The US Airline Deregulation and Its Effects on Industry Structure and Competition

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to assess whether the consumers are receiving a greater range and more frequent airline services since the U.S. airline industry was deregulated. Are the consumers better off since deregulation? Are the airlines providing more and better services?

The questions mentioned above are examined and answered in this dissertation and based on the literature available and on numerous reports and published papers, many conclusions are drawn. These conclusions can help the readers in both comprehending the complicated issue of airline deregulation and assessing whether consumers are better off since deregulation.

Initially an analysis of the airline deregulation is carried out based on the literature available. Information is provided regarding when did it happen and why did it happen. Moreover a comparison of the pre and post-deregulation era is conducted. Information is also provided about the airline deregulation effects on the U.S. airline industry s structure and competition. Strategic alliances which constitute a consequence of the airline deregulation effects are also examined.

After the description of both the effects of airline deregulation and strategic alliances is carried out, an analysis of them is initiated. The analysis is aiming at proving whether airline deregulation has increased the range and frequency of airline services. For this analysis, the information presented before is used and it is analysed via the use of certain management models.

Through a thorough research and study on the above issues, It has become apparent to me that the opinions about the range and frequency of services offered to the customers before and after deregulation are contradictory. The conclusions that I have made are based on my own perception on those issues and are a result of an objective analysis of contradicting theories and opinions.

The airline deregulation issue is very opportune in the U.S. because the airline industry is currently undergoing through a very crucial stage. Many are those who praise the airline deregulation decision, taken in the late 1970s but many are those who recollect the days of the pre-deregulation period. My own ideas are expressed through out this thesis in a way that they allow the reader to form his/her own opinion on the issue.