Air Transport Management MSc (Executive)

• Professor Keith Mason

To provide students with an overview of the complexities of the airline business, to examine different airline business models and assess critical success factors.

• Overview of airline business
• Review of the airline regulatory environment and its impact on the business
• The Airline Market
• Market share modelling
• Airline Business Models
• Full Service (network, 6th Freedom, Niche)
• Low Cost
• Charter
• Regional
• Key Performance Indicators
• Success factors for different business models

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Identify the complexities of the airline business and the factors that make impact most on the workings of the industry
2. Review the airline regulatory framework and assess how this affects the structure of the airline business
3. Identify and analyse different airline business models
4. Build and critically assess KPIs for airlines of different business models
5. Identify key elemental differences in airline business models using appropriate analytical tools.
6. Identify KSF for different airline business models and assess the robustness of each.

• Dr Romano Pagliari

To ensure that when students complete the module they will have received the required level of knowledge and relevant sets of skills in order to apply these competently to help them solve airport business management problems.

• Introduction to airport economics
• Aeronautical revenues and the airport-airline relationship
• Airport marketing and route development
• Maximising airport terminal duty-free, retail and F&B sales
• Airport commercial development case study
• Car parking, property and other commercial revenues
• Airport privatisation
• Business models for managing commercial activities
• Airport costs and out-sourcing
• Airport performance
• Airport markets, competition and economic regulation

1. Critically evaluate solutions to solving management problems within the aeronautical business context
2. Critically evaluate solutions to solving management problems within the commercial /non-aeronautical business context
3. Critically evaluate differences in airport performance through the use of appropriate benchmarking measures.
4. Critically evaluate the potential for an airport to succeed in developing new routes.

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

• Overview of the concepts used in strategic management
• Performing strategic analysis
• Airline alliances, mergers and acquisitions
• Responding to competition
• Strategic transformations – repositioning airlines towards profitability
• Acquiring and sustaining competitive advantage
• The driving strategies behind airline success stories
• Ancillary revenue – a game changer for the industry

• 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 culturein change.
• To explore the challenges of leading change.

• 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. The second part of 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:
o Introduction to Personal and Professional Development
o Individual Differences and Learning
o Group dynamics and Team roles
o Relationships, Personality and Motivation
o Organisational Culture
o Power, Politics and Influence
o Operational Change approaches
o Leadership of change and leadership paradoxes
o Leadership and coaching

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

1. Appreciate the diverse nature of organisations and how people, management and strategy are influenced by internal and external factors;
2. Demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of management competencies, styles and techniques;
3. Show knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses, including an understanding of how they are perceived by peers.
4. Demonstrate effectiveness in:
      a. Thinking and creativity
      b. Team working and leadership
      c. Communication
5. Demonstrate self-awareness and a developmental focus;
6. Take into account the people issues present in teams and organizations.
7. Identify key challenges in change processes and develop effective leadership interventions

• Dr Robert Mayer

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
• Barriers to entry and growth of the firm and regulation
• Structure of airline costs
• Economics of different airline business models (including cargo)
• Airline pricing and revenue management
• Introduction to financial statements
• Financial ratios and airline evaluation
• Source of finance and leasing
• Investment appraisals

1. Assess the fundamental elements of finance and economic theory that are applied to analyse aviation markets.
2. Evaluate the characteristics of different airline business models and their key economic and financial drivers.
3. Critically analyse the economic and financial characteristics of airports and the sources of revenues and structure of costs.
4. Calculate, analyse and benchmark airline/airports performance (costs, financial ratios etc.).

To provide students with the fundamentals of research practice and to help students develop the skills necessary for them to undertake management research in a systematic and scientific manner.

• Introduction to research: the research process
• Ethical issues in research design
• Problem definition and literature review
• Theoretical framework and hypothesis development
• Overview of quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Case study, surveys, interviews, focus groups, e-research
• Qualitative data analysis
• Data collection design
• Data analysis techniques
• Descriptive statistics, univariate and bivariate analysis

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Critically evaluate fundamentals of research process
2. Identify different approaches and methodologies in management research
3. Evaluate and select the most appropriate strategy and design for a research project
4. Use the most appropriate statistical techniques to analyse data

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
• Econometric modelling
• Evaluating forecasting results

• Dr David Barry

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 course is to provide students 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.

