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THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY (Budd, L. & Ison, S., 2017)

Commercial Air Transport
Different types of air transportation are used depending on the purpose of travel, such as military aviation,
which is used for defense and national security, general/civil aviation, which is used for private/non-
commercialized trips, and commercial aviation/commercial air transport, which is the scheduled/non-
scheduled aerial transportation of passengers, mails, or cargo, in exchange for revenue (Budd & Ison, 2017).
Commercial air transport is the most widely used mode of air transportation in the tourism industry for various
reasons. First, it is the mode that is mostly available to the public/mass population, and it has a wide range of
approaches in terms of business and operations, which provides a lot of options to passengers. Ranging from
500-seater aircraft that travel to major airports to single-engine aircraft, it provides access to some of the
most remote areas in the world.
Commercial air transport is a very big industry that operates on a macro or international/national level. Its
characteristics can be described in macro and organizational-level factors.
Characteristics of Commercial Air Transport
Commercial air transport often operates at the macro or international/national level. Several external factors
have major implications in its management and operations, which are the following:
• Regulation and control – Commercial air transport is subject to strict regulations and control by
several governing bodies for various reasons. It could be factors such as air service rights, foreign
ownership, and market competition, among others.
• Product is derived from demand – The demand for commercial air transport products usually arises
from the need for transport and not for the actual journey. The demand can also be seasonal and
frequently changing due to external factors such as the increase in fuel price, civil conflict, terrorist
threats, fortuitous events, and the like.
• Single-use – Commercial air products can only be offered once. As soon as the aircraft is airborne, the
empty seats cannot be sold again.
• Different forms of ownership – Ownership, and operations of commercial air transport may be owned
by either the private or the public sector, depending on the regulations and control imposed by a
country.
• Oligopolistic – Commercial air is dominated by a few airline companies and airline alliances.
• Social and environmental impacts – The commercial air transport industry has different forms of
impacts on both the environmental and social aspects of the world.
The macro-level characteristics of the commercial air transport industry are a big factor in the complexity of
its regulation, ownership, and operations. Several organizational or micro-level decisions are being taken into
account in the decision-making process in the industry through the following factors:
• Setting the right business model following the competitive environment and prevailing market
conditions.
• Aircraft procurement, fleet selection, and finance for an efficient operation depending on the type of
business model set.
• Airlines and airports must have good relationships for them to use each other’s resources, which is
key to efficient commercial air transport operations, maximized profits, and manageable yields.
• Aircraft and crew scheduling to maximize the use of resources and minimize the cost of operations.

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• Security and safety through systems that are under international rules and regulations for air
transport.
• Thorough decision-making in terms of using airspace and selecting flight paths to ensure safety,
minimize costs, and maximize efficiency.
• Use of information technology to sustain operations of commercial air transport through more
effective and efficient management.
• Managing human resources to provide reliable service consistently.
• Product marketing through various channels that will attract and retain customers.
Figure 1 shows an illustration of both external factors and organizational decision-making factors that
influence the commercial air transport industry.

External Factors

Social and
Regulation
environmental
and control
impacts

Organizational decision
making factors
Right business models Safety and security
Product
is derived Aircraft procurement, Use of airspace and Oligopolistic
from fleet selection and selection of flight
demand finance paths

Airline and airport Information

relationship technology

Aircraft and crew Human

scheduling resources

Different forms of
Single-use Product marketing ownership

Figure 1. External factors and organizational decision making factors influencing commercial air transport industry
Source: Air transport management, 2017, p. 2.

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THE AIRPORT INDUSTRY (Halpern, N. & Graham, A., 2018)

