Air Transport Management (Executive) MSc

To provide a sound understanding of those economic concepts which are particularly relevant to decision-making in the air transport industry.

• Demand and supply analysis
• Profit maximisation and cost minimisation in the competitive environment
• Market entry barriers in aviation 
• Structure of airline and airport costs
• Airline pricing and revenue management
• Introduction to financial statements
• Financial ratios and airline and airport evaluation
• Source of finance and aircraft leasing
• Investment appraisals
• Economic regulation 
  
   

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. Assess the fundamental elements of finance and economic theory that are applied to analyse aviation markets.
2. Critically analyse the economic and financial characteristics of airlines and airports and the sources of revenues and structure of costs.
3. Calculate, analyse and benchmark airline and airport economic and financial performance (costs, financial ratios etc.). 
4. Critically examine the different sources of finance available in the air transport industry.
5. Evaluate and apply different investment appraisal techniques.
   
   

To provide an introduction to the individual and the group in the organisation – how and why people differ. 
To introduce frameworks that aid interpersonal understanding, communication and relationships. 
To introduce the notion of personality and emotional competence. 
To consider the importance of relationships at work. 
To discuss the importance of effective feedback. 
To introduce the concept of group dynamics and effective teams. 
To explore the effectiveness of different leadership styles. 
To provide an introduction to, conflict and control, power, politics and influence in organisations. 
To introduce and understand the role of organisational culture in change. 
To explore the challenges of leading change
To reflect on the learning on the course and its applicability in the learners working environment and future career plans

Generally the curriculum will develop from a critical view of the individual through an understanding of his or her relationships at work with respect to membership of groups and teams. This module provides understanding of various perspectives on the effective leadership of change, paying particular attention to the role of organisational culture. 
Specifically, the syllabus will include: 

• Introduction to personal and professional development 
• Individual differences and learning
• Group dynamics and team roles
• Relationships, personality and motivation
• Organisational culture
• Power, politics and influence
• Operational change approaches
• Leadership of change and leadership paradoxes
• Leadership and coaching

The module will be supported by coaching and mentoring sessions and at the end of the taught component of the MSc course, will reflect on the learning that has been made on the course and how this affects the learners professional and personal development.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. Examine the diverse nature of organisations and how people, management and strategy are influenced by internal and external factors.
2. Critique a wide range of Leadership competencies, styles and techniques.
3. Identify key challenges in change processes and develop effective leadership interventions.
4. Critically reflect on personal strengths and weaknesses, including an understanding of how they are perceived by peers.
5.  Appraise the professional and personal development with regards to the learning on the course and its applicability in the air transport industry and based on this, develop a plan of action for future personal and professional development

To provide a industrial case where knowledge and skills gained from the taught components of the course can be applied to solving an air transport management problem.

• Introduction to the project
• Progress review

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the operational, strategic, economic and financial performance of an air transport organisation in a holistic way.
2. Collect and analyse information and industry data from a variety of sources to support a case study analysis.
3. Plan, manage and execute an industrial project to a deadline.
4. Competently defend the findings of the project.

To provide a solid understanding of the key challenges and issues currently impacting and shaping the international air transport industry, and likely to do so in the foreseeable future. 

• Evolution of airline strategies
• FSNC and LCCs
• Air cargo and integration
• Global airport business
• Airport-airline relationship
• Airport commercial revenues
• Performance metrics and success factors
• Global air network competition and development
• The impact of new technologies, products and services
• Air transport and the environment
• Sustainable growth in air transport industry
• Future air transport industry prospects

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. Determine and assess the key contemporary challenges impacting the international air transport industry to establish importance and impact.
2. Identify and analyse the key metrics that are related to the air transport industry.
3. Assess and evaluate commercial relationship between airlines and airports.
4. Develop key recommendations for air transport industry regarding feasible strategies for future sustainable growth and expanded global reach.
5. Assess the future of air transport based on the likely future key challenges and issues air transport. 
   
