Airlines Reassess Ad Approach

With air travel forever changed by last week’s tragedy, airline executives and their agencies are reevaluating the tone and message of future marketing efforts.

Airline advertising was quickly pulled following the terrorist attacks, as is the practice whenever there is a major plane crash or airline disaster.

Executives now must not only look at when to resume marketing efforts, but also reconsider how to approach a wary public, officials said.

In an industry that spends $500 million on advertising domestically, the public’s inclination for cheap tickets likely will shift to acceptance of higher airfares if such proposed measures as so-called “sky marshals” and replacing minimum-wage security staffers with law enforcement mean safer trips, said an industry observer.