Overview

Amidst growing consumer expectations and increasing scrutiny in the airline industry, a leading international airline sought to enhance brand perception, improve customer sentiment, and differentiate itself in a highly competitive landscape. Through Coseno Intelligence’s proprietary social listening methodologies, we conducted a multi-layered analysis of digital conversations, sentiment drivers, and thematic patterns to uncover actionable insights that informed strategic brand repositioning.

Challenge

The airline faced a sustained dip in positive sentiment, exacerbated by customer frustrations around operational inefficiencies, service inconsistencies, and evolving traveler expectations. While traditional surveys captured structured feedback, they lacked the real-time, unfiltered context of organic conversations happening across digital ecosystems. The airline needed a data-driven approach to dissect public perception, identify sentiment inflection points, and realign its brand strategy to meet consumer demands.

Methodology

Coseno Intelligence leveraged a multi-dimensional framework to analyze and quantify brand health across the following key pillars:

• Sentiment and Thematic Analysis: Using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning models, we parsed millions of customer conversations, isolating the most influential pain points and praise drivers.

• Comparative Benchmarking: A proprietary index was developed to measure sentiment fluctuations against key competitors, industry baselines, and macroeconomic travel trends.

• Crisis Resilience Modeling: Historical data on sentiment volatility was mapped to operational events, allowing for predictive modeling of brand resilience during high-impact moments.

• Micro-Community Segmentation: Traveler personas were segmented based on behavioral patterns, uncovering distinct subgroups with unique service expectations and advocacy triggers.

Findings & Insights

Our analysis uncovered three core drivers of negative sentiment:

1. Operational Friction: Flight delays and cancellations were primary sentiment disruptors, but the real tipping point was inconsistent communication, amplifying customer dissatisfaction.

2. Service Perception Gaps: While loyalty members expressed strong brand affinity, new travelers were significantly more critical, citing impersonal service and lack of perceived value.

3. Emotional Currency of Travel: Positive sentiment spikes correlated not only with exceptional service moments but also with emotionally resonant experiences, suggesting an opportunity to build brand equity through experiential storytelling.

Conversely, our research also revealed key advocacy triggers that influenced positive sentiment:

• On-the-ground transparency (real-time updates, proactive communication)

• Personalized recognition (surprise-and-delight moments, elite-tier engagement)

• Narrative-driven branding (humanizing the travel experience through content strategy)

Strategic Implementation

Insights from this study directly informed a phased repositioning strategy:

• Communication Overhaul: The airline introduced a real-time sentiment dashboard that flagged emerging dissatisfaction trends, enabling proactive customer engagement before complaints escalated.

• Service Personalization Playbook: A tiered engagement model was designed, mapping out differentiated touchpoints for high-frequency travelers versus first-time customers.

• Experience-Led Brand Storytelling: By repositioning marketing narratives around emotional outcomes rather than logistical efficiencies, the airline reframed its brand perception, shifting focus from transactional service to aspirational travel experiences.

Results

Within four months of implementation, the airline observed:

• +18% increase in positive sentiment across key consumer segments

• 36% reduction in social escalations related to service grievances

• 8-point increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS) among first-time travelers

• Higher organic brand advocacy, as measured by user-generated content and brand mentions