The debate on the future of the aviation sector and the viability of its traditional business practices is the core of this book. The liberalization of the EU market in the 1990s has radically modi?ed the competitive environment and the nature of airline competition. Furthermore, the new millennium began with terrorist attacks, epidemics, trade globalization, and the rise of oil prices, all of which combined to push the industry into a “perfect storm”. Airline industry pro?tability has been an elusive goal for several decades and the recent events has only accentuated existing weaknesses. The main concern of ind- try observers is whether the airline business model, successful during the 1980s and 1990s, is now sustainable in a market crowded by low-cost carriers. The airlines that will respond rapidly and determinedly to increase pressure to restructure, conso- date and segment the industry will achieve competitive advantages. In this context, the present study aims to model the new conduct of the ‘legacy’ carriers in a new liberalized European market in terms of network and pricing competition with l- cost carriers and competitive reaction to the global economic crises.

Foundations of Airline Finance: Methodology and Practice is a textbook that comprehensively covers, at a basic level, all aspects of the subject, bringing together many of the numerous and informative articles and institutional developments that have characterized the field of airline finance in the previous two decades. In the early chapters, the reader is introduced to the elementary theoretical foundations that underpin the role of finance in the airline industry. Critical topics, such as the time value of money, the notion of risk and return, and the complex nature of costs (fixed, semi-fixed, variable, and marginal) are discussed and illustrated with concrete examples. This is followed by an in-depth presentation of the role of accounting in airlines. Ratio analysis is used to further analyze airline financial statements. Airline industry specific metrics, such as cost per available seat mile (CASM) and revenue per revenue passenger mile (RRPM), are covered. The role of capital and asset management is then explained in the following chapters. The final chapters of the text present some important practical applications of the theoretical ideas presented earlier; these applications include hedging, the buy versus lease decision for aircraft and the question of the valuation of assets (mainly aircraft). Moreover, specific methods for actually calculating internal valuation are presented and evaluated. Foundations of Airline Finance: Methodology and Practice will be of greatest value to students who are contemplating entering financial management in the air transportation industry; however, the text will also serve as an accessible and comprehensive reference for industry professionals.

In early May 2010, United Air Lines and Continental Airlines announced plans to merge the two airlines and signed a merger agreement. The passenger airline industry has struggled financially over the last decade, and these two airlines believe a merger will strengthen them. However, as with any proposed merger of this magnitude, this one will be carefully examined by the U.S. Dept. of Justice to determine if its potential benefits for consumers outweigh the potential negative effects. This statement describes: (1) an overview of the factors that are driving mergers in the industry; (2) the role of federal authorities in reviewing merger proposals; and (3) key issues associated with the proposed merger of United and Continental. Illustrations.