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Kolkata: What was so far confined to flights delays, unhappy passengers, shoddy maintenance has turned into the worst possible nightmare for Air India. For any airline, an plane crash is a paralysing experience, and yesterday’s incident has snuffed out more than a benumbing figure of 250 lives. For the beleaguered management of Air India, grappling with many problems simultaneously, the Ahmedabad crash couldn’t have come at a more inopportune moment. For it can cost the airline of its most valuable asset — passenger confidence in safety standards.

In any country in any age, the safety quotient of an airline is supposed to be its first concern and last word. The brand image of Air India went down with the Boeing Dreamliner under a blazing sun on Thursday afternoon. The question is, how can Air India revive its brand image. Obviously, it’s a long haul –m perhaps longer than all the journeys that its aircraft have put together so far. It is, however, a matter of no small irony that the company is under the control of the country’s most respected and trusted industrial conglomerate.

Communications has remained a weak point

“There were many negative consumer experiences and a perception of a government office rather than a service-oriented airline. The Tatas had begun laying the groundwork for a turnaround, but hadn’t communicated it strongly enough to change public sentiment,” said Kaustav Bhadra, former vice-president of DDB Mudra and a brand consultant.

But how can the Tatas revive the brand image of Air India? “Recovery now demands not just operational and safety overhauls, but a clear, credible, and emotionally resonant transformation in how the brand is perceived. The brand faces emotional backlash, scrutiny over safety, and erosion of trust from passengers, regulators, and partners,” remarked Bhadra, while pointing out to a some action points. These are:

• Immediate Response: Transparency, empathy and responsibility
• Public acknowledgment and condolences (Which the company has already done)
• Set up a dedicated support system (financial and emotional support)
• Transparency in Investigation (aviation authorities and aircraft manufacturers)

Mid-Term Actions: Addressing Safety & Accountability

• Independent safety audit- and make the results public
• Ground similar aircraft if needed
• Senior leadership accountability and action

Points for brand revival

On the issue of Brand Rehabilitation Strategy, Bhadra flagged the urgency of rebranding the safety narrative. “They should launch a campaign around safety transformation (zero compromise on safety) showcasing changes in protocols, training and fleet upgrades,” he said. One of the points Bhadra emphasized was to bring in credible brand ambassadors, who would assure the public of the safety aspect.

Among the other angles, the branding professional said, “Collaboration with global aviation safety experts or ex-pilots with clean reputations, showing employee solidarity, showcasing pilots, cabin crew and ground staff rallying around reform and safety, can go a long way in this direction. Among the long-term objectives should be cultural reset and brand repositioning and an internal culture transformation.” He also thinks introducing incentive systems around safety practices can help.

Public memorial and permanent tribute

Bhadra also pointed out that the Tatas can think of building a digital or physical memorial for the victims. “Acknowledge the tragedy in a befitting manner,” he remarked.