SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) travel consideration experienced a significant drop following the severe turbulence on flight SQ321 from London to Singapore on May 21, which resulted in one passenger’s death and seven others critically injured. Despite this setback, SIA remains the top considered airline among Singaporeans.
According to the YouGov BrandIndex, the turbulence incident had a substantial impact on SIA’s public perception. The airline’s Buzz score, reflecting whether consumers have heard more positive or negative things about the brand, plunged by over 35 points, from 54.7 on May 21 to 19.2 by May 31.
Conversely, the airline’s Word of Mouth (WOM) Exposure score, which tracks whether consumers have talked about the brand recently, surged by nearly 14 points, from 42.7 on May 21 to 56.5 by May 31, suggesting that the incident has become a significant topic of conversation among consumers.
Despite the shifts in public discourse, SIA’s service quality and corporate reputation saw only slight declines.
The airline’s Quality score, reflecting consumer perceptions of service quality, dropped about four points, from 69.3 on May 21 to 65.4 by May 31. However, this score remains nearly three points higher than it was on May 1.
Similarly, the Reputation score, which measures whether residents would be proud or embarrassed to work for the airline, decreased by 2.3 points, falling from 66.9 on May 21 to 64.6 by May 31. This score still stands close to six points higher than at the start of the month.
In contrast, the consideration of SIA as a potential travel provider took a more noticeable hit.
The Consideration score, which measures the percentage of consumers who would consider flying with the airline on their next trip, dropped almost 15 points following the turbulence incident. It fell from 68.0 on May 21 to 53.3 by May 29, but showed signs of recovery by the end of May, rising to 55.9.
This only means that while the incident significantly affected consumers’ immediate willingness to choose SIA, there is potential for rebound.
Despite the decline in consumer willingness to book their next flight with SIA, the airline remains the most considered option among consumers in Singapore.
In response to the incident, Singapore Airlines has tightened its in-flight service protocols, including a complete suspension of meal service when the seat-belt sign is on, to enhance passenger safety. /TISG
Read also: SIA announces changes to cabin rules after May 21 turbulence fatality