Massoud Bazargan and Ilkay Orhan
The airlines cancel their flights frequently because of factors that they do not have any control over. Spare aircraft can potentially address some of the issues caused by…
Abstract
Purpose
The airlines cancel their flights frequently because of factors that they do not have any control over. Spare aircraft can potentially address some of the issues caused by cancelled flights. This paper aims to offer an exploratory study into the financial and operational viabilities of spare aircraft for airlines.
Design/methodology/approach
Mathematical models are proposed to evaluate the financial and operational metrics under different scenarios. The models are applied to Delta, Spirit and Southwest Airlines with different business models. All data are extracted from US Bureau of Transport Statistics, Cirium Diio Mi and CAPA databases. The IBM Cplex solver was used to execute the binary linear program models.
Findings
The research revealed that factors such as airline network size, hub and spoke structure and average weekly flight cancellations are crucial in establishing the need for spare aircraft. For the number of weekly cancellations, there exist break-even values that reasonably justify spare aircraft.
Practical implications
Models can be customized and applied to other modes of transportations.
Originality/value
This study is the first to consider the use of spare aircraft in airlines from both financial and operational perspectives within the scope of the mathematical model. The analyses identify financial break-even points for a number of spare aircraft and their home base locations for three airlines. Operational utilization of spare aircraft is studied and contrasted with financial metrics.
Details
Keywords
Vitaly S. Guzhva, Massoud Bazargan and David A. Byers
While a number of studies introduce entrepreneurship in the public sector, there is still a need for empirical research in this field. We use a survey of U.S. general aviation…
Abstract
While a number of studies introduce entrepreneurship in the public sector, there is still a need for empirical research in this field. We use a survey of U.S. general aviation airport managers to investigate the benefits of entrepreneurial spirit in public sector management. The results of logistic regressions suggest that the airport managers’ beliefs in importance of selfsustainability significantly improve the likelihood of general aviation airports to be self-sustaining. On the other hand, the airport specific characteristics, such as a favorable location, county population, and others are not statistically significant in achieving self-sustainability. Our findings support the literature that argue that entrepreneurship can be a mean of achieving more efficient, flexible and adaptive management in the public sector.
The purpose of this paper is to offer a new mathematical modeling approach to help airlines identify which types of heavy aircraft maintenance checks be performed in-house or…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer a new mathematical modeling approach to help airlines identify which types of heavy aircraft maintenance checks be performed in-house or outsourced.
Design/methodology/approach
This study offers a mathematical model to minimize the total cost of heavy maintenance programs over a planning period subject to performing all maintenance programs on time and other side constraints.
Findings
The results are very encouraging and somewhat counter-intuitive. The solutions recommend that more expensive and labor intensive checks be outsourced. A detailed analyses of the total maintenance cost breakdown is presented with implications and recommendation.
Originality/value
To the best of the knowledge, the literature on quantitative models for airline in-house and outsourced maintenance checks is very limited. The author believes the model and airline cases presented in this paper can help airlines with their strategic maintenance strategies and will initiate further studies in this important area.
Details
Keywords
Yadollah Mehralizadeh, Mohamad Jafar Pakseresht, Massoud Baradaran and Sakineh Shahi
This paper aims to report the process and outcomes of a case study which introduced internal evaluation procedures into academic departments of a university in Iran. The purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report the process and outcomes of a case study which introduced internal evaluation procedures into academic departments of a university in Iran. The purpose of the study was to identify what benefits could arise from using internal evaluation, and what obstacles existed to its successful introduction.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports a case study of internal evaluation within the academic departments of a university in Iran. The case study research used a range of methods to collect information on the operation of the intervention. This paper addresses the findings of a recent longitudinal research in relation to the issue of internal evaluation. A qualitative methodology was used to gain the perceptions of faculty members and department directors and reactions to the effects of the internal evaluation on their work and improvement of department quality. The methods of data collection included interviews, group discussions and workshops.
Findings
It was concluded in the study that internal evaluation processes are potentially valuable in Iranian universities but, if this value is to be realized on a continuous basis, particularly in the absence of external evaluation as an incentive, then it needs to become an integral part of each department, university, and the nationally accepted framework of quality assurance and management.
Research limitations/implications
The research was only conducted in 23 academic departments where the departmental heads and members of faculty were in agreement with the pilot introduction of internal evaluation.
Practical implications
There are considerable implications for the changes that would be needed in management and decision‐making structures if the internal evaluation is to be fully effective.
Originality/value
The paper is of value because there is considerable interest in systems of internal evaluation in universities, but there are few studies in developing countries and, in particular, there is no previous research in Iran.