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Westjet Christmas Video - 2014

Lakelad

By Lakelad
in Airline Aviation Forum

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Seeker

Seeker

Posted
Posted

Nice. And it helps deflect any bad PR from delays from last Friday when Teal ran out of deicing fluid in their home base, on a weekend their home team was playing for the Grey Cup in YVR (ducks). :)

Yeah, just like Air Canada ran out of deicing fluid in YVR as few years ago during the big snow storm. If you want to bash Westjet, or another airline, for something at least take the time to find something that they are actually responsible for.

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internet

internet

Posted
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Airlines don't get a pass because a supplier ran out of de-ice. That is a major risk because no de-ice = no flying, thus airlines should/must take an active roll making sure there's enough fluid. It's called risk management. WJ used to do their own at YYC. obviously that has changed - most likely for "cost savings."

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inchman

inchman

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Airlines don't get a pass because a supplier ran out of de-ice. That is a major risk because no de-ice = no flying, thus airlines should/must take an active roll making sure there's enough fluid. It's called risk management. WJ used to do their own at YYC. obviously that has changed - most likely for "cost savings."

Not necessarily. In YYZ, the GTAA took over all de-icing when the CDF was built and contracts it out. On the surface, it makes sense. The airport has to maintain a "common" area for users with less movements anyways and they are responsible for environmental control.

But, during the first major snowstorm after the CDF was built, they ran out of fluid. Air Canada had some left in their old trucks from the previous year and said they would de-ice their own aircraft with it, but the GTAA said that it had to be put in the pool and they would decide who would be sprayed. It stayed in the trucks. Smart move, IMO. If they had given it to the GTAA, the news story that would have been printed would be "Air Canada runs out of de-icing fluid".

Then, the GTAA went to a high-concentration storage process (presumably so they could store more for big storms) and the fluid was diluted as it was being pumped into the trucks. Unfortunately, the single pump they were using failed during a storm.

Winter 2, GTAA 0.

The GTAA back then weren't going to be told anything by anyone. Actually, that was the case until the big freeze last year when they were finally embarrassed enough to actually ask for input.

Winter 3, GTAA 0.

Bottom line... airlines are not necessarily able to manage their own risk.

Don't know the specifics of Calgary, though.

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Kip Powick

Kip Powick

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Perhaps those of you who want to pontificate about the problems with de-icing,( anywhere), could take your "tangent/off topic" to a new thread. :glare::checkmark:

This thread is/was about engaging the Christmas spirit with those less fortunate, and was done in the interest of promoting warm thoughts as the Christmas season fast approaches. (Well done WJ)

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John S.

John S.

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Well done WestJet - your best effort to date.

What makes this year's Christmas special so great is that you are not targeting your normal passenger profile for the gift giving. A washing machine, a motorcycle engine, a horse. Just fantastic.

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J.O.

J.O.

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Nice. And it helps deflect any bad PR from delays from last Friday when Teal ran out of deicing fluid in their home base, on a weekend their home team was playing for the Grey Cup in YVR (ducks). :)

Really? Smiley face or not, that was inappropriate.

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J.O.

J.O.

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Airlines don't get a pass because a supplier ran out of de-ice. That is a major risk because no de-ice = no flying, thus airlines should/must take an active roll making sure there's enough fluid. It's called risk management. WJ used to do their own at YYC. obviously that has changed - most likely for "cost savings."

You can bet your last dime that the contract includes performance clauses which were violated by the de-icing contractor. How much more should WestJet need to do, stand in their office when they're ordering their fuild supplies?

In effect you're saying that WestJet, Air Canada et al are also to blame for the GTAA shutting down operations for several hours last January. After all, the GTAA is just a service provider and the airlines are (according to you) responsible for the quality and effectiveness of all of the services they contract out.

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deicer

deicer

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First off, good job by WestJet on the video!

As for the deicing, it is just a reflection of the management that is running not only the aviation business (which is also reflected in the string about battery manufacturing) but in all other industries as well.

Cost cutting for better bonuses and profits is coming home to roost.

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Lakelad

Lakelad

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.

WestJet's viral success and the power of ‘cause marketing’

Thursday, Dec. 04 2014. - Globe and Mail
Susan Krashinsky - Marketing Reporter

It rained nearly every day that the film crew was in the Dominican Republic. As Santa came to surprise the man who wished for a horse, the drone camera overhead spooked the animal. But WestJet Airlines Ltd.’s latest Christmas video was worth the headaches for the company.

The ad shows staff surprising a disadvantaged community with gifts from Santa. It is a follow-up to the company’s smash success during the holidays last year. That video – in which travellers told Santa their wishes before boarding, and staff raced to meet them at their destination with those gifts – has been viewed more than 36 million times on YouTube. It made a difference to the company’s bottom line, to boot. In December, 2013, visits to WestJet’s website doubled, bookings increased 77 per cent compared with the same month in 2012, and revenue rose 86 per cent.

This year, WestJet took a different approach, giving gifts not to customers but to people in a community in need, located in one of the resort destinations where the airline flies.

In less than a week since it launched, more than 2.3 million people have watched the new video. But there is more at work here than simply a bid to “go viral.” It’s a coup when an ad is entertaining or moving enough to persuade people to pass it around to their friends, as they did with WestJet’s video last year. But this year’s offering has what could be an extra boost for the business: cause marketing.

Increasingly, companies are not just promoting their corporate philanthropy, but making a cause part of their advertising, and even part of their business model. And it works.

According to a survey of 1,500 Canadians released by Ipsos Reid this week, 84 per cent said that – if price and quality were similar – they would switch to a brand that is affiliated with a good cause. But companies are not communicating those affiliations as clearly as they should.

image.jpg

'If a cause marketing campaign strikes the wrong tone, however, people may see it as disingenuous or exploitative.'

.

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chockalicious

chockalicious

Posted
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WS has a b it of a connection to the DR. There is an internal program partnered with Live Different that allows employees to go down and build houses is impoverished areas. IIRC they usually build 4 at a time over a week.

Employees have to do some fund raising and the company gives breaks on flights, flexibility with work schedule.

Its a good program even if it is a bit too self congratulatory at times. Most who have done it come back changed if they have not done that type of thing before.

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