Innovative Baggage Delivery Services In Future air transport networks

Airports must accommodate ever increasing passenger numbers while offering a wide range of services. The services are provided through different facilities and processes creat-ing a complex ecosystem of mutually dependent activities. Airport terminals are large-size multi-stakeholder buildings with innovative designs. The complex management of all air-port operations requires proper recognition of all relationships among many stakeholders. The overarching aim of the management and design efforts so to provide high level of passenger satisfaction, and at the same time, to ensure smooth operations with minimum delays. The demands to accommodate increases in passenger numbers drive the need for expanding the capacity of airport and for using the resources and infrastructure more ef-ficiently. The imbalance between the services demand and the available capacity creates congestion problems at different service points throughout the airport. Unlike many other previous works addressing mainly the airport capacity and congestion related to the num-ber of aircraft and flights it is able to serve at any one time, our work is concerned with passenger services, and specifically with baggage delivery. More specifically, the concept of dissociating passenger travel from baggage delivery is introduced and evaluated from several different perspectives. The baggage dissociation can help to improve the passenger air travel experience, make public transport to airport more viable option, and thus, reduce ground-side congestion at airports with reduced CO2 emissions, use existing airport capaci-ty more efficiently while reducing footprint of new airports, optimize monetization of cargo and baggage delivery, elevate the value of non-hub airports, and exploit the new aircraft designs to name a few. It can be argued that innovations in baggage delivery will be man-datory in order to meet the future passenger demands. However, despite these significant drivers, at present, there are still many regulatory and infrastructure challenges which have to be overcome before baggage dissociation can become reality. This thesis contributes sev-eral studies towards feasibility of the baggage dissociation, two ways have been presented to pave the way for the baggage dissociation the new baggage delivery networks and the Satellite terminals (Off-Airport terminals)

Low-Fare Flights Across the Atlantic: Impact of Low-Cost, Long-Haul, Trans-Atlantic Flights on Passenger Choice of Carrier

Full-service carriers (FSCs) have long ruled the trans-Atlantic market, due to the absence of low fare competition, which has kept airfares high. However, renewed interest in lowcost, long-haul (LCLH) flights was prompted by efficient aircraft, low fuel prices, liberalization of air markets, and low-cost carriers’ growth opportunities. Since 2013, multiple LCLH carriers have commenced trans-Atlantic operations, and their market share has grown to 8%. In response, FSCs are establishing their own LCLH subsidiaries and/or introducing basic economy airfares to more effectively compete in the trans-Atlantic market. The purpose of this dissertation was to further the understanding of LCLH and FSC passengers in the trans-Atlantic market by determining what demographics and airline service attributes affected their choice of carrier type, and also what impacted their willingness to switch carrier type and the amount they were willing to pay to do so. A total of 1,412 trans-Atlantic economy and premium economy passengers were surveyed at Los Angeles (LAX) and Seattle–Tacoma (SEA) Airports, which included those who had flown an LCLH (n = 787) or an FSC (n = 625). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to develop a factor structure for passenger travel experience attributes, which were identified as: Operations, Comfort, Onboarding, Service, and Flight Schedule, along with a variable, Airfare. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the variables/factors that affected passenger choice of LCLH or FSC. Younger passengers preferred LCLH carriers, whereas older passengers preferred FSCs. Airfare was the most important predictor of choice of carrier type, followed by Comfort, Service, and Flight Schedule. Satisfaction with Airfare and Comfort were associated with choice of an LCLH carrier, whereas satisfaction with Service and Flight Schedule were associated with choice of an FSC. Willingness to switch from an LCLH to an FSC was evaluated, with 55% of respondents indicating they would remain loyal, and 45% of them being willing to switch to an FSC. Decision tree analyses were utilized to show the relationships between variables/factors that were relevant for passenger switching decisions. The variables/factors that affected an LCLH passenger’s willingness to switch to an FSC were: Airfare, Income, Education, Age, Gender, Comfort, and Operations. Binary logistic regression was utilized to determine that Age, Education, and Cabin Class affected willingness to pay more to switch to an FSC. Willingness to switch from an FSC to an LCLH was evaluated, with 76% of respondents indicating they would remain loyal, and 24% being willing to switch to an LCLH carrier; with a decision tree showing that Gender, Service, Airfare, and Onboarding affected this decision. Binary logistic regression was utilized to determine that Airfare, Nonstop Flights, and Courtesy and Responsiveness affected willingness to pay less to switch to an LCLH carrier. This research has demonstrated that often overlooked aspects of air travel, such as comfort and service, are vitally important to long-haul passengers. Furthermore, both LCLH and FSCs have a place in the trans-Atlantic market, as some passengers prefer a no frills LCLH offering; whereas other passengers prefer an all-inclusive FSC offering