Function of Airport
Airports, which is an essential part of the air transport system, is an area that contains all the infrastructure
needed to enable passengers and cargo to be transferred through air transportation. It consists of runways,
taxiways, terminals, among others. Its key function is to provide the necessary infrastructure that will enable
airlines to take off and land.
To achieve such function, airports provide a wide range of facilities and services from necessities such as air
traffic control, security, fire safety systems to commercial establishments such as restaurants, shops, business
lounges, among others. Airports are vital to a region as it often acts as its main gateway that is connected to
other transportation systems such as land and water. The importance of airport in tourism lies in the different
types of customers that the airport serves, which are the following:
• Passengers: These includes the business travelers, tourists, transit passengers, visiting friends, and
relatives.
• The tourism industry and other sectors: These include commercial airlines, tour operators, and general
aviation, among others.
• Other stakeholders and interested parties: These customers are usually airport commercial space
tenants, business owners, and airport services providers, among others.
Airline-Airport Relationship
The airline-airport relationship consists of formal agreements, business arrangements, and daily interactions
that exist between airports and the airlines that operate in them (Humphreys & Francis, 2017). Airports
depend on airlines that seek facilities to do its operations and the passengers it brings to sustain its operations.
Airlines, in turn, depend on airports as their place for getting reliable and secure facilities that serve both their
passengers and aircraft, at a convenient location, at a required time, and at the right price.
Despite their dependency on each other, airlines and the airport both share a mutual objective, which is to
enhance customer satisfaction and passenger experience. However, both still have differences in their
commercial objectives and priorities. Airports seek to maximize revenue by optimizing their facilities and
assets, while airlines may seek to relocate to other airports for more favorable financial terms and lower
airport charges.
The relationship between airlines and airports may differ according to the geographical, political, and
commercial context. Major city airports can serve several full-service airlines all year round, while small
regional airports can only serve certain types of airlines for certain times of a year. The main factors that
influence the airline-airport relationship areas follows:
• The level of privatization is defined as the change of ownership from the public to the private sector,
and commercialization is defined as the imposition of commercial objectives on an organization.
• The respective strengths and market power of individual airports and airlines.
• Opening of airline routes, growing passenger demands, and forecasts for future growth.
• The emergence of new airline business models focuses more on cost and service.
AIRLINE BUSINESS MODELS (Budd, L., & Ison, S., 2017)
Airlines use business models to identify their target customers, sources of revenue, cost structure and build
flexibility on fluctuating market demands. The airline industry is highly competitive and always affected by
sudden changes in external factors such as fuel prices, political situations, environmental issues, and the like.
The challenge for airline companies is to refine or redefine business models to stay operational and profitable.

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There are six (6) general types of airline business models, two (2) of which are the common models. The listed
business models are not absolute. Airlines may adjust or combine any type that might be able to form a new
type depending on factors that will affect its operations and management.
Full-Service Network Carrier (FSNC)
Most FSNCs are originally state-owned “flag carrier” airlines that enjoyed full control of the market. However,
due to changes in aviation rules and financial landscape, the government was forced to sell its stakes in airline
companies and allowed private companies to operate. The Philippine Airlines or PAL is one example of FSNC.
The concentration of operation in main hubs, which are usually the major airports, gives FSNC access to many
routes that are connected to main hubs. The increasing competition in the industry has made FSNC rethink
some of its management practices to stay competitive. FSNCs also started to do mergers and join strategic
alliances as a way to combine their services and route access.
Low-cost carrier (LCC)
As a business model, LCCs or budget airlines as it is commonly known has become established in domestic and
regional markets. This model was the result of deregulation of airlines and easier market entry on different
routes and airports. However, LCCs may do have differences in its features depending on the location and
laws it operates under.
Most LCCs often use secondary airports as their main point of operations, and they tend not to use expensive
airport facilities and equipment for a more cost-effective operation. They utilize aircraft more compared to
FSNCs through ensuring the quick turnaround time, or the duration before an aircraft is ready to leave the
terminal again and travel back to its origin. The budget airlines known in the Philippines are the Cebu Pacific
(CEB) and AirAsia Philippines.
Table 1 shows the significant difference between the two (2) most common airline business models.
FSNC LCC
Aircraft types Uses different types of both narrow Often uses one type of narrow-body aircraft.
(single-aisle) and wide-body (two aisles),
depending on the route and required
capacity.
Aircraft use Often less than LCCs due to factors such Standard use is 11 hours or more per aircraft,
as connecting flights, different time all for short-haul operations (1-2 hours flight
zones, and crew rest periods duration)
Route Operates a hub-and-spoke type of Operates on point-to-point networks, which
network network where the main hub is connected are usually located in less-congested
to spokes or many different routes, thus secondary airports
forming the network
Product Offers different classes of cabin services, Offers only one class (economy), meals,
including meals and in-flight refreshments, and different forms of
refreshments entertainment/amenities are purchased as
extras
Market Business travelers, diplomats, and Mostly leisure travelers and people who are
travelers willing to pay above the LCC on a tight budget for airfares
rates
Pricing Flexible fares depending on several Simple fare structures with adjustments
factors such as the market, season, and depending on the demand (e.x. promo
day of the week, among others fares)

