Planet Air Travel

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Integrative Case Study Riding the Waves of Change in the Context of the Global Financial Crisis: The Case of Planet Air Travel Author: Allan Ramdhony (2013) Planet Air Travel is a UK-based airline that used to specialise in long haul flights to a wide range of destinations across the world. Originally a publicly-owned state enterprise, Planet Air Travel (PAT) was privatized and floated on the stock market five years ago. This event drew a lot of attention from large companies and individuals alike who rushed to buy shares. Other important changes also happened in the wake of PAT’s privatization and floatation, including a revision of the terms and conditions of employment for all staff. The salaries of pilots and cabin crew were substantially increased – where they benefited from a hefty 30% rise in pay and could respectively earn up to £140 000 and £55 000 per annum. As for ground crew and other support and frontline staff, their terms and conditions were unrivalled across the industry as they were paid 25% more than their counterparts in other airlines alongside a reduction in working hours. An Alarming Financial Situation However, this rosy picture was marred by the recent global financial crisis, which inevitably had adverse effects on all airline operators, with a sharp fall in demand for first and business class travel. Last financial year, the airline reported a £30 million loss. The loss for the last three months of the current year was over £10 million and the figures for the rest of the year look like being just as bad, with losses running at over £50 000 a day. Several other factors served to bring about this alarming situation. These include an escalation in fuel prices, a substantial rise in airport tax, and a general increase in the prices of commodities related to passenger travel (such as food and beverages, toiletries and other passenger

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