Elevating Airline Public Relations: Leveraging Strategic KPIs forAdvanced Brand Perception and Stakeholder Engagement

The dynamic and competitive nature of the airline industry necessitates innovative publicrelations (PR) strategies to enhance brand perception and stakeholder engagement. This paperexplores the transformative role of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in refining PR practiceswithin the airline sector. Through a mixed-methods research design combining qualitativeinsights from in-depth interviews and case studies with quantitative data from surveys of ChiefPublic Relations Officers (CPROs), the study illuminates the strategic alignment of KPIs with PRobjectives and the broader business goals of airlines. The findings reveal that proactive mediarelations, effective crisis communication, and strategic stakeholder engagement, underpinnedby carefully selected and customized KPIs, are crucial for fostering a favorable brand image androbust stakeholder relationships. Additionally, the study highlights the growing importance ofdigital PR and social media engagement in achieving PR success. Based on these insights, apractical roadmap for CPROs is provided, outlining steps to implement KPI-driven PRmanagement practices effectively. The research contributes to the PR body of knowledge bydemonstrating the importance of a strategic, analytical approach to PR in the airline industry,emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring, analysis, and adaptation of PR strategies inalignment with evolving industry dynamics and stakeholder expectations

Keywords:

Airline Industry , Public Relations , Key Performance Indicators , Stakeholder Engagement , Crisis Communication