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FSNC LCC
Partnerships Often members of an airline alliance Usually remains independent, though some
enhance its market share and access to LCCs are subsidiaries or under an FSNC
different routes
Baggage Standard 23 kilograms for the economy Typically incurs charges/fees, except for the
allowance and more for higher classes (business and standard 7kg carry-on baggage
first-class)
Advertising Promotes good brand image and A simple approach that focuses on the
and reputation, especially for flag carriers destination, price, and brand of service
promotion
Distribution Online bookings, travel agencies, and Online reservations and usually avoid
corporate bookings channels that ask for commissions
Frequent flyer Offers loyalty programs that give Not usually offered
programs incentives to frequent travelers
Manpower Job functions are specified, and they Lower wages and often use outsourcing for
monitor the rate of pay and overtime a lower cost
Table 1. Comparison of the FSNC and LCC airline business models.
Source: Air transport management, 2017, p. 112.
Charter Airline
This is an airline business model that operates only on demand. It doesn’t have a fixed schedule and operates
mostly on less-congested secondary airports. Charter airlines only provide point-to-point services, usually to
popular holiday destinations as part of a tour package.
Services in this model may include complimentary checked baggage, in-flight meals, and entertainment. The
seat inventory may be purchased in full or depending on the number of passengers. This model is very
seasonal, and during lean seasons, charter aircraft are usually leased to other airlines as means of gaining
profit when charter operations are low. Some companies operate charter services. Some of these are Lion Air
and Far East Aviation Services. The Philippine Airlines (PAL) also offer this.
Regional Airline
This usually operates in medium-density routes that utilize regional jets or turboprop aircraft that travel to
only regional destinations. Some regional airlines can be independently owned, government-owned, or
subsidiaries of FSNCs. Regional airlines help link some remote areas that are hard to gain access to for land
transportation. It usually provides the spokes to major hubs that help give access to some of the most remote
areas of the world. One (1) of the regional airlines that operate in the Philippines is the AirSWIFT which has a
private airport located at El Nido, Palawan (El Nido Airport).
Hybrid Airline
This airline business model was established to classify airlines that exhibit characteristics from several business
models. Some examples are LCCs that offers connecting flights and is a member of an alliance and FSNCs that
offer promo rates. It can be argued that most airlines today are under this category as the competition in the
industry gets tighter. Considered examples of these are Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norway’s largest airline) and
JetBlue (US-based airline).
Specialist Operator
This is an airline business model that is concentrated on low density but vital services such as public service
organizations, charities, and humanitarian aids. The route it serves is mostly in remote areas/airfields.

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Particular aircraft that can operate in short/unprepared airports/airfields are usually used in this model
(including helicopters.) Air Serv International is an example of this that operates in the United States.

References:
AirCharterGuide (2021). Philippine charter operators. https://aircharterguide.com/Operators/Philippines/PH.
AlternativeAirlines. (n.d.). Hybrid airlines. Retrieved last March 04, 2021, from
https://www.alternativeairlines.com/hybrid-airline.
Budd, L., & Ison, S. (2017). Air transport management: An international perspective. Routledge.
FilipinoTravelCenter (n.d.). Domestic airlines. Retrieved last March 04, 2021, from
https://www.filipinotravel.com.ph/domestic-airlines/.
Halpern, N., & Graham A. (2018). The Routledge companion to air transport management. Routledge.
National Business Aviation Association. (n.d.). Retrieved last March 04, 2021, from Humanitarian group.
https://nbaa.org/aircraft-operations/hero-database/humanitarian-groups/
Page, S. (2016). Transport and tourism: Global perspectives. Pearson Education Limited.

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AIRLINE MANAGEMENT BASIC CONCEPTS (Budd, L. & Ison, S., 2017)

The Aviation Value Chain
The aviation value chain has many parts in which the airline is a part of it. The chain begins with manufacturers,
infrastructure, and services providers and ends with the distribution of services for passengers and cargo. In
between are airlines, which is one (1) component of the value chain that connects the whole.
Figure 1 shows an illustration of the aviation value chain.

Service provider:
Manufacturers: Infrastructure: • Insurance providers
• Aircraft • Airports • Airport services
• Engines • Air Traffic Control provider
• Other components • Communications • Catering
• Maintenance

Airline

Distribution (Passengers):
• Global Distribution Distribution (Cargo):
Systems • Freight forwarders (FedEx,
• Travel Agents/Tour DHL)
Operators

Figure 1. The Aviation Value Chain

Source: Air transport management, 2017, p. 24

Airline Market Demand

In general, the demand for air travel can be simply characterized as derived demand. Derived demand means
that it is a consequence of the demand or a need for something else. Demand for air transportation arises
from a desire or a need from an individual to reach a certain destination.
However, the derived demand for air travel is affected by other factors as well. One (1) is the collective results
of different economic activities worldwide, such as the lifting of trade restrictions between nations, economic
growth, urbanization, and growing economies, among others.

