On this day in 1903, the Wright Brothers, Wilbur & Orville, successfully flew the Wright Flyer I on a historic 12-second journey through the skies, making it the first sustained flight by a “manned heavier-than-air powered and controlled aircraft”—an airplane. In this blog, we look at why – with the right support – the sky can be the limit for your business by taking a closer look at the aviation sector.
All business owners have high hopes for their business, often aiming for expansion and growth. However, it’s vital to seek out the right support and advice to create the best foundations for that expansion. At Albion Languages, we know how to prepare your business for success in international markets. We can support you as you develop your branding, providing insights into how it would be “understood” by other cultures and in different languages.
The evolution of an idea
It is inspiring to realise how quickly air travel evolved from nothing into a multi-billion-pound industry, in just under 93 years, air travel had come a long way, from a 12 second, 37 metre, 7 mph flight to Concorde crossing the Atlantic at supersonic speeds in under 3 hours.
With the right foundations, your business can really take off, but, when operating on the global stage it is important to be aware of the key role of translation and localisation. When you launch your business in a new market, it is vital to be conscious of the cultural subtleties and language nuances of markets. At Albion Languages, we specialise in localisation – the process of adapting product-related materials to a specific country or region – and transcreation – the process of adapting a message from one language to another, while maintaining its intent, style, tone, and context.
We work with businesses as a strategic partner, providing insights into how your business will be perceived in your target markets. This allows you to thoroughly prepare and plan for growth, as localisation and transcreation can empower you to make the right adjustments to messaging, design and artwork.
The Covid-19 effect
As we know, covid-19 hit the aviation industry very hard. Worldwide lockdowns meant almost nobody was traveling, either for business or for pleasure. This had a devastating effect on airlines. Passenger numbers dropped from 4.5 billion in 2019 to just 1.8 billion in 2020, resulting in airline industry losses of a staggering $370 billion. In 2021, things are slowly getting better for airlines but are still nowhere near the pre-covid levels.
The pandemic has been a challenge for all businesses, with even those which have actually benefitted from the pandemic being challenged by unprecedented demand and erratic supply. Some businesses had to completely change their business model and growth strategy to manage the impact of the pandemic, moving into different markets and needing to navigate unexpected language, localisation and transcreation hurdles.
An encouraging success story
Established in 2003, Wizz Air is a low-cost airline based in Budapest, Hungary. The company’s first flight was on the 19th of May 2004. It grew at a tremendous pace and, by 2008, the company was already carrying 10 million passengers. In 2016, it was even voted “Value Airline of the Year” by Air Transport World – no mean feat for a challenger airline.
In September 2021, Wizz Air made its boldest move yet and attempted a takeover of one of its largest competitors, EasyJet.
Wizz Air unveiled this surprise bid when the UK airline launched a £1.2 billion call for funds to assist in its recovery from the pandemic. EasyJet declined the takeover bid, which would have brought the business closer to its goal of being a direct competitor to low-cost giants Ryanair.
The Hungarian airline has grown exponentially, transporting ever more passengers year on year. In 2011, it transported 9.8 million passengers. Fast forward to 2020 and this had grown to a whopping 40 million passengers, four times’ higher in under 10 years.
It is fantastic to see Wizz Air still aiming high despite these torrid times. In their own words, they are “continuously looking for opportunities to expand our network of destinations and provide low-cost air transport. We are committed to achieving the lowest cost base in the Central and Eastern European region.”
How Albion can help
At Albion Languages, we love working with companies with ambition – just like Wizz Air. Our team can help you create a detailed strategy for internationalising your operations. We aimed to offer real guidance and direction, not just focused on localisation and transcreation, but looking at all the language and translation challenges international expansion can pose. We can advise on the linguistic and cultural hurdles you may not have initially considered and provide additional depth of knowledge for your growth plans.
While it’s important to dream big and aim for the highest heights, it’s also vital to have the right partner working with you who shares your passion. Speak to the experts at Albion Languages about how we can help your business take flight.