United Airline Case Study

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Before deciding if United Airlines should discontinue flights between San Francisco and Washington D.C, it is important to understand what type of market structure in which the airline industry operates. This industry follows an oligopolistic structure. In an oligopolistic market, “few firms produce most of the outputs (Brickley, Smith & Zimmerman, 2009)”. An oligopoly exists when four firms have more than 50% of the market (“Airline Competition”, 2013). In 2009, these four airlines included, Delta & Northwest, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Continental. These airlines held 60.1% of the market (“Airline Competition”, 2013). Competition between firms in oligopolistic markets causes the elimination of economic profits. When economic profits are zero, inventories are stable, there are no incentives to enter or leave the market and the market is in equilibrium (Brickley, Smith & Zimmerman, 2009). For the airline industry, this means that the average cost of operating are being met. The airlines are able to operate, but do not make any extra money above covering costs. An article in Wall Street Journal suggested that United Airlines “was not covering its costs from San Francisco to Washington D.C.” (Brickley, Smith & Zimmerman, 2009). It is being assumed that the revenue collected on the typical flight between these two hubs did not cover the costs. This does not necessarily mean that the airline should discontinue flights between these two hubs. A marginal analysis needs to be conducted again to see if this flight should continue to be offered or not. According to Brickley, Smith, and Zimmerman (2009), marginal costs and benefits are the incremental costs associated with making a decision. The decision here is to continue or discontinue the San Francisco to Washington D.C. flights. If marginal benefits exceed marginal costs, the flights should continue.

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