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The air travel market is so diverse that its market segments react differently to the factors that affect the
demand. Figure 2 shows the different market segments for air travel.

Figure 2. Market Segments for Air Travel Demand

Source: Air transport management, 2017, p. 27
Each market segments have their sensitivity in price and service quality, and their responses may vary to the
factors that affect the demand. For example, the demand for international business travel in short-haul routes
tends to spend less on airfare and accept lower in-flight service quality compared to its counterpart
(international business travel in long-haul routes).
Airline Market Supply
Airline products are mostly perishable, meaning that in a single flight, a vacant seat cannot be sold again. Most
airlines are challenged by the proper allocation of their products to minimize cost and maximize revenue. For
example, airlines under the FSNC business model (discussed in the previous module) usually offer multiple
seat classes (first, business, and economy) on a single aircraft so they can tap into different market segments.
Airlines usually do joint production, which is defined as a situation in which two (2) products/services are
created at the same time in the production process as another way to maximize revenue. For example, on a
flight from Manila to Singapore, there may be passengers who came from overseas in Manila and needed to
fly to Singapore. Other passengers might need to fly to Singapore to reach a farther destination via connecting
flights. It means that airline products may serve more than one (1) purpose/demand.
The supply in the airline industry tends to exceed the demand, and its capacity is rarely used at 100 percent.
It is probably one (1) of the reasons why airlines with fully booked flights are capable of moving passengers to
other flights. If not, passengers just move to another airline. Airlines increase the supply to have a competitive
advantage in terms of frequency.
Airlines that have a higher frequency of trip is more likely to offer the preferred departure time for passengers.
This, in turn, is considered as a good quality of service and results in a bigger share of the air travel market.
Route Structure (Cook, G. & Billig, B., 2017)
Among the strategic choices of airlines with regards to satisfying air travel market demand are the destinations
and routes it will offer to passengers. These decisions are affected by other fundamental strategic decisions
such as the target market and how the airline intends to have a competitive advantage against its
counterparts. There are three (3) generic route structures that airlines can offer, which are the following:

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• Point-to-Point – This route structure is a simple approach to connecting the destinations that the
airline wishes to offer. Non-stop flights are usually used in this route, and all passengers embark from
their origin and disembark at their destination.
It is a fast, cheap, and independent system that provides the shortest time for travel. The non-stop
flights make it independent as it doesn’t have to synchronize with other flight schedules compared to
other routes that are connected, which makes it simple and straightforward. It is cheap or cost-
effective because it allows for the shortest flight distance possible to reach a destination.
Its reach is limited to only several air travel market segments, for there are only a few paired
destinations that can be profitable and cost-efficient for point-to-point services operations.
• Linear – This route is a simple extension of the point-to-point structure where after reaching a
destination, the flight may continue to one (1) or several destinations. This route structure allows for
the boarding of passengers from the origin and the destinations along the route and deplane at their
respective destinations.
Like the point-to-point structure, linear routes are independent as disruptions on one (1) route don’t
affect the other, and schedules are simplified. Also, because this route structure is a combination of
paired destinations, the combined demand from different air travel market segments allows the
offering of services in between cities.
However, its downside is that there are multiple stops in a single trip. This means that there may be
conflicts with the passenger’s desire to have a quick, direct, and convenient flight experience. Distance
between stops in this route structure tends to be short, which adds to the operational costs for each
time a flight reaches a destination.
• Hub-and-Spoke – This route is usually utilized by large airline companies in the world. Its design and
operation are very complex compared to the previous two (2) route structures. This route structure
works best for serving wide geographical areas and many destinations. It has many variations
depending on the destination.
The hub-and-spoke route structure can be simply described in this way, the hub is the main airport of
operations or the hub city/airport, and the spokes are the different routes that the airline serves from
its hub. The hub-and-spoke structure is advantageous in terms of the following:
o It has total connectivity through a smaller number of trips – Since it has a main hub, fewer
trips are required to have total connectivity compared to the point-to-point structure.

