Kampala — The amount of time this body has been spending lately in the air and airports in the name of work is more than I have ever spent as holiday time for myself.

It has given me time to go into having the hawk eyed mode on the performance, service, marketing et al that the 'Gurus' of the industry present.

Other than a white plane and a few markings here and there, are there any real benefits or differences in the branding and marketing techniques used, let alone the service or promises each makes?

Kenya Airways charges you an arm and a leg to literally hop to Kenya on a 45 minute flight, yet it terms itself the Pride of Africa. Where is the pride when other airlines to the same destination can charge much less?

I guess someone is taking comfort in the fact that since we Africans live under a dollar a day anyway, we have been poor all along to feel the effect.

KQ has marketed the chicken pie and meat pie for donkeys years until allergy to the same food is an understatement. Well it's better than paying close to $200 on Fly540 (what does the name stand for?) and get a biscuit.

Then you have Air Uganda, which has the comfiest of seats in leather, cheaper fare but can't remember what their brand positioning is.

Shows the marketing hasn't been fully up to the mark and may realise they have many potential customers looking for alternatives to other airlines.

I had the opportunity to fly Ethiopian quite a few times and tend to get more mesmerised by the beauties serving than whether it feels safe and comfortable or any link to the marketing slogan of 'the new spirit of Africa'.

What spirit? I only see war, corruption and poverty everywhere, oh sorry is that spirit? Half the time I am smiling only because they think I am one of their own, alas beauty comes from other zones too! Ground staff in Accra had the courage to ask for a bribe openly.

I guess Emirates tries hard to be different. Other than fantastic meals and great comfort, professional look, though yet to find any clear differentiating essence that communicates to me as 'this is why I choose Emirates'.

To date, after being a member for again what seems like donkey years, I have to receive my frequent flyer card despite International calls, emails and follow ups.

Likewise for my daughter, yet we have flown this airline to every corner of the world since she was three months old! Not fulfilling your brand promises is a definite poor rating from a consumer.

Probably Emirates will take consolation in the fact perhaps, that my daughter has never received her Frequent flyer card from KQ either and as for mine, with all the time I live in their plane its amazing how they manage to still not upload points despite giving your card at check in and seeing it in on your boarding pass.

Airlines are no longer interested in loyalty. It is boiling down to there perhaps being many more consumers who just want to get on the plane, get where they want with no fuss for brand.

This creates a predicament for the airlines who should not take the power of a consumer for granted.

With the recent upsurge in numbers of crashes, big brands that fulfill every aspect of a consumer need, comfort and add sense of security to it will be the ultimate choice.

This is linked to the trust factor that a consumer has with a brand not forgetting the brand living to the marketing promise it makes.

Virgin might want to consider other countries in the region