Aviation Industry

1. State how can the Aviation industry (i.e. Airlines) cope with high fuel costs to remain profitable? Mention at least seven mitigating measures with a brief description on each step??

- Chap 1-2 General influencing factors

This is quite challenging task as every airline follows certain countries or a regime policies and or work force unions in one form or another. However, for airlines to remain in the business certain measures had to be adopted and these can be listed as below:

1. Introduce cost savings plan that could drive unit costs down.

2. Improve Flight load factor by improving marketing strategies.

3. Review the OPS network and close down losing or low yield routes. Also review the aged fleet aircraft and either improve their fuel efficiency or considering worst case scenario, airlines can be better off grounding those aged aircraft as they impose a burden in terms of poor performance and higher maint costs.

4. Focus on premium business passengers to attain more yields and assist in reaching breakeven point in a quicker way.

5. Introduce improvements to the engines as advised by suppliers that could improve fuel efficiency and have positive effect on environment.

6. Work on the Aircraft aerodynamics technical status by ensuring proper rigging and calibration to zero tolerance of flight control surfaces and flush fuselage. This will reduce drag and eventually lower fuel consumption.

7. Carry out Engine Wash at regular intervals to improve fuel efficiencies.

8. Ensure paint conformity with no flaking, chipping or deterioration which would affect adversely on flight performance.

9. Pilots to continuously follow every possible flight path or envelopes to assist in fuel savings. In other words, Pilots might request ATC certain altitude climb on air layers with less drag and good tail wind. Also follow the concept of idle thrust during landings

10. Improve productivity and introduce paperless environment....