Figure 3. Total Connectivity Comparison between Point-to-Point and Hub-and-Spoke

Source: Airline operations and management, 2017, p. 68

o Expansion of city pairs – A single hub-and-spoke network can connect more destinations that
comprise several pairs of destinations. For example, an airline that offers flights from New
York as its origin and Manila as its destination can access more city pairs in the Philippines
(Manila-Cebu, Manila-Davao, Manila-Ilocos).
o Consolidation of demand – Since the hub-and-spoke structure can connect more destinations,
it can also cater to almost every airline demand market segment.

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o Passenger convenience – An airline that utilizes the hub-and-spoke structure provides

convenience to passengers in terms of easier transactions, single check-in for multiple
destinations, easier gate and facility locations, and a structured flight schedule, among others.
o Hub dominance – Airlines can take advantage of the market within their hub by establishing
their dominance in the local market.
o Competitive strength – Airlines that use this structure are usually prioritized in terms of
utilization of the hub airport’s facilities.
o Widespread distribution – Hub airlines reach a wider share of the global market due to the
huge number of routes it serves.
o The hub-and-spoke structure also has its disadvantages, which are as follows: Infrastructure
and labor – Hub airlines require intensive labor and extensive facilities to sustain operations
within this structure. The nature of the hub-and-spoke structure, which has complex
connections, makes the infrastructure and manpower assets idle during connecting times.
o Flight operations expense – Hub-and-spoke structured airlines technically have the highest
operational costs because of the number of routes it serves.
o Harder pacing of flights – The spokes’ distance in the hub-and-spoke structure varies greatly,
that it’s a challenge for airlines to structure their trips that will optimize passenger
convenience.
o Crowded hubs – As the hub-and-spoke structure gets the largest part of the air travel demand
market, it tends to crowd hubs, especially in the events of delay and cancellations. Passengers
are stuck in the terminals, and aircraft are stuck in the parking ways, taxiways, and runways.
o Mixed fleet requirement – The structure serves cities of different sizes and demands. From
small to big cities, their airports have different capacities. To reach a wider market, hub
airlines must have different types of aircraft to be able to operate in different types of the
airport.
o Delays – Hub-and-spoke structured airlines are always susceptible to flight delays. A delay in
a spoke may result in the delay of other routes.

BASIC AIRLINE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (Cook, G. & Billig, B., 2017)

Airline schedule and resource planning
This focuses on the optimization of resources through proper scheduling of airline activities. The resources in
operating an airline, such as aircraft and flight crew, are expensive and costly to employ, respectively.
Resources need to be synchronized as well in airline operations, for most airline resources cannot operate
independently. For example, an aircraft is selected to serve a route but needs the services of a flight crew to
operate. Airline schedule and resource planning are comprised of three (3) main tasks, which are the
following:
• Schedule/timetable generation – The airline must determine not only the departure times of flights
on different routes but also the frequency of daily flights. Many airlines apply the basic rule of “the
more frequent a flight is, the more it is appealing to passengers.”
• Fleet assignment and routing – After setting a timetable, the airline needs to allocate its available
aircraft to the right routes. The choice of which aircraft to utilize for a specific route is usually based
on the tentative forecast. The task is to choose the right type of aircraft for the right route that will
meet the demand and maximize potential revenue. There are four (4) general constraints in the fleet
assignment:

