Tnooz and Ryanair


I really like Kevin May’s Tnooz and recommend it to anyone in the travel or hospitality industry. Kevin has his finger on the button and tends to just tell it, minus clouding things with too much of his own opinion – on Tnooz anyway, though on Twitter @kevinlukemay he’s pretty vocal! Here’s a piece he posted about Ryanair. I’ve never flown with them, but personally I think they’ve got it wrong. Interaction on social media sites has gone right up our list of priorities in the past year and it’s starting to pay dividends in terms of real business.

“Low-cost carrier Ryanair has put a halt to suggestions it will start reaching out to customers through social media. The airline has had a love-hate (but mostly hate) relationship with the concept of social media for years but expectations were raised earlier this week when it announced it is adding reviews to its website. It was initially thought that Ryanair would also be making tentative forays into social media through the usual networking sites – a suggestion since dismissed emphatically.

What is expected to happen in the coming months is the launch of a series of destination pages hosted on the main Ryanair website where users can post reviews of restaurants, bars and hotels. Ryanair’s often outspoken director of communications Stephen McNamara says: “This will be one way communication – passenger reviews of local hot spots etc, but [we] will not be ‘engaged’ in social media.”

Ryanair has steadfastly refused to be drawn into the online social bubble with its marketing, unlike its European rival EasyJet (which has the @easyjetcare handle for customer relations) or US counterparts such as SouthWest. Allowing almost every piece of customer criticism in the social channels to go unanswered, Ryanair has only once dropped its veil when it infamously told this author that bloggers were “lunatics” – an outburst which was picked up by news organisations around the world.

The interest comes as Ryanair also confirms it is considering some kind of “price comparison” website – a confusing concept for a single carrier to implement unless it is significantly looking to change its web proposition. McNamara says the idea is only in the planning stage and refuses to give any indication what such a site would be used for or its model.”

What do you think? Is interaction important between company and client?

0

Feeling Older?


JUST IN CASE YOU WEREN’T FEELING TOO OLD TODAY EARLY IN THIS NEW YEAR OF 2010:

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STARTING UNIVERSITY THIS YEAR WERE BORN IN 1991.
THEY ARE TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER THE SPACE SHUTTLE BLOWING UP.

THEIR LIFETIME HAS ALWAYS INCLUDED AIDS.

THE CD WAS INTRODUCED EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE BORN.

THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD AN ANSWERING MACHINE.

THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD EMAIL, CELL PHONES AND THE INTERNET.

THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD VCRS, AND VIDEO CAMERAS.
THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD CABLE.
POPCORN HAS ALWAYS BEEN MICROWAVED.

THEY NEVER TOOK A SWIM AND THOUGHT ABOUT JAWS.

MCDONALD’S NEVER CAME IN STYROFOAM CONTAINERS.

THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE HOW TO USE A TYPEWRITER.

The picture – another reminder of age – my youngest Henry, 7, about to take his first flight on 1Time Airlines earlier this week!

0

Chanters Lodge – Restaurant Terrace


Yesterday I posted a Guest review from Louisa Chanda, together with a photo of our pool. Louisa works in Customer Relations with Proflight, Zambia’s leading domestic airline and stayed with us recently at Chanters Lodge with her family – here’s the second great photo showing our restaurant terrace.

Louisa’s dad Chris Thackray and I first met in Malawi in 1976! It was great to see him again after a long time and to catch up on all his news. He and his charming wife Birgitta now live in Sweden, fairly near Stockholm.

Louisa was also busy hunting down new office premises for Proflight in Livingstone city centre – when they’re open I’ll let you know when and where!

0

1Time!


Here’s the kind of news we love!

1TIME has announced that it will launch its flights from Johannesburg to Livingstone on November 26. The flights will initially operate four times a week on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. All flights will be operated using a new MD87 aircraft with 130 available seats.

In February 2010, 1time will add a fifth-weekly flight, expected to operate on Saturdays. 1time will launch with airfares starting from R897 one-way, all inclusive of taxes. In addition to the airline promoting the destination, 1time Holidays will also be promoting packages to this destination. These packages should be live in the next couple of weeks.

Don’t forget to book your accommodation at Chanters Lodge, Livingstone!

2

Nelspruit Kruger – Livingstone


This from Livingstone Weekly caught my eye:

“August 17th, 2009, will see the inaugural launch of Airlink‘s (South Africa privately owned and domestic/ regional carrier) expanded network, with a new service, linking a number of Africa’s most beautiful and scenic destinations. “The GreateKruger National Park, Royal Malewane Private Game Reserve, Londolozi Private Game Reserve, Savanna Private Game Reserve and Livingstone, Zambezi!”

The service will operate from Nelspruit Kruger to Livingstone every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in both directions. The new service will enable tourists to Southern Africa to have the pleasure of an early morning game drive within the Greater Kruger and enjoy sundowners overlooking the Zambezi the very same day!”

2
Page 3 of 3 123