Evolving airline and airport business models

Document type: Part of book or chapter of boo

The determinants and impact of outsourcing on airlines' performance

This thesis is concerned with the impact of outsourcing within the airline industry. There are conflicting viewpoints on the impact of outsourcing and a scarcity of empirical studies examining its influence on the airlines' performance. In order to fill in this gap, the research process was divided into three stages: (1) Literature review and an exploratory case study; (2) Analysis of secondary data; and (3) Qualitative analysis of 14 interviews, representing 12 different airlines. Through the study, the determinants of outsourcing and current outsourcing practices within the airline industry were identified. Cost reduction and enhancing the focus on core activities were identified as the main motives for outsourcing. Local authorities' legislation is regarded as the main influential external factor while demand level for a given function, criticality of the activity being considered for outsourcing, and current capability status of performing the activity are identified as the main influential internal factors. Most outsourcing arrangements are being made outside the airlines' home bases. The implications of outsourcing in the performance objectives (cost, delivery, quality, and flexibility) as well as in the airlines' overall operational performance were also evaluated. The evaluation of the airlines' performance was based on the 'passenger load factor' and 'daily aircraft utilisation'. The former captures the airlines' operational efficiency. The latter refers to maximising aircraft utilisation, one of the main tasks for the airline management. Although a positive impact on the cost objective was found, it is strongly correlated with the demand level for the outsourced function. The delivery objective is negatively influenced by outsourcing. The outsourcing influence on quality varies, depending on the nature of the outsourced function. The flexibility objective is positively influenced by outsourcing. The study revealed that there is no direct impact of outsourcing on the airlines' overall operational performance. Two main contributions were provided through the research: theoretical and practical. On a theoretical level, a more in-depth understanding of the outsourcing determinants, current practices, and performance implications in the airline industry was provided. The study also represents practical guidance for new entrants in devising their supply chains and assisting managers in terms of supply chain restructuring by predicting the determinants and impact of outsourcing on the airlines' operational performance

Investigating the influences and effects on customers' perceptions of individual and multiple brands in a marketing alliance

This thesis investigates the effects and influences of individual brands in a marketing alliance on consumers' perceptions. Specifically, it defines how consumer perceptions of service quality, trust, and loyalty toward one brand influence corresponding perceptions for the alliance of which this brand is a member. Although the relationships between perceived service quality, trust and loyalty are well established at a single brand level in the marketing literature, they have never been researched at a multi-brand alliance level. The purpose of this dissertation is to fill this gap in knowledge by researching the relationship among the three constructs in a multi-brand airline alliance context. This thesis follows a two phase research design. It consists of a preliminary qualitative study and a main quantitative study. The main purpose of the qualitative study, actualized through a number of semi-structured expert interviews, was to shed light on the effects and influences one brand can convey to the brand alliance of which it is a member. The purpose of the main quantitative study was to examine the validity of the model and hypotheses formed during the earlier phases (i.e. literature review and qualitative study) of the research. Self-administered questionnaires handed to respondents at the gate area of a major European airport aimed to capture the influences and effects of one or multiple brands within a brand alliance on customer perceptions. In general, the research findings indicate that customer perceptions of individual brands, members of a brand alliance, have a significant effect on their perceptions of the brand alliance as a whole. In particular, consumer perceptions of single brand service quality, trust and loyalty all had an effect on perceptions of brand alliance service quality, trust and loyalty respectively. Moreover. the analysis confirmed that the relationship between loyalty and positive word-of-mouth works similarly in a single brand and in a multi-brand alliance context

Technology Against Terrorism: Structuring Security

This report is devoted primarily to three other topics: interagency coordination of efforts in counterterrorist research and development, integrated security systems, and the role of human factors in aviation security. In addition, it furnishes details on a number of technologies that play a role in counterterrorism

European airline performance: a data envelopment analysis with extrapolations based on model outputs

Airlines are notoriously difficult to run successfully. In the 40 years to 2010 the airline industry generated a cumulative profit margin of only 0.1 per cent. Airlines are complex and heavily regulated entities which makes like for like comparisons difficult. This makes the identification of ‘best practice’ challenging and as a result airlines, while performing the same basic function, do so very differently. This study set out to identify the best performing airlines in Europe in an attempt to rank airlines in terms of company performance. Previous empirical work in this area was reviewed and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was identified as a suitable performance measurement and ranking technique. The analysis was further developed through the application of sensitivity analyses and robustness measurement methodologies. This study identifies Ryanair as one of Europe’s most efficient airlines and KLM as one of Europe’s least efficient airlines. As a result of further analysis various financial, operational and strategic elements of airlines were selected for further investigation. This in turn led to the identification of various ‘best practices’ and exemplars that poorer performing airlines may wish to emulate

Airport System Development

A study by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) that "examines present conditions and future needs of the Nation's airports, with emphasis on possible solutions to problems of operational capacity and air travel delay" (p. iii)