CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

Q: How does SriLankan Airlines define the role of corporate communications within the organisation and what are the department’s key objectives?

A: As the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines serves as a vital communication link between Sri Lanka and the rest of the world. We strive to keep all stakeholders – including the media, government and the public – informed of our operations.

Our role as the organisation’s voice is crucial – we use various channels to communicate effectively.

With the rise of social media, opinions are shared instantly, often without complete information. For example, a flight delay might prompt immediate questions without understanding the underlying reasons. Our department plays a key role in this process, maintaining transparency and trust.

Q: Why is maintaining relationships with the media and public stakeholders crucial for SriLankan Airlines?

A: The airline sector is global and must remain transparent, with information readily accessible. This constant scrutiny means that even minor incidents can become news and therefore, immediate communication is critical.

Our network spans 114 destinations in 62 countries, including both direct and codeshare operations, and our goal is to ensure that our corporate news reaches a global audience, reflecting the airline’s international presence. Media and journalists are key to this process, and it’s important to maintain a strong relationship with both local and international media.

In Sri Lanka, aviation knowledge among journalists is relatively limited. To address this, we held a two day workshop for members of the local media with key resource people – including the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka – on conditions related to the aviation industry including challenges.

This effort improved the accuracy of reporting and we continue to engage with these media participants directly, providing real-time updates.

Q: Could you elaborate on any recent PR and media initiatives, and how such efforts contribute to promoting both the airline and Sri Lanka?

A: In addition to the workshop, which was the first of its kind, SriLankan Airlines combines its promotional efforts with a mandate to boost tourism.

For instance, India is one of our largest markets and with the support of our Indian PR agency, we have organised several media familiarisation (FAM) trips for journalists from India including B2B and B2C reporters.

Recently, we also collaborated with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau to host journalists from southern India, resulting in a feature on Sun TV that provided significant exposure for the country and airline at a minimal cost.

Moreover, we actively engage with the Sri Lankan diaspora in Australia and Europe by supporting events organised by various alumni associations in these markets, which significantly enhances our brand exposure within these communities.

Another recent project that garnered a lot of positive PR was an airport and aircraft tour that we organised for a large group of sāmaṇera monks as a part of the airline’s 45th anniversary programme. A video from this event went viral, gaining over a million views in a few days.

Q: How does your team contribute to shaping the airline’s brand image and reputation both locally and internationally?

A: Our primary focus is reputation management. In the global airline sector, few airlines have issued as many media releases as SriLankan, largely due to the challenging period Sri Lanka faced in the recent past, which affected public sentiment.

Concerns arise during flight delays or aircraft on ground (AOG) situations due to technical issues and in today’s world, social media amplifies these concerns, requiring swift responses. These problems however, aren’t unique to SriLankan Airlines and are common across airlines worldwide.

When necessary, we respond through statements explaining the situation and our position. Despite these challenges, we have worked diligently to maintain our brand’s integrity through timely and effective communication.

To reach international markets, we organise interviews with top news organisations periodically – including CNBC, Bloomberg and the Times of India – as well as features in international trade publications.

Q: And what role does corporate communications play in managing crises such as flight delays or operational disruptions? How do you ensure transparency and a quick response in these situations?
A: At SriLankan Airlines, we prioritise transparency and ensure that what we convey to the media is the truth. The international airline sector operates in a highly connected environment with technology recording and broadcasting diversions or delays globally.

For example, if an aircraft experiences downtime, this information is logged by manufacturers such as Airbus and various data collection websites. As a result, we cannot deviate from the facts – transparency therefore is inherent in our operations.

We regularly undergo training on crisis communications with our appointed international emergency service provider Kenyon International Emergency Services, with mock crisis exercises.

In addition, we maintain a crisis command centre as well as an internal crisis management team that provides training and guidelines to ensure consistency and our readiness in dealing with a crisis.

DIGITAL COMMERCE

Q: What unique benefits do passengers gain when booking flights directly through the SriLankan Airlines website?

A: When customers book directly through srilankan.com, they avoid intermediaries, ensuring no service or convenience fees and no hidden charges. The price displayed is the price paid. SriLankan’s lowest fares are exclusively available on the website and the best fare is always guaranteed.

Additionally, srilankan.com offers exclusive promotions and discounts not available through other channels.

Booking online also provides passengers with several added benefits. These include at least one free date change in the event that travel plans change with higher fare classes allowing multiple free date changes.

Furthermore, SriLankan Airlines has partnered with local banks to offer flexible payment plans with instalment options ranging from three to 60 months. Passengers can also pre-reserve seats online with some being available for free and others for an additional fee.

Q: And what ancillary products and services are available through the website? How do these services enhance the passenger experience?

A: SriLankan Airlines has introduced various value added services to enhance passengers’ comfort and personalise their journeys. The website facilitates seamless access to these services during the booking process.

One popular option is ‘bid for Business Class’ where passengers can bid for an upgrade and enjoy the Business Class experience at a lower cost.

Other services include purchasing excess baggage at the best rates and pre-reserving preferred seats using an easy to navigate seat map. Passengers can choose window, aisle or extra legroom seats.

The ‘neighbour-free seats’ feature, which allows passengers to keep adjacent seats unoccupied for more comfort, has gained popularity.

Additionally, with the latest Serendib Delights service, Economy Class passengers can pre-order exclusive in-flight meals at affordable prices.

Q: What payment options are available for passengers booking through the website?

A: Passengers in Sri Lanka can pay via major credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Diners Club, as well as UATP (Universal Air Travel Plan), which is ideal for corporate travel. The ‘pay later’ option is also available for those without credit or debit cards, allowing for cash deposits at designated banks for online ticket purchases.

For global passengers, payment options including Alipay, WeChat Pay and China UnionPay are available. SriLankan Airlines plans to expand its payment methods further in the future to enhance the user experience.

Q: How does the SriLankan Airlines mobile app complement the website experience?

A: The mobile app offers the same features as the website, and has received positive customer ratings on both Apple and Android platforms.

Designed with a simplified yet effective user interface, the app facilitates an easy booking process, despite the complexity of airline reservations. SriLankan Airlines expects increased customer engagement through the mobile app in the coming months.

Q: Does the airline offer exclusive student offers – and if so, how do these features benefit passengers?

A: Yes, we offer exclusive benefits for students booking online. Once student status is verified, passengers receive a 10 percent cashback on their first ticket with a 40 kilogramme baggage allowance for Economy Class and 15 percent cashback on up to four additional tickets, each with a 40 kilogramme baggage allowance.

For Business Class tickets, students receive a 50 kilogramme baggage allowance. Parents and spouses of students also benefit, receiving a five percent cashback on Economy Class tickets.

– Compiled by Tamara Rebeira

 

COMPANY DETAILS

Telephone: 019 7331323/1979 (Sri Lanka)/+94 117771979 (international) | Email: media@srilankan.com/reservations@srilankan.com | Website: www.srilankan.com/news, www.srilankan.com