Passengers and service

Reputation

Reputation (0–100) weighs in every passenger's choice. It drifts toward a level set by your cabins' comfort, cancellations, punctuality and service: an airline that cancels and runs late loses passengers on every route.

Reviews and SkyRate

About one flight in three brings a review, scored on the seat, crew, food, check-in or lounge, punctuality and value. SkyRate stars average the last twelve months once you have 30 reviews: five from 8.5 out of 10, four from 7.5, three from 6. Reviews are public. See Reviews.

Service

• Onboard: catering, amenity kits, entertainment and Wi-Fi, tax-free sales (Onboard services).
• On the ground: lounges, check-in and fast track (Ground services).

Both cost money per passenger or per month and lift comfort, reviews and what premium passengers will pay.

Marketing

Travellers buy from airlines they know. A new airline starts at 45% awareness at home and 5% elsewhere; flying from a city builds it slowly, and campaigns buy it faster at a weekly budget per city (London costs about 2.4 times Oslo). Marketing pays most on new routes and in cities where nobody knows you yet. See Marketing.

Loyalty

A frequent-flyer programme brings repeat business and partner revenue once you fly a few routes. Members earn points, tiers bring perks, and award seats cost you seats that could have been sold. See Loyalty and its guide.

When things go wrong

Passenger-rights laws decide what you owe for long delays, cancellations and bumped passengers. In Europe that is EU 261: $300–650 by distance for a delay of three hours or more that is your fault (weather and air traffic control excuse compensation, never meals and hotels). On Customer care you choose whether to pay claims up front, when claimed or to contest them, and what to offer volunteers on overbooked flights.