Analysis of Technology's Impact on British Airways (Case Study)

This report examines the impact of technology on British Airways, focusing on its economic and environmental effects. The analysis explores the benefits of technology implementation, such as improved customer service, increased efficiency, and cost savings. It highlights how British Airways utilizes technology to enhance customer experience through Wi-Fi and online platforms, while also addressing challenges within the aviation industry. The report delves into the economic advantages, including increased profits, streamlined procedures, and reduced operational costs. Furthermore, it assesses the environmental impact, emphasizing the airline's efforts to reduce emissions through fuel-efficient aircraft and waste-to-fuel initiatives. The report references various sources to support its findings, providing a comprehensive overview of technology's role in shaping British Airways' operations and its sustainability efforts.

DISSERTATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DISCUSSION..................................................................................................................................1
Theme 1: Benefits of application of technology in British Airways..........................................1
Theme 2: Economic benefits of technology in British Airways.................................................2
Theme 3: Environmental impact of technology in British Airways...........................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

Aim: To analyses economic and environmental impact of technology: A case study on British
Airways.
DISCUSSION
Theme 1: Benefits of application of technology in British Airways.
British Airways is national airline of UK which is having One world alliance as one of
founding members. This airline constitute of 7 airlines acted to carry letters, passengers and
cargo on daily bases with more than 240 aircraft's mainly that of Boeing and Airbus. The four
major objectives which company is having that of travellers first choice, service quality, global
expansion and increasing customer loyalty. All of these could only be increased if the company
is able to give fast and efficient service to all its customers and also solving their problems on
quick bases. As in today's scenario every customer is wanting to be treated on priority they
would not be liking to wait into queue, wanting that their emails are answered within 24 hours
and call must be received after 3 rings only (Morrish and Brian, 2012). All these could only be
possible if company is putting its more efforts on improving use and implementation of
technology in all its working and operations.
If a company is only depending upon humans for their work they will not be able to
achieve target of giving high quality service ot its customers as they are in expectation of.
Moreover, company should be effective in implementing all what technology is having and then
benefiting in both economical and environmental sense. As British Airways is trying to fulfil its
target of providing quality of service which will then in tern be helping them in growing and
maintaining customer loyalty which is very important as with increased in competition
(Filimonau, Mika and Pawlusiński, 2018). On the other hand there are still many problems
which are faced by the aviation industry in the execution of hi-tech technological equipments.
There are many factors which are been introduced as benefits of technology within the
company and whole aviation industry. Some like that of British Airways is saving lot of time and
money, it is becoming faster, with the use of technology British Airways is building reputation,
noise pollution is been lower down and moreover saving cost of company. This is more
beneficial in experience building of customer and giving them faster service and that too of the
best quality. Travel experience of customer is what they are focusing and providing competence
with technology application which is making connection more strong between company with that
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of customers (Maurino and John, 2017). Nowadays British Airways is also giving customer base
service like that of providing Wi-Fi facility during travel and also allowing them to bring their
own device with them. If customer is having any complain about crew or flight of British
Airways they are allowed to share that on public forum after which company will be resolving
issue on real time bases. British Airways is investing a huge sum of money to implement High-
tech devices which will be helping company, staff and also to customer and thus in end
encouraging profits and saving cost. Company is putting its efforts in communicating with
customers and suppliers so that benefits could be taken out from them. They are also installing
iPhones and iPads which will be helping staff in running operation more easily this will be
having applications like aircraft manuals, read and signs, engineering procedures, material
availability, action task, declare serviceable and fit or remove components (Lu, 2018).
Theme 2: Economic benefits of technology in British Airways.
With the introduction of technology within all operations of British Airways there are
both economic and environmental benefits which are attached to. At the starting point of
installing technological appliances or applications within company will b allowing huge
investment into it. But after that company will be started to gain more and more amount from
this technology advancement (Kantenbacher and Scarles, 2018). Economic aspect of technology
will be categorised as saving money, making more money, becoming faster, enhancing
reputation of company, reducing paper work and enabling customers with self check-in. The
investment in technology by company will be key factor of increased in profits of about 20% in
British Airways on same path where fuel price is increasing and competition as well.
Company is also using technology so that they could be able to streamline all procedures
which are used within business, which is helping in removal of complexity and thus eventually
cutting cost of company. As British Airways is growing this is leading to help them making
technology as leader in simplification of business as complexity will be slowing down whole
system of company. They are also making huge investment in the official website of company
which is BA.com this will be accounting of about 33% of total sales within Britain and 80%
