Airline Sustainability in a Liberalised Environment

: Generating a Conceptual Framework with a Holistic Approach to Airline Sustainability

Abstract

Airline failures have increased in the past five years despite improvements in traffic
growth. Airlines enable connectivity and provide numerous benefits with their wider
socio-political and economic role. However, various systems, pressures and trends
disturb the operation of the Commercial Air Transport (CAT) system and its existing
balance with society, economy and the environment. Airlines, as principal stakeholders
of the CAT system, are influenced in multiple ways. Thus, airline sustainability is a
concept that ‘is complex and conceptual’ and requires a holistic approach based on
systems thinking paradigm. The objective of this study was to introduce a new
sustainability approach with the development of a Conceptual Framework that generates
a holistic approach and creates the foundation for the establishment of a Sustainability
(Su) Management System for Airlines operating in a liberalised environment. This
research is underpinned with theory on the domain of business sustainability and follows
a Grounded Theory methodology. Successive interpretations in the qualitative data
analysis process resulted in developing a ‘sustainability construct’ that engages airlines
in a systematic review of their main Areas of Concern (AoC). The sustainability construct
consists of eight (8) Sustainability Business Drivers (Su Business Drivers) with properties
(i.e. focus areas) and dimensions; and, the Conceptual Framework designed to utilise the
Su Business Drivers and to implement a systems thinking approach to airline
sustainability. The Su Business Drivers assist airlines to understand their current state in
the liberalised environment and to draw valuable conclusions on various sustainability
areas. In addition, the use of a Conceptual Framework for airline sustainability based on
a Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process cycle approach is another significant contribution
of this study as it provides the foundation for the development of a Sustainability
Management System (SuMS) and the ability to operationalise sustainability. Finally, the
holistic approach contributes to a more sustainable path for the airline industry and opens
multiple areas for further research across different domains in the CAT system.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Coventry University
Supervisor	Mike Blundell (Supervisor), Steve Martin (Supervisor) & Alexeis Garcia-Perez (Supervisor)