Good Week/Bad Week in Branding

Good Week: Virgin America – In a whirlwind week, the vaunted “cool carrier” topped a national poll on airline quality and was then acquired by Alaska Air Group for $2.6B, sending stock prices through the roof.  Sir Richard wins again!

Bad Week: The Rest of the Airline Industry – That airline quality ranking – issued annually by Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – shows that, despite fewer lost bags and fewer delayed flights in 2015, passenger complaints jumped a whopping 34% from last year… the highest level in 16 years.

Worst Week: Amtrak – In a week when the airline industry is taking it on the chin, another unfortunate Amtrak accident – this time just south of Philadelphia – has the rail carrier in crisis-management mode instead of touting itself as the “better alternative” to flying.