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o Flight coverage – Each flight must be assigned to one (1) aircraft type.
o Aircraft flow balance – The total number of incoming aircraft at an airport must be equal to
the total number of outgoing aircraft in addition to the aircraft remaining on the ground.
o Fleet size – The number of aircraft used must be less than or equal to the total fleet size.
o Slot allocation – The availability of desired parking slots at all destination airports must be
adequate to handle the fleet assignment accordingly.
An aircraft then is given a tail number, which is a unique identification or registration number that
helps the identity of which route assignment the aircraft belongs to. This is done to identify individual
aircraft and their respective maintenance requirements to ensure that the right aircraft is used for
the right route.
Aircraft tail assignment must take into account the performance and maintenance history of an
aircraft. This is to make sure that the airlines still meet the legal safety requirements for aviation.
• Crew scheduling – After routes are assigned to aircraft, the next step is to design a work schedule for
the flight crew who will operate the flight. This process is done through two (2) components which
are the following:
o Crew pairing – This is a work schedule that is designed in a sequence of flights that begins and
ends at a crewmember’s base/headquarters. The length of flight in a crew work schedule can
span multiple days. Pilots can only fly one (1) aircraft type, while cabin crews are usually
qualified to serve any type in the fleet.
Crew pairing includes intervening rest periods (usually overnight) and should meet legal
working conditions for the crew to ensure the safety of the entire aircraft operations. It is
important to take note that the actual names of crew members in this component are not yet
identified and are designed to determine the number and type of crew required for a specific
fleet type.
o Crew rostering – After the work schedule for crew members is designed, the crew pairings
will be assigned to the crew members. A crew roster ensures that the employment conditions
for the crew are met, such as annual leave entitlements, training, and leave requests, among
others. It also makes sure that a flight has enough qualified crew on board.
Most airlines use a system that enables crew members to bid for their preferred work
schedule. The crew members register their preferences, and the system fills the roster with
crew pairings that meet their preferences. In the bidding system, senior cabin crew members
tend to obtain work schedule that is aligned with their preferences, which leaves the
undesired schedules to junior cabin crews.
Airline Operations Control Center (AOCC)
The people involved in an airline operation are scattered across the airline’s route system. In nature, airline
employees often report to different managers who are assigned to handle different areas of the operation.
This often results in conflicting priorities and poor communication with other functional departments.
This led to the development of the Airline Operations Control Center, which is the single operations center for
all daily operations managers and staff. The name may vary depending on the airline, but the concept is the
same. It is considered as the solution to improve coordination, communication, and tactical decision-making
for airline operations.
The AOCC contains one (1) or more operation controllers that monitor several functional areas such as the
following:

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• Dispatch – This is responsible for the flight planning, issuing flight plans to captains, and following
each flight’s progress. Dispatchers are licensed professionals who ensure the safe operation of the
flight along with the pilot. They often work alongside load planners who track and give instructions in
the loading of passengers, baggage, and cargo. Load planners provide the computation of the total
weight and center of gravity to the captain.
• Crew scheduling – This tracks crew members’ movement through the airline’s route network, checking
their status, and calling in reserve crewmembers, or readjusting their schedules as the need arises,
especially during disruptions.
• Maintenance control – This coordinates with line mechanics for aircraft maintenance, especially
during technical issues. They make sure that the required parts and repair equipment are available to
meet aircraft maintenance policies and troubleshoot malfunctions.
• Fleet planning – This tracks individual aircraft to make sure that their schedule would allow for their
required maintenance.
• Customer service – The front-liners who are in charge of ensuring the proper flow of the passenger
check-in up to the boarding process belong to this functional area. They also make sure that schedule
changes are communicated to station personnel and passengers and accommodate all the required
needs of affected passengers.
Disruption Management
The nature of airline operations is that it is full of uncertainties. The airline is a business that is always subject
to disruptions, which the most common are flight delays and cancellations. Airlines do their timetabling with
the presumption that the daily operations will be performed without any schedule changes. However, this is
hardly the case; that is why disruption management is implemented. It is a decision-making process taken by
the airline to minimize the consequences and impacts of operational disruptions.
Delays and cancellations often result in higher than expected operational costs, and airlines try their best to
execute operations closer to the planned timetable. Disruption management can be done in two (2) ways
which are the following:
• Schedule recovery – This is a reactive form of intervention made by airlines to return the operations
to their normal schedule. It is usually applied in the events of disruptions in the original aircraft
routing, crew pairings, and even passenger itineraries. The following are some techniques applied in
schedule recovery:
o Delaying or canceling flights
o Rerouting of aircraft and/or crew to operate other flights
o Using additional/reserve crew to operate and avoid exceeding crew work limits
o Transporting crew as passengers (deadhead crew) who will operate flights out of other
airports
These recovery techniques depend on the nature of the disruptions and may have significant impacts
and conflicts on all people and resources affected. The schedule recovery process should also involve
the following measures:
o Generate an updated flight schedule
o Reroute aircraft to operate the updated flight schedule
o Allocate crew who will operate to the rerouted flight schedule
o Design new itineraries that will ensure the arrival of disrupted passengers to their intended
destinations

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• Robust planning – This is a proactive approach to disruption management that is planned during
timetabling to avoid or minimize the impacts of operational disruptions before they could even
happen. There are ways on how robust planning can be done which are the following:
o Increase time for aircraft turnaround/aircraft unloading and departure preparation on the
ground to have a buffer for delays.
o Determine expected delays and come up with contingency plans to return to schedule as
quickly as possible.
o Prepare for the possibility of aircraft swapping/switching.

References:
Budd, L., & Ison, S. (2017). Air transport management: An international perspective. Routledge
Cook, G., & Billig, B. (2017). Airline operations and management. Routledge.

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