Virgin Atlantic

The airline industry is a hyper-competitive marketplace as many airlines have gone out of business

The airline industry has recently been focusing inwardly on revenue growth, yield management, and balance sheet strength. The permanent threat of terrorism creates an element of uncertainty when it comes to an airline company’s operations. There are significant challenges to implement effective security and risk management systems. Large investments in required infrastructures are correlated to these challenges (PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2014). There is also a strong demand for public transport recently as a result of environmental awareness and congestion. Railroads have difficulty meeting this demand because of a limited infrastructure capacity. This public transport competes with roads for investment funds and many planning processes for railroad projects take a long time to deliver (PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2014). The shipping subsector contributes an extreme amount to global transportation and logistics. It has been historically cyclical with volatility in vessel values, shareholder returns, and freight rates. The international economic and political environment also has a large effect on shipping. The business environment is challenging with a few specifics risks. Risks include increasing regulation, a risk

According to Greyhound, it takes a total of sixty-five hours to drive from New York to Los Angeles by bus with no transfer (“Choose your outgoing trip,” 2016). The same trip with Southwest Airlines takes approximately eight hours (“Select Departing Fight,” 2016). In 1971 Southwest Airlines became an official airline company when they won a U.S Supreme Court ruling and purchased three Boeing 737 (Thomas, Peteraf, Gamble &Strickland, 2016, p. c-341). As of 2014 Southwest’s fleet has grown to an astonishing 665 aircraft that recorded 902 thousand flights in 2013 (Thomas, et al., 2016, p. c-341). By evaluating Southwest’s industry maturation, strategies, their success in the sector it will be possible to make recommendations for Southwest 's future growth.

Through a Guest's journey and Guest Contact Centre, Virgin’s had promoted their Velocity Frequent Flyer program to customers (Virgin Australia Annual Financial Report 2014, 133). This type of plan was offered from company's long-term customers, providing the most preferential journey for them which rewarded their loyalty to the company. Furthermore, Virgin's had launched a 'High Flyer Passport', which designed to recognize Australia's youngest flyers (MediaNet Press Release Wire 2014). Virgin's addition to considering individual's goals and interests, but also they had an emphasis on the welfare of the stakeholders.

Five major passenger airlines dominate their industry by size (Grant, 2013, p. 479). But their size, legacy costs and hub and spoke business model created significant exit barriers (Grahm & Vowles, 2006, p. 108). New competitors not only started with no entry barriers but also few if any exit barriers. Legacy carriers had to identify new innovative strategies to augment their core business models to profitably compete.

American airline industry is steadily growing at an extremely strong rate. This growth comes with a number economic and social advantage. This contributes a great deal to the international inventory. The US airline industry is a major economic aspect in both the outcome on other related industries like tourism and manufacturing of aircraft and its own terms of operation. The airline industry is receiving massive media attention unlike other industries through participating and making of government policies. As Hoffman and Bateson (2011) show the major competitors include Southwest Airlines, Delta Airline, and United Airline.

The company tends to use pull strategy by creating a fresh and refurbished brand image so that the customer is coaxed to seek out the services offered by the brand(Appendix A). The company has an active social media presence which helps it to stay in touch with current customers and offer a window of experience to its new customers.(Appendix B) The company is actively present on facebook with the name of Virgin Australia, twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and the like(Appendix D). The customers can lodge complaints, find feedback forms; share their views through these websites. The idea behind the whole thing is to create positive social communities.

This report provides an examinaion of the current structure, performance, stragergy and management of Delta Airlines, along with an industry analysis of the airline industry. The report uses current and past financial and statistical data for the company along with other up to date material to determine Delta's current market position and future potential.

The company I chose to research is Delta which is in the airlines industry. Delta is one of the world’s largest global airlines that assist more than 160 million travelers get to destinations around the world. The company started in 1924 as a small aerial crop dusting operation known as Huff Daland Dusters. In 1929 Delta had its first passenger flights that went from Dallas, Texas to Jackson, Mississippi. This flight was taken on an airplane that carried 5 passengers and 1 pilot. Delta has been offering its service to customers for 85 years. For four consecutive years, Delta has been ranked No. 1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey. This is a huge accomplishment because it is a first for any airline. It is important

The following report of American Airlines and United Airlines, two American based airlines, analyzes and compares the composition of their respective fleets. These two air carriers are major airlines in the United States. Both airlines serve domestic and international flight, and since the year of 2006 have merged with other airlines. The report compares the aircraft inventory and age for American Airlines and United Airlines from the year 2006 until 2015, and incorporates the airlines that have merged with these in the time frame. The analysis utilizes data provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology through their Airline Data Project, as well as data gathered by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The domestic airline industry transports 711 million souls a year. That translates into a staggering $709 billion a year revenue flow (statista.com). One firm, named Southwest Airlines, accounts for 18.3 percent of that market. That 18.3 percent market share places Southwest at the number two spot, behind American Airlines. How does Southwest Airlines successfully compete and thrive in this environment? How do they differentiate themselves from the hoards of legacy carriers? Southwest Airlines encapsulates its strategy in a simple statement: “Meet customers’ short-haul travel needs at fares competitive with the cost of automobile travel (Grant, p.23). As a pioneer in low cost air travel, Southwest has successfully brought down airfares through its short route point-to-point business model, “no-frills” service, single flight strategy, and highly productive employees (Cederholm, 2014). In the following analysis we will investigate Southwest Airlines standing within the industry as a whole and their differentiation models driving success. We will also identify the firm’s competitive advantages as they relate to similar firms in the industry.

Virgin Atlantic Airways (VAA) was set up in 1984 to provide a competitive alternative for business and leisure passengers on long-haul routes between the UK and major destinations. It was founded by Virgin group management and in few decades time it became prominent figure in UK airline business. It has grown steadily over past 25 years and now serves 30 destinations in US, Africa, Asia from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow (Palmer, 2012). Currently Virgin Atlantic is managed by Singapore Airlines and Virgin group. In 2004, VAA introduced revolutionary upper class suite which was longest and most cosy fleet bed and seat in business class which was totally innovative and new idea for airline business. VAA also was

Being in the service sector it is important for Virgin Atlantic to study its marketing mix as it works as an efficient tool, while building up marketing plans. It comprises of the seven P’s which are as follows.

There have been few inventions to change how people live and experience the world considerably as the creation of the airplane. Today, traveling by air has become the norm and it would be difficult to imagine life without it. Air travel has improved the way people are able to conduct business by shortening travel time and changing their thought of distance. The companies within the airline industry exist in a very competitive market. One of those companies, Southwest Airlines, features low-fare, no-frills air service with frequent flights of mostly short routes. Costs are kept down by the exclusive use of Boeing 737 aircraft, which allows for low maintenance costs and quicker turnaround times for flights, and by an emphasis on ticketless travel (Encyclopedia Britannica). This paper will address two segments of the general environment and how they affect Southwest and the airline industry; evaluate how Southwest has addressed two forces of competition; predict what Southwest might do to improve its ability to addresses these forces; assess the external threats affecting Southwest; discuss Southwest’s greatest strengths and most significant weaknesses; determine Southwest’s resources, capabilities, and core competencies; and analyze their value chain.

The primary purpose of this report is to demonstrate the decision-making process for the chosen aviation company Virgin Atlantic Airline owned by Sir Richard Branson, which was established in 1984 and how they influence their customers to purchase their products and use their services. Virgin Atlantic offers many services such as