Case Study
Airbus
OVERVIEW
Period: 1992–2019 (Retainer)
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Sector: Commercial Aircraft, Helicopters, Defence, Space
Plane Talking provided communications support to Airbus across its various business units in English-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa, acting as the company’s in-country media relations arm. Our role was to position Airbus as a credible supplier and partner to airlines, governments, military and law enforcement agencies, academia, research bodies and industry. In parallel, we supported the promotion, marketing and sales campaigns for Airbus products and services in the region. The overarching goal was to create an environment that enabled Airbus to do business and expand its presence in the market.
Services Provided
Strategy — Developed communications strategies to maintain visibility and guide project-level activities.
Copywriting — Drafted and edited press releases, opinion editorials, speeches, presentations, video scripts, brochures, website content, invitations, reports and other written materials.
Media Relations — Built and maintained relationships with journalists and editors across the region. Compiled media lists, issued press releases, backgrounders, fact sheets and images, pitched articles and managed queries and interview requests. Arranged and led multiple media visits to Airbus facilities and events in Europe.
Crisis Communications — Supported Airbus’s response to accidents and incidents involving its products and operations. Designed and delivered crisis communications training exercises at Airbus HQ. Led the project team to harmonise Airbus’s crisis communications doctrine, manual and materials across its global units. Served as a member of the crisis communications task team on the A380 superjumbo programme.
Stakeholder Engagement — Built and managed relationships with stakeholders across the public, private and civil sectors.
Event Management — Coordinated with local stakeholders on flight trials, route-proving flights, airport compatibility tests, and customer demonstration flights in the region. Supported Airbus’s participation at airshows, conferences, and other industry events both locally and internationally.
Market Intelligence — Monitored customers, prospects, competitors, government policy developments, industry trends, and political dynamics to provide situational awareness and insight into perceptions of Airbus and its reputation, supporting campaigns, issue management, and crisis response.
“Over several years I have valued the professional and dedicated support and advice provided by Plane Talking. Linden and his team provided media relations and public affairs services to Airbus in sub-Saharan Africa. They also have an established comprehensive network of journalists, editors and industry contacts across Africa. Linden was also intimately involved in the comprehensive review and overhaul of Airbus’s group-wide crisis communications policy and provided crisis support to Airbus on several occasions over two decades.”
— Stefan Schaffrath, Head of International Communications, Airbus
Notable Projects
South African Airways Fleet Modernisation (2002–2010) — Supported Airbus’s marketing and sales campaign to re-equip South African Airways with an all-Airbus fleet of 52 new single-aisle and long-haul widebody aircraft. Activities included media relations, stakeholder engagement and promotional campaigns to strengthen Airbus’s positioning in the Southern African market.
Ethiopian Airlines A350XWB Campaign (2007–2016) — Contributed to the campaign that secured Ethiopian Airlines as the first African carrier to order and operate the A350XWB, breaking Boeing’s longstanding hold on the airline’s long-haul fleet. Efforts focused on media outreach, high-level stakeholder engagement and issue management to support sales and marketing objectives.
RwandAir and Air Namibia Fleet Expansions (2009–2018) — Provided communications support to Airbus’s regional sales teams in their fleet modernisation and expansion campaigns with RwandAir and Air Namibia. This included communications planning, press and stakeholder engagement, and the coordination of aircraft demonstration flights and events in both countries.
South Africa A400M Military Transport Aircraft Programme (2004–2009) — Led the communications campaign to position the A400M with the South African Air Force, Department of Defence and other government stakeholders. Oversaw communications during South Africa’s subsequent cancellation of its aircraft order, ensuring balanced and consistent messaging. Steered stakeholder engagement to support the creation of a local aerospace research and manufacturing network, working with universities, the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research, and local aerospace engineering firms.
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