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Lufthansa Case Study
Lufthansa Case Study
I. External Analysis: Several large scale, interrelated conditions have affected the airline industry over the past several years in such a manner that every carrier has had to respond in order to remain viable and competitive.
a. Environmental Analysis: The international war on terror, with its attendant rising cost of oil has created havoc in a number of ways (Lufthansa Annual Report, 2004). Rising costs have resulted from the increase in fuel prices. Customer check-in wait times and flight time delays have resulted from new regulations designed to ensure passenger and plane safety, including more rigorous bag searches, more extensive passenger screening, and the like. This has resulted in customers paying higher prices and a less enjoyable flight experience.
Additionally, deregulation and liberalization has accompanied the globalization of the airline industry, so that companies have had to compete against each other in new markets, as well as to gain entry into new territories. The rise of low cost local and regional airlines has made the competitive environment difficult to maneuver for large, formerly-state-subsidized national carriers. This has resulted in the need for strategic alliances between airlines in order to attempt to protect market shares and profits (Friehe and Curti, n.d.).
b. Opportunities and Threats: The increase in fuel prices is likely to continue into the distant future, requiri ...