Case study · Airline PR
Every milestone, told well. Every crisis, handled.
Managing UK press relations for a new long-haul airline, from announcing its major milestones to steering communications when things went wrong.
Contract · Hans AirwaysLong-haul airline start-upUK & India
The challenge
A new airline
lives in the headlines.
Hans Airways set out to launch long-haul flights between the UK and India as a brand-new airline. For a start-up carrier, press coverage shapes how travellers, the travel trade and investors see it long before the first flight.
Ross managed the airline’s press relations in the UK as part of his contract role as Head of Marketing & Digital Strategy. That covered announcing the airline’s major milestones and managing communications when the airline faced difficult news.
The approach
Plan the story.
Prepare for the worst.
A start-up airline earns trust one announcement at a time, and can lose it in one bad news cycle.
Build the milestone calendar.
Plan announcements around the moments that matter to travellers, trade and investors, and prepare each one with key messages, spokespeople and assets.
Work with UK media.
Build relationships with national, travel-trade and aviation journalists, and give them accurate, timely information.
Prepare for crises.
Agree a crisis plan in advance: who decides, who speaks, holding statements, and how press, social and customer channels stay consistent.
Respond and recover.
When issues arose, respond quickly and factually, keep customers informed, and return the story to the airline’s progress.
What changed
A credible voice from day one.
The airline’s milestones reached the UK media, and its communications held together under pressure.
Milestones that landed
Each major step was announced with a clear story and prepared spokespeople.
Crises contained
Fast, factual responses kept customers and media informed.
Lasting media relationships
Journalists had a reliable contact at the airline.
Ross’s role
Contract · Hans Airways
As Head of Marketing & Digital Strategy (contract), reporting to the CCO and CEO, Ross managed the airline’s UK press relations: milestone announcements, media relationships and crisis communications.
Published October 2026 · By Ross Brannigan
A potential collaboration
Need airline or travel PR?
For airlines, travel start-ups and travel brands that need launch communications, media relations or crisis preparation.
- A milestone announcement plan.
- Media relations and press materials.
- A crisis communications playbook.
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