TUI and the media: public perception of flight cancellations

Nobody likes flight cancellations, so when airlines struggle with cancellations and receive massive media coverage, it can severely impact public perception.

In this article, we’ll dive into the topic of TUI and the media, learn more about the impact of flight cancellations, the media’s role in shaping public perception and how TUI has responded to media coverage.

Overview of TUI’s position in the travel industry

TUI Airlines is a major player in the UK tourism travel industry, offering a wide range of travel options.

It’s the seventh largest airline in Europe and offers flights to destinations in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Mediterranean.

The impact of flight cancellations

If not dealt with properly, flight cancellations can leave a lasting negative impact on airlines.

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Immediate consequences for travelers

The immediate consequences for travelers that experience TUI flight delays or cancellations include:

Less vacation time
Missed business opportunities
Cancelled travel plans

TUI delays and cancellations can cause other financial losses. For example, if someone is flying to attend a concert when the flight is cancelled and they miss the event they likely won’t receive an event ticket refund.

Long-term effects on brand loyalty and trust

While flight cancellations are certainly inconvenient for passengers, they have long-term consequences for airlines too.

If handled poorly, flight cancellations can severely impact brand loyalty and trust. If airline staff cannot deal with customer grievances effectively, passengers may lose faith in the airline.

In addition, a poor or unfair TUI cancelled flight compensation process that forces customers to hire services like Skycop, can make customers lose trust in the brand.

Flight cancellations may result in:

Switching brands

Even one TUI delayed flight can decrease passenger loyalty and lead them to try other airlines to see if they offer better services.

Decreased interest in loyalty programs

If passengers experience flight cancellations with an airline, they’re more likely to lose interest in loyalty programs.

Today, customers want more flexibility and to not be restrained by points that can only be used with one airline.

Media’s role in coverage of flight cancellations

Media plays an important role in flight cancellation coverage and can significantly influence the purchasing decisions of customers.

Types of media coverage on TUI flight cancellations

In 2022 the airline saw major media coverage from mainstream media channels like BBC and the Guardian.

These media outlets garner the attention of many people and therefore play a big role in shaping consumer perception of the airline.

In addition, social media posts also showed the mass cancellations that passengers were experiencing with the airline.

The influence of media tone and narrative

The tone and narrative the media uses play a vital role in shaping consumer behavior.

For example, media coverage that shows passengers receiving no assistance from the airline and getting no response after submitting a TUI delay form sends a strong emotional message to viewers.

If any airline receives frequent coverage regarding their flight cancellations, this reinforces the narrative and leads consumers to believe that the airline has a high rate of cancellations.

Analyzing consumer sentiment: before and after media exposure

Before the major flight cancellations in 2022, TUI had an overall positive reputation with customers and the airline was generally well-trusted.

After media exposure of flight cancellations, consumer sentiment towards TUI has declined significantly.

Following major cancellations and intense media coverage, it can be very difficult to regain customer trust and loyalty, even if all passengers who submitted a TUI delayed flight form received the proper TUI delay refund.

TUI’s response to media and public perception

TUI has made efforts to recover from the mass cancellations and to improve public perception.

They have released their own media statement, apologizing for the TUI flight delays and explaining the reasoning behind the disruptions.

They pointed to staff shortages, supply chain issues and immense pressure as reasons for the cancellations.

TUI has also said publicly that it’s learned from the cancellations and is making changes to its TUI flight delay policy to prevent such flight disruptons from happening in the future.

In conclusion

In general, customers had a positive perception of TUI before the media coverage of its cancellations in 2022.

Flight cancellations have an immediate impact on passengers and with intense media coverage, can significantly shape public perception.

As a result of cancellations, TUI Airlines saw decreased customer loyalty and trust, with many customers switching airlines.

The airline has released its own apologies to the public and says it has learned from its mistakes, but regaining customer trust and loyalty can be a long, challenging task.