Exploring rail futures using scenarios: experience and potential

In 1995 the author of this paper undertook a scenario exercise for British Rail to identify priorities for rail science and technology developments under the new privatised regime. Four marketbased 2010 scenarios were developed for UK rail transport: 1) cost driven; 2) quality driven, 3)technology driven and 4) environmentally driven. These helped to identify areas of strategic R&D that were needed to improve rail’s competitiveness. It is now over a decade since this scenario exercise took place. This paper, updating an earlier review (Potter and Roy, 2000), revisits the 1995 scenarios and compares them to what actual market strategies emerged within the privatised railway industry. It explores whether the four scenarios did succeed in capturing the range of market responses that emerged from rail privatisation and what lessons this contains for the use of scenarios transport research

Development of a travel web site on a corporate internet

In early 1999, the Travel Department of Global Crossing (formerly Frontier Communications) was searching for a better way to transfer information between travel planners and travel counselors. At the same time, the corporation mandated that all departments within the corporation have a presence on the corporate intranet. Both of these goals would be accomplished by designing and developing a travel site on the corporate intranet. The next question was how to accomplish this task. Benchmarking, as well as research, was conducted to determine the best way to develop a travel web site. Courses in web design were taken, and information for the site was gathered. Content was gradually added to the site until it was ready to go live in front of the corporation. The site was continually updated and maintained. Travelers had increased opportunities to submit forms and register for events on-line. One of the main goals of the web site was to save time for both travelers and travel counselors. Through interviews with both of these groups, it was discovered that the web site was accomplishing its goal

Can the European low-cost airline boom continue?: Implications for regional airports

At a time when the traditional major airlines have struggled to remain viable, the low-cost carriers have become the major success story of the European airline industry. This paper looks behind the headlines to show that although low-cost airlines have achieved much, they too have potential weaknesses and face a number of challenges in the years ahead. The secondary and regional airports that have benefited from low-cost carrier expansion are shown to be vulnerable to future changes in airline economics, government policy and patterns of air service. An analysis of routes from London demonstrates that the low-cost airlines have been more successful in some markets than others. To attractive and historically under-served leisure destinations in Southern Europe they have stimulated dramatic growth and achieved a dominant position. To major hub cities however they typically remain marginal players and to secondary points in Northern Europe their traffic has been largely diverted from existing operators. There is also evidence that the UK market is becoming saturated and new low-cost services are poaching traffic from other low-cost routes. Passenger compensation legislation and possible environmental taxes will hit the low-cost airline industry disproportionately hard. The high elasticities of demand to price in certain markets that these airlines have exploited will operate in reverse. One of the major elements of the low-cost business model involves the use of smaller uncongested airports. These offer faster turn-arounds and lower airport charges. In many cases, local and regional government has been willing to subsidise expansion of air services to assist with economic development or tourism objectives. However, recent court cases against Ryanair now threaten these financial arrangements. The paper also examines the catchment areas for airports with low-cost service. It is shown that as well as stimulating local demand, much traffic is captured from larger markets nearby through the differential in fare levels. This has implications for surface transport, as access to these regional airports often involves long journeys by private car. Consideration is then given to the feasibility of low-cost airlines expanding into the long-haul market or to regional operations with small aircraft. Many of the cost advantages are more muted on intercontinental services – for example, aircraft utilisation is already high and few routes have sufficient local demand without the use of hubbing. Large turbo-prop aircraft such as the DHC Dash 8 400 series offer very good economics compared to regional jets on short to medium sectors where demand is too thin to support a Boeing 737 operation. flybe is using these on certain ‘third level’ routes in Britain and other opportunities are identified in mainland Europe. It is concluded that there are still good growth prospects for low-cost airlines in Europe, especially in France, Italy and some of the new EU member states but rather than growing to dominate the air transport industry, an equilibrium position is likely to be reached. Some regional airports may see their services reduce once the market becomes saturated or the relative competitive position of the major airports and airlines improves.

A reappraisal of transport aircraft needs 1985 - 2000: Perceptions of airline management in a changing economic, regulatory, and technological environment

Views of the executives of 24 major, national, regional, and commuter airlines concerning the effect of recent regulatory, economic, and technological changes on the roles they see for their airlines, and consequent changes in their plans for acquiring aircraft for the 1985 to 2000 period were surveyed. Differing perceptions on the economic justification for new-technology jets in the context of the carriers' present and projected financial conditions are outlined. After examining the cases for new or intermediate size jets, the study discusses turboprop powered transports, including the carriers' potential interest in an advanced technology, high-speed turboprop or prop-fan. Finally, the implications of foreign competition are examined in terms of each carrier's evaluation of the quality and financial offerings, as well as possible 'Buy American' policy predisposition

A Comparison of airline websites

The online travel business is widely expected to be one of the Internet\u27s biggest commerce breakthroughs by the millennium. Airlines have focused their web efforts on reinforcing their relationship with their customers. As the largest airline and the fourth-largest airline in the world respectively, both United Airlines and Northwest Airlines, the leaders of e-commerce in the transportation industry, have established a strong presence at the emerging travel purchase outlets being used by a growing number of airline consumers . The literature review focuses on the application of Blur\u27s effects (Davis, 1998) on the two and describes their main development in customer service and main operations of current travel agents in providing customers with in-time and whole package service. Comparison tables illustrate the detailed features of United Airlines\u27 and Northwest Airlines\u27 Websites regarding the ten attributes of an offer. Overall, the results show that homepage and Internet sales provide the customer conveniences, flexibility and choice. Without question, Internet purchasing, Internet check in, automatic paging, on-board Internet access, new on-line procurement sites, have brought the business-to-business efficiencies that will help organizations contain costs. They are becoming truly interactive places, where customers use information in ways that really add value. The improvements in speed and convenience, including features now available with hand held PDA\u27s, are generating a higher volume of online sales and higher number of repeat Airline Websites Thesis 3 customers. The study shows the new concepts of Internet integration in terms of homepage development in the airline industry. The author believes that airlines should create, establish and apply these new trends to expand their market, keep the niche in the burgeoning e-commerce industry, allow themselves to seize new opportunities in the rapidly developing e-commerce arena, grow, and increase the ability to compete with other rivals in the future

The NASA teleconferencing system: An evaluation

The communication requirements of the Apollo project led to the development of a teleconferencing network which linked together, in an audio-fax mode, the several NASA centers and supporting contractors of the Apollo project. The usefulness of this communication linkage for the Apollo project suggested that the system might be extended to include all NASA centers, enabling them to conduct their in-house business more efficiently than by traveling to other centers. A pilot project was run in which seventeen NASA center and subcenters, some with multiple facilities, were connected into the NASA teleconferencing network. During that year, costs were charted and, at the end of the year, an evaluation was made to determine how the system had been used and with what results. The year-end evaluation of the use of NASA teleconferencing system is summarized

Deregulation : an update

Cover titleOctober 1981Includes bibliographical reference

Audits of airlines (1988); Audit and accounting Guide

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_indev/1241/thumbnail.jp

UNLV Rebels vs University of Maryland Terrapins

Team roster for both schools. UNLV Schedule List of UNLV Athletic Donors Meet the Rebels Opponent\u27s Scouting Report Jerry Tarkanian Story Also contains information on other sports at UNL