportunity to deliver exceptional service; each interaction as a genuine, respectful opportunity to exceed the customer’s expectations.
During each flight, the cabin crew pass through the cabin offering choices from Frank’s Café, its menu range. The offer is served from bespoke orange service carts which clearly identify the brand and inject a sense of leisure and fun to the cabin environment. Crew deliver a polished customer-focused service, and many items offered are one-of-a-kind products offered exclusively on Jetlines.
The carrier is proactively developing a customer service training initiative for all front-line staff including our pilots, flight attendants, check-in agents, maintenance staff, call centre and catering teams to ensure a consistent level of service, language and genuine hospitality from start to end of the customer’s journey. The key objective is to ensure alignment between all employees and industry partners. Bringing all departments together is improving communication and understanding of each others roles to positive effect for the customer.
The flight attendant uniforms are designed to promote the Jetlines brand and symbolise a dedication to safety and a strong commitment to outstanding customer service. Crew comfort, functionality and pride in the look were also key drivers.
Technology
Passengers receive a complementary, wireless, inflight entertainment streaming service using Moment’s wireless technology. The Flymingo Boxes deliver a high-quality streaming system which is easy and convenient for customers to use via a simple QR code sited on the Frank’s Café menu card. Content includes movies, TV shows and games, real-time travel information and journey tracking. USB-charging facilities are available at every seat.
CSR
The Recaro seats feature lightweight construction (just over 10 kilograms per seat) reducing the weight of the aircraft and hence fuel burn. In addition lightweight design Egret meal and beverage carts were selected which further reduced weight and CO2 emissions.
Flight attendants are issued iPads rather than paper manuals and all their reports are completed electronically. Passenger information is shared in real time ensuring the crew has access to the latest data and can personalise the service with use of customer names and knowledge of special occasions or requests.
The airline aims to be as fuel-efficient as possible and is collaborating with ClearSky Global to use low-emission jet fuel and reduce its impact on the environment while keeping fares very competitive.
Will Canada Jetlines win Cabin Concept of the Year 2023? Join us in Hamburg on June 6 2023 as we unveil winners at the Onboard Hospitality Awards ceremony at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE).
