Sign in to view
member only content

Marketing innovation in the skies is back! Think Song, think JetBlue, think AirAsia. And now: Backpackers Xpress. The new airline is slated for launch this June, and is going (you guessed it) after the backpacking party crowd looking for cheap flights headed to and from Australia. Roughly half a million young budget travellers flock to Australia from the northern hemisphere every year, of which Backpackers Xpress hopes to lure 139,000 in the first 12 months. Stopovers will include Delhi and Bangkok. It’s going to be fun. Backpackers Xpress’ first two jumbo jets have an all-economy seating area with a pub(!) instead of a first class cabin (source: Sydney Morning Herald). There will be karaoke, dance competitions, pizza and a personal DVD service with over 300 titles to choose from. Could Backpackers Xpress signal the start of no-frills airlines taking on long haul routes, something that would further disrupt the already turbulent aviation market?

Opportunities

You don’t have to be a certified trend watcher to spot the rapid changes in travel patterns and travel behavior across the world. Especially for young Europeans, traveling around the world has become firmly entrenched in their lifestyle, with Thailand quickly replacing the Spanish Costas for a fun ten days on the beach. 30-somethings might mourn the loss of old style ‘roughing it’, and 40+ boomers may not get it at all, but for generation X, the no-frills experience economy now includes partying and lazing around, anywhere that takes their fancy. Time to further sharpen your segmenting strategies?