ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a practical insight into key aspects of airline operations, planning and marketing within the conceptual framework of economics. It explores key trends and characteristics of the airline industry including its regulatory structure, and examines various aspects of the supply side of the industry. The book also examines the demand for air services and the processes, such as marketing or pricing, which enable airline executives to match demand and supply in a way that generates adequate profits. It focuses on passenger services, the importance and role of air freight should not be forgotten. The book is concerned primarily with international air transport, which accounts worldwide for about two-thirds of the industry’s output. It attempts to flesh out the economic and operational issues which must be understood in order to match supply and demand.
