De Telegraaf reports that Air France-KLM Group is reportedly planning on rebranding. The concept behind this seems logical enough, though this would be a major undertaking…
Air France-KLM Group plans to rebrand
European aviation is controlled by three global airline groups — Air France-KLM Group, International Airlines Group (IAG), and Lufthansa Group. As you can see, the naming conventions here differ:
- Lufthansa Group consists of Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Discover Airlines, etc., yet the entire airline group is named after the “flagship” (and least profitable) airline in the group
- International Airlines Group consists of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Vueling, and the entire airline group has a neutral name, not tied to any one specific airline
- Air France-KLM Group consists of Air France, KLM, and Transavia, and the company also owns a minority stake in SAS, and the airline group is named after the two largest airlines in the group
For some background, Air France and KLM merged back in 2004, forming the airline group. While Air France-KLM Group was ultimately decided as the name, other concepts were also being considered at the time, like French European Airlines (which the Dutch weren’t a fan of, naturally).
The thing is, Air France-KLM is continuing to grow, with the airline group likely taking a majority stake in SAS, and also bidding to buy a stake in TAP Air Portugal. The report suggests that Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith is behind this project, and wants to create a name that’s more inclusive for a growing group.
For now, the project is reportedly using the working title “the Blue Group,” but that’s not necessarily what it’s expected to be named. If we’re polling ideas, personally I think “the Flying Blue Group,” or something along those lines, would be a good name. After all, it would tie it into the loyalty program, and it would be the one thing potentially linking all member airlines.
These rebranding plans have reportedly drawn mixed reactions, with some viewing this as a drastic step. A company spokesperson claims that no final decision has been made yet, but acknowledged the logic of discussing a new name:
“It is perfectly logical to hold the discussion about a new name, given that we plan to add new brands to the Air France-KLM Group. After all, the current name only reflects our two historical brands.”
A renaming seems logical, but is a big undertaking
Logically speaking, I think Air France-KLM rebranding makes sense. After all, if the goal is to grow the airline portfolio, there’s value in being a bit more inclusive. It doesn’t exactly seem ideal for SAS crews to eventually welcome passengers onboard an SAS flight, “part of Air France-KLM Group,” with the airline having no part in that name.
So I’m generally a fan of the idea. However, there’s no denying this is a major project:
- Air France-KLM has a lot of name recognition, so any new name will take some getting used to
- Then there’s the general cost of rebranding, and this could even change the company’s name on the markets
- I imagine this might rub some people at KLM the wrong way, given the general tension we’ve seen over the years between KLM and the larger airline group, since the airline group is headquartered in Paris; some at KLM may view this as a deemphasizing of that brand (which, come and think of it, the Dutch government might even like?)
Bottom line
Air France-KLM Group is reportedly planning a rebranding, as it continues to add airlines to its portfolio. Back in 2004, when Air France-KLM Group was formed, the name made sense. However, as the airline group continues to grow (and is likely now entering a phase of even bigger growth), I can see the logic in adopting a more neutral name.
European airline groups are divided on this, with IAG having a generic name, and Lufthansa Group having a name that’s all about one (struggling) airline.
What do you make of the concept of Air France-KLM Group rebranding?
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