Room for one more in air loyalty? (AirMiles)
Room for one more in air loyalty? (AirMiles)
Kemp E. Marketing, 2 May 2007, Start page: 17, No. of pages: 1
Purpose – to comment on NatWest’s travel scheme, YourPoints, and Lloyds TSB’s deal with NatWest’s spurned loyalty partner, AirMiles. Design/methodology/approach – Outlines the differences between the two schemes. Findings – NatWest’s announcement that it is to launch its own travel rewards scheme, YourPoints, prompted AirMiles, to immediately sign a new deal with Lloyds TSB. Reveals that AirMiles was the UK’s first customer travel-reward scheme, its success being underpinned by the support of NatWest,but YourPoints has been shaped to remove the problems NatWest claimed afflicted AirMiles, adding that its key travel partners are eBookers and easyJet. Although the launch claims suggest that YourPoints is a straight alternative to AirMiles,wonders whether consumers will appreciate the nuances of the schemes’differences. States that redemption rates with AirMiles are poor and NatWest is making a great play of YourPoints’ greater flexibility and choice of flights and destinations but believes YourPoints would have greater appeal if it focused on customer experiences once they arrive at their destination, rather than the journey itself. Originality/value – reports that reward incentive schemes and cashback are more popular than travel points and so it remains to be seen whether NatWest’s strategy for YourPoints is sufficiently different to pull in fresh business.
Keywords: Air miles, Customer loyalty, Easyjet, EBookers, Lloyds TSB,Natwest, United Kingdom
