The airline industry is currently faced with its longest and deepest crisis to date: many airlines are losing hundred of millions of US dollars, several have collapsed entirely and others have been rescued by their governments. This crisis has been precipitated by external shocks such as the attack on the Twin Towers in New York, the invasion of Iraq and the SARS epidemic. In addition, the effect of these events has been exacerbated by dynamic and potentially destabilizing internal developments.

Comprehensive and thorough, this revealing book gives a detailed analysis of the crucial events and key developments which have impacted, and will continue to impact on the dynamics of the airline industry. Special attention is paid to:

the key challenges faced by the airlines such as continued liberalization and ‘open skies’
the impacts of global alliances
new low-cost and no-frills carriers
on-line selling and distribution
privatization
the impact of disasters.
Leading industry authority Rigas Doganis examines the future prospects