Crisis management planning

Crisis communications

Critical function and risk analysis

Business continuity development and strategy

Crisis management exercise

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

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

• Professor Keith Mason

To provide students with knowledge, understanding and skills in airline marketing.

• Introduction to marketing
• Consumer behaviour
• Market segmentation
• Airline and airport products
• Market research, survey design, and analytical approaches
• Branding, promotional communication and loyalty
• Distribution
• Airport marketing

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of the main segments of airline markets
• Identify and explain the key issues in planning airline products and the importance of product differentiation
• Use marketing research approaches to investigate airline and airport markets
• Assess the links between advertising, promotion, branding and customer loyalty
• Describe the current issues in airline distribution
• Collect information from a variety of electronic (internet) and hard copy sources to support research
• Appraise and critique the work of other practitioners and specialists
• Communicate effectively, in written form, research work produced
• Take responsibility for research produced, including efficient time management, working to set deadlines and targets, demonstrating self-discipline, creative thinking and critical reflections of your own performance
• Collaborate and contribute effectively to group workshops and assignments, appreciating the contributions made by other team members.

• Andy Foster

To provide students with the fundamentals of the aircraft selection and fleet planning process.

• Aircraft Performance and Economic Analysis
• Data Sources and Modelling Techniques
• Defining the Aircraft Product
• Evaluation of Competing Products

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

• Describe the principles of fleet planning
• Analyse the performance and economics of different aircraft types.

• Professor Keith Mason

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

• International regulation
• EU regulatory policy
• Introduction to air law
• The Chicago convention
• Airline liability
• EU air law
• EU competition law
• Impact of deregulation
• Introduction to airport regulation
• Safety regulations ICAO
• Safety regulations EASA/H&S
• Environmental regulation

• Cengiz Turkoglu

To provide students 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.

• Rich Moxon

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

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

• Dr Thomas Budd

To ensure that upon completion of the module, students have received the required level of knowledge and relevant skills to tackle contemporary air transport environmental planning challenges.  

• Air transport and the environment: background and context
• Airport environmental capacity
• Environmental policy and regulation
• Communicating with the media and related stakeholders
• Environmental life cycle assessment 
• Alternative fuels 
• Environmental impact assessment
• Aircraft emissions
• Terminal and ground transport emissions
• Local air quality and climate change
• Airport noise modelling: theory and practice
• Airport noise mitigation strategies
• Psychological factors of noise annoyance: community relations
• Case studies 
• Role-play exercise

• Rich Moxon

To ensure that when students complete the module they will have received the required level of knowledge and relevant sets of skills in order to apply these completely to solve airport strategic planning problems as practitioners

• Airport Master Planning
• Site selection for new airports
• Airport policy and the planning process
• Flexible strategic planning
• Airport stakeholder relations
• Airport Surface Access Planning
• Economic impact of airports
• The impact of airline industry changes on airport planning
• Workshop on airport planning
• Case studies in airport strategic planning

To provide students with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to manage operational safety within the aviation industry.

• 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 completion of this module the student will be able to:

• Describe the fundamental concepts behind Safety Management Systems (SMS), as defined by ICAO, UK CAA, CASA and Transport Canada
• Select and implement techniques for the identification, quantification and management of hazards and risks
• Critically assess strategies for developing and enhancing safety culture including the role of leadership, structure and reporting systems
• Identify techniques for measuring safety performance.

• Henrik Rothe

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

• Capacity of airport sub-systems (land-side and air-side).
• Runway configuration, apron, taxiways.
• Terminal layouts.
• Surface access design.
• Baggage systems.
• IT systems in terminal design.
• Impact of aircraft performance on airport design.
• Impact of industry changes on airport design.
• Operations simulation and passenger flows.
• Case studies in airport design.

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a clear understanding and knowledge of the fundamental principles of airport design within the context of changing airline industry, national airport policy goals and airport design constraints.
2. Understand the influence and impact of aircraft performance and design characteristics onto the design of the airport infrastructure.
3. Assess, measure and calculate the capacity of airport sub-systems and possess the skills to model passenger flows using design simulation software.
4. Generate an outline airport design to a given specification, including runway configuration (and associated airside infrastructure), apron and terminal layouts and landside surface access systems.
5. Demonstrate the ability of airport design to respond to changing requirements within the global economy and growing passenger expectations. Assess constraints (e.g., security) in a context of increasing commercial pressure onto airport operators.

