Ruth Ranson
TORONTO — There are big things in store for Aer Lingus in 2019, namely a complete brand overhaul that includes everything from a new logo to additional aircraft.
In this week’s edition of Friday Five, we sit down with Ruth Ranson, Director of Communications, to discuss what we can expect from Ireland’s flag carrier next year, both on the ground and in the air.
- Aer Lingus will be rolling out a rebrand in 2019. What prompted the rebrand in the first place?
It’s been over 20 years since our last brand refresh, our existing brand identity has served us well. However, as we continue to realize our ambitions for growth, with the delivery of new aircraft, continued expansion on our network, and a new uniform all scheduled for 2019, a brand refresh is timely. We are a modern, international airline and our brand identity needs to reflect that. The refreshed brand, which we will unveil in January, will befit an airline with the ambition to be the leading value carrier on the North Atlantic. We are moving from an Irish airline, which operates internally, to an international airline that happens to be Irish.
- As part of the rebrand, what changes are to be expected?
The refreshed brand will project Aer Lingus as a modern international airline that is not just the smart choice for travellers wishing to travel to or from Ireland, but also as the smart choice for travellers travelling between Canada or the USA and Europe. We will be unveiling a refreshed logo, a new livery and in November a new uniform. But we will still have a shamrock, we will still be green and we will still be called Aer Lingus!
3. Tell us about the Canadian market. How important/big is it, how many Canadians do you service each year, and what gateways do you currently serve?
The Canadian market is increasingly important for Aer Lingus. We have seen guest numbers steadily increase since we commenced our direct service to Toronto, and bookings on our recently announced Montreal service have been brisk. That service will commence in August, and we are hoping to announce additional Canadian destinations in the coming months. Our home at Dublin Airport offers a gateway to Europe from Canada, connecting to almost 100 destinations across Europe. Ease of connections to destinations beyond Ireland and competitive pricing positions Aer Lingus as a value carrier not only to Ireland, but to Europe.
4. Tell us about the Aer Lingus onboard experience. Any perks that would be considered unique?
Aer Lingus’ onboard service is world famous, our inflight team ensures that all of our guests enjoy the very finest of Irish hospitality. All transatlantic guests enjoy complimentary meals and soft drinks onboard as well as the very best inflight entertainment. We offer a range of price options: our competitively priced economy class (coach); Saver and Smart fare choices; as well as our award-winning business class offer (2018 TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award), which boasts fully lie-flat seating, complimentary Wi-Fi and the very best of Irish cuisine. We have also been awarded four and five stars by industry assessors Skytrax and APEX, respectively, the only Irish airline to do so.
5. Why should Canadians visit Ireland in 2019?
There are so many great reasons for Canadians to visit Ireland next year – here’s a list of hidden gems that we highlighted on our blog recently: https://blog.aerlingus.com/11-hidden-gems-visit-ireland/. But the number one reason is that Canadians and Irish people get on so well – we’re kindred spirits!
For more information go to aerlingus.com.
