Introduction to the Airline Industry: Critical Issue Report (TAL033-1)

This report provides an overview of the airline industry, highlighting its growth and vulnerability to economic and political factors, particularly within the UK context. It addresses the critical issue of sustainability, focusing on the challenges posed by greenhouse gas emissions and the need for green aviation practices. The report examines technological solutions like advanced air traffic procedures and alternative fuels, and discusses future challenges such as fuel efficiency and waste reduction. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of adopting technologies and systematic approaches to maintain sustainability, considering fuel source sustainability, emission reduction, and noise pollution mitigation. The report is based on the assignment brief which required a report on a critical issue impacting the airline industry, its current impact, and future changes.

Introduction to Airline Industry

Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................1
2.0 Background to airline industry...................................................................................................1
3.0 Challenges of Sustainable (Green) aviation on airline industry................................................1
4.0 Technological solution for mitigating the risk of carbon emission...........................................2
5.0 Future Challenges of Sustainability on airline industry.............................................................2
5.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................2
6.0 References..................................................................................................................................4

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Airline or aviation industry is considered as one of the fastest growing sector in the
world, where most of airlines today, have global footprint. Therefore, they are vulnerable to
factors like economic conjunctures and political stability (Kimata and Takahashi, 2020). Having
sustainable relations among countries lead to drive long-term growth of this industry. In context
with UK's airline industry, one of the concerning issue that are faced by aviation is maintaining
the sustainable aviation. Here, regarding with environmental sustainability, this paper is going to
provide an overview of most arising issue that airline industry of UK is facing which causes
greatest threat on running business sustainable in future.
2.0 Background to airline industry
The airport transport plays main role in developing economy of a country, which not only
increase world trade, but also enables in faster and easier movement of goods and passengers. It
boosts rate of economic growth, by providing number of job opportunities, improving
infrastructure and facilitating better facilities to national and international passengers. Through
growth in airline transport, a country gain advantage to attract foreign investors to make
investment in domestic firms, as well as give opportunity to firms to move their business
globally. Regarding with UK market, it has third-largest airline network in the world, which has
contributed either directly or indirectly to increase growth rate of economy. Through a large
aviation network, this country gains in enhancing tourism where three-quarters of overseas
travellers used to arrive by air transport.
3.0 Challenges of Sustainable (Green) aviation on airline industry
Maintaining the sustainability is considered as the most arising issue for future of airline
industry, due to emission of greenhouse gases which are growing pressure on ecosystem
(Anderson-Meli and Koshy, 2020). Harmful gases are emitted from air transport includes Carbon
dioxide, oxides of Nitrogen and more, which contributes about 2% of global carbon emission as
per IATA (International Air Transport Association), which may become double in future, if
appropriate actions will not be taken. In context with UK airline industry, forecasting the
airplane emission of harmful gases, it has put pressure on air transport regulators for taking
strong actions in ethical manner, so that ecosystem can be protected from carbon emission. Other
than burn fuel, aircraft noise also considers as the most significant impediment for airport
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expansion, which highly create problems for people that live around airport. In this regard, it is
essential for airline industry to maintain sustainability by adopting the concept of Green
Aviation, to address environmental challenges.
4.0 Technological solution for mitigating the risk of carbon emission
To mitigate the risk of carbon emission which is emitted by air transport, a systematic
approach regarding with adopting latest technology, refers to the key driver for airline industry
sustainable growth (Heyes and et. al., 2020). This approach is built on advanced air traffic
procedures, improved models, advanced technology, alternative fuels including the policy
measures. Advancement in aircraft engine, better operating procedures and airframe technology
has significantly improved the fuel efficiency of aircraft. One of the technology is Boeing 777
which is 300 times more efficient as compared to Convair, Douglas and more. Along with this,
alternative fuels, engine designs, operations logistics, Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-Traffic
Management etc. helps in tailoring the arrivals for minimising the emission of fuel burn. While
Sustainable Green Airport Design also lead to reduce air noise pollution, which helps in further
expansion of airport more easily.
5.0 Future Challenges of Sustainability on airline industry
Fuel burn to propel the aircraft considers as biggest challenge for airlines today, where it has
seen that in future, the most challenging role for aviation industry is finding renewable and
sustainable solutions. For creating a sustainable future for aviation, it is essential for all bodies
that are associated with airline industry such as suppliers, regulators, employees, contractors,
passengers and more, to work collaboratively (Di Vaio and Varriale, 2020). This would help in
finding solutions for five main challenges – sustainability of fuel sources by shifting towards
biofuels; goal of reducing carbon emission through fuel efficiency; immediate response towards
environmental impacts; reduction of inflight wastages by recycling with notable the biosecurity
restrictions; and last is increasing recyclability of aircraft (Sustainable Aviation: Managing the
challenges of growth, 2020). These procedures help airline industry to get over from challenges
of green aviation in future and maintain sustainability in business.
5.0 Conclusion
It has been summarised from this entire report that air transport is the ever-growing demand
of today’s population to reach on any place in less duration of time. Expansion in airline industry
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has provided opportunity to companies to trade their products at global level easily. But due to
emission of harmful gases due to burning of fuel, impact highly on ecosystem, where to mitigate
risk of carbon emission, it has become essential for airline regulators to adopt latest technologies
and systematic approach to develop and maintain sustainability in aviation. Therefore, to
maintain sustainability and run business successfully in future, the main areas which needs to be
considered by airline regulators include fuel source sustainability; fuel efficiency and reduction
in emissions (by powering A320neo, Embraer E-Jet E2, Boeing 777X and other aircrafts); action
plans to reduce impact of noise pollution and traffic congestion; and more.
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6.0 References
Books and Journals
Di Vaio, A. and Varriale, L., 2020. Blockchain technology in supply chain management for
sustainable performance: Evidence from the airport industry. International Journal of
Information Management, 52, p.102014.
Heyes, G. and et. al., 2020. The implications of sustainable development for airport duty-free
business models. Journal of Airport Management, 14(1), pp.67-80.
Anderson-Meli, L. and Koshy, S., 2020. Public Relations Crisis Communication: A New Model.
Routledge.
Kimata, A. and Takahashi, M., 2020. Investigating the emergence of innovative green
technologies using the causal texture model. The Journal of Organization and
Discourse, 1(1), pp.12-21.
Online
Sustainable Aviation: Managing the challenges of growth. 2020. [Online] Available Through:<
https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/828/sustainable-aviation-managing-
the-challenge-of-growth/>
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