• Professor Keith Mason

To provide students with an understanding of the key marketing concepts, and develop the ability to apply these concepts to the airline industry.

• Overview of Marketing concepts
• The markets airlines serve
• Marketing airport services
• The Airline Product
• Airline Distribution
• Pricing and Revenue Management
• Airline Promotional tools

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Describe the key marketing concepts
2. Identify the characteristics of the main airline market segments
3. Evaluate elements of the airline product and whether they deliver value for the airline and the customer.
4. Identify the key strategic issues surrounding an airline’s pricing and distribution strategies
5. Identify and critically assess the key success factors for promotional tools used by airlines
6. Critically evaluate the current application of marketing concepts within the airline industry

To provide students with knowledge and understanding of the key issues faced by airport planners in developing contemporary terminal concepts integrating latest technologies, sustainable airport access strategies and passenger expectations within specific economic conditions.

• Passenger terminal design principles and terminal sub-system capacity calculations
• Air transport safety regulations (ICAO – specifically Annex 
• Internationally recognised guidelines for best industry practice recommendations (IATA)
• Passenger terminal typologies: single building, multiple terminals, piers satellites
• Landside surface access: private cars vs public transport and their impact on the terminal design
  
  

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Identify key drivers for contemporary airport design.
2. Assess the key dimensions of both terminals with regards to landside surface access, concept and arrangement of airside security control and link to commercial facilities.
3. Airlines’ relationship to each terminal with regards to capacity, flexibility and terminal expandability. 

• Professor Keith Mason

To provide students with an understanding of the complex nature of the business travel market, the role of corporate travel management and how this impacts the airline business.

• Overview of Business Travel Market
• B2B market dynamics and the structure of the business travel market
• The Key Players – Corporates, TMCs, GDSs, & Suppliers
• Corporate Travel Management
• Travel Policy planning and implementation
• Corporate Social Responsibility

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Identify the characteristics and key drivers of the main players in business travel market
2. Apply Business-to-Business concepts to the business travel market
3. Identify and critically assess the negotiating levers of the key players
4. Identify the effect of corporate travel management and travel policy approaches on the airline industry
5. Assess the impact of CSR on corporate travel policies
6. Critically evaluate how airlines should best respond to this market.

• Dr Romano Pagliari

To provide students with knowledge, understanding of the key issues faced by providers of air services and airport infrastructure in managing assets in remoter regions and skills in providing solutions to common challenges that they face.

• Air transport policy and remoter regions
• Air services provision and subsidisation
• Regional airline characteristics and performance
• Small / regional airport characteristics and performance

1. Identify limitations and make critical judgments of existing instruments designed to regulate and subsidise air transport in remoter regions.
2. Design and identify solutions as to how both airlines and airport authorities in remoter regions marker can improve the revenue generating potential and cost efficiency of their operations.

To provide students with an understanding of the developments in technology and digitalisation in the airline sector and how this impacts the airline business.  

Developments of IT within the airline sector (e.g. blockchain)
Data sources in airline management
The use of data within airlines (e.g. forecasting)
Airline e-commerce
Social media
Digital developments in airline operations (flight and ground operations, air cargo, MRO)

 

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

1. Examine the characteristics and key drivers of technology in the airline sector
2.  Assess the potential applications of technology in the airline sector
3. Appraise the role of e-commerce and social media in the airline sector
4. Identify and judge the data sources available in airline management
5. Examine the data available in the airline sector and assess its usefulness in airline management

The award of a Masters degree resulting from a taught programme of study requires the student to submit a thesis based on a structured programme of research. This structured programme is typically delivered through collaboration with an industrial sponsor; although it may it may be driven by research interests of the School’s academics. The thesis should satisfactorily set out the results of the structured programme and demonstrate the candidate’s ability to conduct original investigations, to test ideas (whether the candidate’s own or those of others) and to obtain appropriate conclusions from the work. In most cases, the results of the research programme should be set in the context of related work previously published by others. The student is required to communicate their findings in a thesis and through a viva voce, oral presentation and a poster.

The subject matter range will be dependent upon the specific nature of the project.