Let's Talk Loyalty

Etihad Guest - Loyalty Insights from Etihad Airways

Etihad Guest is the loyalty program for Etihad Airways – the flag carrier of the UAE, based in Abu Dhabi.

With over 7 million members, re-launched in November 2019, the Guest program has continued to innovate, finding new ways to reward members who are keen to stay connected while staying home.

This episode features Kim Hardaker, a self-confessed “data nerd” who shares a compelling loyalty statistic and then explains their new and extra-ordinary “world of thoughtfulness” campaign – a great example of building emotional loyalty at a challenging time.

Paul Smitton talks Asia Miles, Innovative Ideas in Airline Loyalty and Preparing for Travel's inevitable rebound

As CEO of Asia Miles, Paul Smitton is a bona fide loyalty industry veteran. From his “baptism of fire” building Air New Zealand’s first loyalty program in 1991, to an impressive 30-year career spanning senior roles across both airline and loyalty technology firms, Paul embodies customer focus with a true loyalty mindset.

In this episode, he’ll share the latest Asia Miles innovations, including blockchain-based concepts, messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, and integration with selected dining and eCommerce partners in Hong Kong.

Flying Blue from Air France KLM Group

With over 18 million members worldwide, Flying Blue is Air France’s and KLM’s premier frequent flyer program, serving 312 destinations across 116 countries.

In this episode, Air France-KLM’s Strategy Director Gerben Sikkema shares the commercial benefits of being associated with a premium brand, talks through the brand’s latest innovative ideas such as ‘earn and burn checkout', as well as revealing other powerful technology-led concepts like card-linking and using loyalty mechanics to drive sustainable choices.

Emirates Skywards - Driving Success Through Personalization

In this episode, we’re joined by Head of Emirates Skywards Dr Nejib Ben-Khedher to discuss the loyalty program’s increased focus on personalization, investments in technology solutions, and the increasing popularity of gamification in winning customer loyalty.

Dr Nejib also reveals how Skywards doubled its email campaign open rates, and discusses the brand’s new Skywards+ offering, a loyalty package that fosters powerful partnerships and enhances the customer experience by enabling members to experience Emirates-sponsored events such as Formula 1 and football matches at the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid.

Virgin Red Loyalty Program Launches in the UK

Virgin Red is Virgin’s new loyalty program, designed to reward customers for everyday spend across its vast group of companies using the brand’s new currency – Virgin Points.

This episode features Kelly Best, Chief Marketing Officer at Virgin Red, as she discusses the program’s unique selling points, including how it benefits existing Virgin Flying Club members, how she partnered with top British brands such as Greggs, and the program’s ambitious plan to engage Virgin’s 35 million worldwide customers.