worldwide (British Airways cites IT investment as key factor in 20% profit increase, 2018).
Speed of work is increasing customers are not made to wait for ticket booking, check in,
boarding or any other function their query are been resolve in short time spam. British Airways
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is using the best technology for all activities which they are preforming for ticket booking to end
taking back the luggage.
British Airways is making the air travelling experience of customer more comfortable
which will thus be enabling them to become loyal with company (Lucas, 2014). Introduction of
call centre so that all sort of problems and query of customer are been solved and ensuring that it
is not occurring again. They are having qualified and trained staff who could be helping
customer throughout their journey via plane (Lee, S., and Ahn, W., 2018). All these things are
adding up to more profit earning, cost cutting for company and finally enabling customer with
high quality of services. The cost of company from past 40 years are been reduced unto 40% just
by technological advancement. But this will not be limited to introducing technology within
operations but also this technology needs to be upgraded use of obsolete one will not beneficial
but burden for company. In the improvement of service quality technology is playing vital role
and thus setting benchmark of British Airways into aviation industry.
The introduction of technology within the sector is making connectivity more and more
incremental and cost of air transport is decreasing. As connectivity increase there will be
increase into number of passengers who are opting British Airways as its first choice in aviation
to travel from one place to the other. This in tern would be attracting higher number of profits
and very good for economical aspect as well (Economic Benefits from Air Transport in the UK,
2018). The productivity of company will be increasing with help of technological advancement
domestic markets will be attracting more and more international players with sector. Thus, this
will not only be leading to development of company but that of country as whole will be
benefited by technology.
Theme 3: Environmental impact of technology in British Airways.
As far in the above section we have learnt about how technology is impacting British
Airways in positive way and what will be effect of this on profits and sale of company. But on
the other hand there are many environmental effects which is leading because of technology in
British Airways. This airline company is among top on world leader in terms of fuel efficiency
they are also involved in plantation of turning tonnes of rubbish into jet fuel (Lucas, 2014). For
all companies who are operating within country must be taking care of its surrounding and
environment if not then they would be deprived to operate like in the case of Volkswagen.
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British Airways has planed to turn about 50000 tonnes of rubbish of London into jet fuel so that
environment is not been threatened in the future. This is all possible because of technological
advancement which they are using within their company and also investing huge amount which
is enabling them to save their cost on fuel.
The company is very efficiently using technology in their operations and working which
is also giving them environmental benefits. They are fighting with CO₂ emission with the
introduction of new aircraft's, tugs and fuel (British Airways Fights Emissions with New Aircraft,
Tugs, Fuel, 2018). As according to a research done it was found that about 2% of the CO₂
emission is produced by aviation industry for this they are trying to reduced this impact on
environment which industry is putting. The technology is also reducing amount of paper which is
used by British Airways as only focusing on paper less work and making ecofriendly or only
online tickets.
While time of travelling there are also many complaints of noise pollution is very much
frequent so company is making efforts in lowering down. This issue is been faced by passengers
while they are making their travel by aircraft's which was recognised as one of big challenges in
Paris environment agreement last December (British Airways carbon emissions in spotlight,
2018). So they decided to decrease the production of aircraft's which are producing higher
amount of noise which was growing till 24%.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Filimonau, V., Mika, M. and Pawlusiński, R., 2018. Public attitudes to biofuel use in aviation:
Evidence from an emerging tourist market. Journal of Cleaner Production. 172. pp.3102-
3110.
Kantenbacher, J., Hanna, P., Cohen, S., Miller, G. and Scarles, C., 2018. Public attitudes about
climate policy options for aviation. Environmental Science & Policy. 81. pp.46-53.
Lee, S., and Ahn, W., 2018. The framework for factors affecting technology transfer for
suppliers and buyers of technology in Korea. Technology Analysis & Strategic
Management. 30(2). pp.172-185.
Lu, C., 2018. When will biofuels be economically feasible for commercial flights? Considering
the difference between environmental benefits and fuel purchase costs. Journal of Cleaner
Production.
Lucas, OM, 2014, The impact of information technology on organizational flexibility. Journal of
Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce. Volume 4(2). pp. pp.155-176.
Maurino, D and John, R 2017. Beyond aviation human factors: Safety in high technology
systems. Routledge. Aldershot
Morrish, S and Brian, R 2012. Airline alliances—who benefits? Journal of Air Transport
Management. 8(6). pp. pp.401-407..
Online:
British Airways carbon emissions in spotlight. 2018 [Online]. Accessed through:
<https://www.ft.com/content/e025511a-8d15-11e5-8be4-3506bf20cc2b>
British Airways cites IT investment as key factor in 20% profit increase. 2018 [Online].
Accessed through: <http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/British-Airways-cites-IT-
investment-as-key-factor-in-20-profit-increase>
British Airways Fights Emissions with New Aircraft, Tugs, Fuel. 2018 [Online]. Accessed
through: <https://www.environmentalleader.com/2017/10/174478/>
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Economic Benefits from Air Transport in the UK. 2018 [Online]. Accessed through:
<http://www.aoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Economic-Benefits-from-Air-
Transport-in-the-UK.pdf.pdf>
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