   
   

To assist air transport managers to formulate and implement strategies in order to create sustained competitive advantage.

To provide a sound comprehension of how marketing concepts and theories can be applied to the air transport industry, considering its unique nature.

• Introduction to Strategic Air Transport Management.

• Core Concepts of Strategic Management.

• Performing Strategic Analysis.

• Strategies used to Respond to Competition and Competitive Advantage.

• Airline business diversification strategies.

• Introduction to Marketing.

• Consumer Behaviour.

• Market Segmentation.

• Airline and airport products.

• Customer experience and journey.

• Branding, Promotional communication and loyalty.

• Distribution.

• Pricing and Revenue Management.

• Airport route development and marketing.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to: 

1. 1. Identify, appraise and critique strategic management and marketing concepts applied by airlines and airports.
2. 2. Assess how different strategies impact the competitiveness of airlines and airports, including the planning of products and the importance of product differentiation.
3. 3. Examine the characteristics of the main segments of airline and airport markets.
4. 4. Assess the links between advertising, pricing, promotion, branding and customer behaviour.

Obtain the theory and knowledge, skills of ‘demand forecasting’, and apply to the practical work for the air transport industry.

• • Introduction to air traffic forecasting.
• • Air travel demand.
• • Market analysis.
• • Trend analysis.
• • Time series analysis.
• • Market share forecasts.
• • Long term forecasts.
• • Evaluating forecasting results.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Appraise key factors affecting demand for air travel.
2. 2. Analyse data and select the most appropriate model to produce a traffic forecast.
3. 3. Evaluate forecasting methods and interpret the results with confidence.
4. 4. Appraise and critique the work of other practitioners and specialists.
5. 5. Communicate effectively, in written form, the research work produced.

Crisis management is a topic area relevant to airlines, airports and other organisations involved with delivering air transport. These organisations typically have dedicated personnel and departments to emergency response and crisis planning. The aim of this module is to provide you with an overview of how to plan for crises, what to expect when they happen, and how to deal with practicalities such as dealing with media, survivors and in the longer term, insurers.

View the details for this module 

• • Crisis management planning.
• • Crisis communications.
• • Critical function and risk analysis.
• • Business continuity development and strategy.
• • Crisis management exercise.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. 1. Describe the key elements of a crisis.
2. 2. Analyse the importance of effective crisis management.
3. 3. Critically evaluate past aviation crisis management.
4. 4. Facilitate business continuity planning.

To provide you with the fundamentals of the aircraft selection and fleet planning process and their impact on the financial viability of operators.

• • Aircraft performance, economic analysis and financial evaluation.
• • Data sources and modelling techniques.
• • Defining the aircraft product.
• • Evaluation of competing products.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to: 

1. 1. Describe and evaluate the principles of fleet planning.
2. 2. Analyse the performance and economics of different aircraft types.
3. 3. Apply key fleet planning principles and ideas in a real-world airline context.

To provide a sound comprehension of how legal concepts and regulatory policies affect and apply to the global air transport industry, considering its unique nature.

• • International regulation.
• • EU regulatory policy.
• • Introduction to international aviation law.
• • The 1944 Chicago Convention.
• • Geopolitics and aviation.
• • Airline liability.
• • The bilateral system.
• • EU competition law.
• • Impact of deregulation/liberalisation.
• • Safety regulations ICAO.
• • Safety regulations EASA/H&S.
• • Environmental regulation.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to: 

1. 1. Evaluate the contemporary relevance and ongoing effectiveness of the 1944 Chicago Convention for global aviation.
2. 2. Assess and explore the role of geopolitics in global aviation, including how international relations and geographical location impact and shape the airline industry.
3. 3. Identify and explore core aviation law theories, concepts and debates and assess how these intersect within a multidisciplinary context.
4. 4. Detail and analyse how changes in economic regulation and competition law have influenced the evolution of air transport markets around the world today.
5. 5. Develop and apply a systematic understanding of important aspects of the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions and be able to apply these to solving real-world and scenario-based cases concerning legal liability.

