Learn More

Modeling Airlines

With airlines losing substantial amounts of money thanks to record fuel costs, aviation industry experts are questioning the business model. NBR's Diane Eastabrook examines some of the strategic questions air carriers must answer in today's environment.



Discuss this story on XChange - The NBR Blog.

Related NBR Stories & Links

• 05-02-08: "Market Monitor" - Julius Maldutis, President & Chief Airline Analyst for Aviation Dynamics
• 03-10-08: Airline Stocks Continue Their Descent
• 01-11-08: Airline Mergers are Expected to Take Off
• 10-18-07: One-on-One with Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly

External Links/Articles*

• Air Transport Association (ATA)
  The ATA is a trade association that represents "the nation's leading airlines." This links to a table of historical Annual Passenger Yields for U.S. Airlines. Diane Eastabrook cites some of this data in her report.
• DePaul University
  This links to DePaul University's Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, which studies transportation. The institute's director, Joseph Schwieterman, is interviewed in Diane Eastabrook's report.
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) (PDF Document)
  The GAO's "mission is to help improve the performance and assure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people." This links to a June 2006 GAO report titled, "Airline Deregulation: Reregulating the Airline Industry Would Likely Reverse Consumer Benefits and Not Save Airline Pensions."
• International Air Transport Association (IATA)
  The IATA is an international trade association. This links to an IATA fact sheet about fuel, including a look at "Industry Fuel Costs and Net Profits."
• U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission
  The U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission was created by Congress to "assist in the commemoration of the centennial of powered flight." The commission's website includes many essays about the history of aviation. This links to one of those essays titled, "Deregulation and Its Consequences."
  

*Clicking these external links will take you off the NBR web site on PBS.org. NBR has no affiliation with these sites.