Online or on the heap?

Abstract

This paper not only examines some of the far-reaching impacts of information technology on the airline industry, but it also identifies a number of more immediate current challenges. Challenges such as increased liberalisation of global markets, competition from low-cost no-frills carriers, airport capacity restraints, environmental issues and the need to offer innovative and customer responsive services are discussed. A futuristic senario, that identifies some of the travel products and services that might be used in 2030, is also presented. The paper concludes by pointing out that despite the variety of forces that will shape the future of the industry, customer choice, preference and demand will remain the main driving force behind these changes.

Predicting Travelers’ Choice of Information Sources and Information Channels

“…The following statement sums up this sentiment: "It will be years, if ever, before computers give us anything close to the warm and personal service we hope to get from dealing with a live travel agent" (Needle 1998, cited in Lang 2000. The literature on the topic abounds with similar conclusions (e.g., Bloch and Segev 1996;alba, Lynch, and Weitz 1997;Passmann, Pipperger, and Schertler 1997;Lang 2000;Lord Marshall 2000;Laws 2001;Ng, Cassidy, and Brown 2006).…”