To provide you with the fundamentals of the disciplines associated with the management of aircraft maintenance and engineering.

• Maintenance Programme Development – balancing of technical requirements and operational priorities; Maintenance Steering Group 3 process.
• Optimisation of maintenance - Outsourcing/In House Maintenance; Application of Lean principles to Maintenance operations; Maintenance planning; Maintenance costs.
• Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance - Error types; Classification systems; Maintenance Error Management System; Maintenance Error Decision Aid (MEDA) & other resources.
• Logistics and supply chain management.
• Linkages between manufacturer, operator and maintenance organisation.
• Continuing airworthiness management and Regulatory aspects (EASA Part M).
• Health and usage monitoring, engine condition monitoring etc.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. 1. Describe the principles of reliability with direct relation to aircraft availability.
2. 2. Outline a maintenance management programme, including the interface with operations, supply chain and cost issues.
3. 3. Critically appraise the various aircraft maintenance philosophies used for in-service aircraft.
4. 4. Develop a process for achieving continuing airworthiness management with the appropriate regulatory approval.
   
   

To provide students with knowledge, understanding and skills in airport operations.

• Airport management systems
• Airside and landside operations
• Airport social media
• Control of emergencies and contingency planning
• Airport security
• Airport safety management systems and risk assessment
• Airport customer service

Obtain the theory, knowledge and technique to assess the environmental impact related to the aviation industry, and appraise it in the different point of views according to the stakeholders.

• Aviation, the environment and economy
• Environmental economics, issues and policy, abatement cost of carbon, and cost benefit analysis
• Measuring airlines’ carbon footprints including workshop
• Forecasting aviation’s carbon emissions
• Industry structure and airline emissions
• Technology and operational solutions
• Noise, local air quality, and climate change regulations, protocols and industry self-management
• Airport environmental management
• Airport surface access
• Passenger engagement with aviation environmental issues
• Managing demand and mitigation

To ensure that upon completion of the module, you will have acquired the required level of knowledge and skills to successfully tackle real-world airport strategic planning problems.  

• • Site selection for new airports,
• • Airport Master Planning,
• • Flexible strategic planning,
• • Airport policy and the planning process,
• • Airport catchment areas and ground transport access,
• • Airport competition and connectivity,
• • Digital transformation and strategy,
• • Airport stakeholder relations,
• • The influence of airline behaviour on airport planning,
• • The impact of sustainability on the definition of airport strategy,
• • Case studies in airport strategic planning,

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the process of airport capacity planning and master planning within the context of changing airline industry structure, national airport policy goals, and planning constraints.
2. 2. Compare, analyse and assess different options and scenarios for new airports or existing airports and understand the interaction of key variables in the decision-making process.
3. 3. Understand the impact of airline market dynamics on long-term airport strategic planning.
4. 4. Assess critically airport competition dynamics.
5. 5. Appraise and critique the work of other practitioners and specialists, communicate effectively, in written form, research work produced, and complete coursework to set deadlines.

To provide you with the fundamental skills required to manage operational safety within the aviation industry.


View the details for this module 

• • The fundamentals of a Safety Management System, and introduction to associated guidance material provided by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other State safety regulatory bodies.
• • Safety data, safety information and analyses; including reporting systems, investigation and Flight Data Monitoring (FDM).
• • Hazard identification and risk management, including an introduction to Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).
• • Safety performance and safety health; including guidance on audits and safety promotion.
• • Safety organisations, including guidance on effective management of safety teams.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to: 

1. 1. Describe the fundamental concepts behind Safety Management Systems (SMS), as defined by ICAO and other regulatory bodies.
2. 2. Select and implement techniques for the identification, quantification and management of hazards and risks.
3. 3. Critically assess strategies for developing and enhancing safety culture including the role of leadership, structure and reporting systems.
4. 4. Identify techniques for measuring safety performance

To provide you with the knowledge, understanding and skills in the design of airports and associated facilities in respect to contemporary commercial requirements.

