The airline business

Abstract

The airline product consists of tangible and intangible elements. It is important to remember that passengers are purchasing more than the airline product, they are also acquiring the benefits (for example, a customer experience) which they associate with it. Hence, the process of product development and market research should be ongoing if an airline is to keep itself up-to-date with the latest developments in the market place. The airline marketers should know what constitutes a high standard of customer service, particularly toward profitable customers. Nonetheless, there are different kinds of customers, including short-haul, long-haul, leisure and business passengers, who may hold different expectations from their airline. They may have certain needs and wants which could be higher on their list of priorities. In conclusion, this chapter suggests that customer centric airlines could follow a total quality mantra where every process is continuously improved for the benefit of customers. Such a total quality management approach implies that all members of staff are responsible to improve their airlines’ service quality.