Air Travel Partnerships

Book excerpt: While change in the aviation sector is hardly a new phenomenon, going forward the rate of change will accelerate due to the emergence, convergence, and intersection of powerful internal and external forces. To deal with the accelerating change in the marketplace, stakeholders in the travel ecosystem need to deepen collaboration that is productive to (1) building adaptable, resilient, and lean businesses, (2) achieving growth and innovation, (3) elevating traveler experience to a much higher level, and, at the same time, (4) reducing the impact on the environment. Undoubtedly, while some innovations implemented by different aviation business sectors—to become more adaptable, more resilient, and leaner as well as to improve customer experience—have been adding some value, the innovations being introduced have been transactional, fragmented, and incremental. What is needed is a step change in proactive collaboration among different stakeholders in the air travel ecosystem at the holistic level, to cocreate value for travelers in terms of experience (relating to simplicity, convenience, and speed) and for businesses to adapt in order to reduce costs and increase profit margins. This book focuses on four types of organizations within the air travel sector: airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers, and travel intermediaries. It provides a framework, tools, and insights to enhance collaborations by design in an age of increasing uncertainty. Air Travel Partnerships is essential reading for all executives and senior managers within airlines, airports, and air transport supporting industries.