• • Airport capacity on land- and airside.
• • Airfield configuration including runway, apron and taxiways.
• • Terminal layouts.
• • Surface access design.
• • Baggage handling.
• • IT systems in terminal design.
• • Aircraft performance and airport design.
• • Impact of changing industry requirements on airport design.
• • Passenger flow simulation.
• • Case studies in airport design.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to: 

1. 1. Demonstrate a clear understanding and knowledge of the fundamental principles of sustainable airport design within the context of climate change, constantly evolving airline requirements and radical alterations to airport surface access as well as international and local aviation policies.
2. 2. Explore and explain the impact of aircraft performance and characteristics onto the design of the airport infrastructure, including traditional keroseine-, SAF-, electric- and hydrogen-powered fixed-wing aircraft and eVTOL.
3. 3. Assess, measure and calculate the capacity of airport sub-systems, and model passenger flows using design simulation software.
4. 4. Propose future requirements of airports in response to their business diversification and the need to integrate new forms of passenger services supporting the evolution of the airport business model.
5. 5. Examine and evaluate the ability of airport design to respond to changing requirements within the global economy and growing passenger expectations.

To ensure that when you complete the module you have received the required level of knowledge and relevant sets of skills in order to apply these competently to help you solve business and management problems in regional aviation.

• • Regional airline economics.
• • Regional airline strategy.
• • Regional airline network planning.
• • Regional aircraft performance and economics.
• • Regional airline fleet planning.
• • Management of regional airports and ATC.
• • Subsidies, Public Service Obligations, and other support mechanisms.
• • Case studies and practitioner visiting online lectures .

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. 1. Discuss the key economic and business features that are common to regional airlines and evaluate how these differ from other airline business models.
2. 2. Critically analyse and appraise business problems relating to regional airline strategy and network planning.
3. 3. Critically evaluate the performance characteristics of regional aircraft in the context of regional airline fleet planning and the implications on business performance.
4. 4. Critically evaluate the common economic and business challenges faced by airports and providers of ATC in regional markets.
5. 5. Critically analyse and appraise policy challenges relating to the use of essential air service support mechanisms that are often applied to remote / peripheral regional markets.

To provide you with an understanding of the developments in technology and digitalisation in the airline and airport sectors and how this impacts their business and operations.

• • Technological developments within the aviation industry.
• • Digital transformation processes.
• • Data sources in aviation management.
• • Data analytics in the context of aviation management.
• • The effects of e-commerce in air transport.
• • Social media.
• • Digital developments in aviation operations.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

1. 1. Examine the characteristics and key drivers of technology in the aviation industry.
2. 2. Assess the potential applications of technology and the digital transformation process in the aviation industry.
3. 3. Appraise the role of e-commerce and social media in the aviation industry.
4. 4. Identify and judge the sources of data and applications of data analytics in the context of aviation management.
5. 5. Examine the digital developments in airline and airport management.

​​To provide an introduction to the individual and the group in the organisation – how and why people differ.

​To introduce frameworks that aid interpersonal understanding, communication and relationships.

​To introduce the notion of personality and emotional competence.

Generally the curriculum will develop from a critical view of the individual through an understanding of your relationships at work with respect to membership of groups and teams. This module provides understanding of various perspectives on the effective leadership of change, paying particular attention to the role of organisational culture.

Specifically, the syllabus will include:

• Introduction to Personal and Professional Development.

• Individual Differences and Learning.

• Group dynamics and Team roles.

• Relationships, Personality and Motivation.

• Organisational Culture.

• Power, Politics and Influence.

• Operational Change approaches.

• Leadership of change and leadership paradoxes.

• Leadership and coaching.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. Examine the diverse nature of organisations and how people, management and strategy are influenced by internal and external factors.

2. Critique a wide range of Leadership competencies, styles and techniques.

3. ​Examine key challenges in change processes and develop effective leadership interventions.

4. ​Critically reflect on personal strengths and weaknesses, including an understanding of how they are perceived by peer.