University Research: Flight Ticket Clustering During Holidays

This research report investigates the issue of flight ticket clustering, a significant problem in the online flight booking industry, particularly during holidays and festive seasons. The study examines the impact of increased internet penetration and mobile app usage on ticket bookings, leading to website slowdowns and server crashes. The research utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods, including a literature review and a survey, to identify the causes of clustering and its effects on consumer behavior and business losses. The findings reveal that while online booking is popular, issues arise during peak seasons, prompting customers to seek alternative platforms. The report recommends employing a content delivery network (CDN) and ensuring sufficient server capacity to mitigate these problems. However, the report also acknowledges the potential costs and maintenance requirements associated with CDNs. The report also explores factors influencing consumer choice behavior and the airline industry's response to market demands and competition. The research offers valuable insights into managing ticket demand and improving the online booking experience for customers.

Running head: INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
Industrial research
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
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Executive summary
The rise in the penetration of internet services in almost every arena of human life is a rather
interesting development that must be noted. There is ideally not even a single sector that has
been untouched by these developments. Similarly, the industry of flight ticket booking is one
that has benefitted greatly from these advancements, as it has made it easier for the people to
book tickets from the comfort of their home, that too at attractive prices by availing great
discounts. These bookings tend to increase mostly at the time of the holidays and the festive
seasons, which often leads to a slowing down of the websites, often leading to the crash of
the servers. This issue of flight ticket clustering is a major problem that needs to be
addressed, as it has been often observed that the customers get annoyed and irritated and shift
to other alternative websites to book the tickets, thereby leading to the loss of business for the
company.
The research that has been conducted to address this research problem utilizes both the
qualitative and quantitative methods. A thorough review of existing literature on the subject
matter has been conducted, along with a survey that has provided the primary data for the
quantitative analysis. The triangulation of both the methods and data obtained gives rise to
the same result – an increasingly large group of people use online ticket bookings for
reserving their flight tickets, but an equally large number of people face issues when trying to
book tickets during the holidays or festive seasons. These issues can be managed by
employing a content delivery network, which is essentially a cloud-based service, in addition
to ensuring that there are no data caps in the industry partner’s servers. However, the CDNs
can often be expensive, as they cost additional money, and require extra care and
maintenance.

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction and research problem......................................................................................3
1.1 Overview of industry partner...............................................................................................3
1.2 Research problem.................................................................................................................3
1.3 Overall research aim............................................................................................................3
1.4 Structure of the report..........................................................................................................3
2.0 Theoretical background: Literature review..........................................................................4
2.1 Factors of demand and competition in flight ticketing........................................................4
2.2 Consumer choice behavior...................................................................................................5
2.3 Consumer choice and behavior in the airline industry.........................................................6
2.4 Knowledge gap....................................................................................................................7
2.5 Conceptual map...................................................................................................................8
3.0 Methodology........................................................................................................................8
3.1 Overview of research design................................................................................................8
3.2 Ethical concerns...................................................................................................................9
4.0 Findings................................................................................................................................9
5.0 Discussion..........................................................................................................................19
6.0 Recommendations..............................................................................................................21
7.0 Limitations and conclusions...............................................................................................23
7.1 Limitations of the recommendations.................................................................................23
7.2 Brief summary of the project.............................................................................................23
Reference List..........................................................................................................................25
Bibliography............................................................................................................................27

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1.0 Introduction and research problem
1.1 Overview of industry partner
The marketing sector of online flight ticket is the name of the industry which is being
discussed over here. The industrial growth is directly proportional to the rise in the usage of
the internet services, as well as the enormous penetration of the available apps of mobile
because of the rise in smartphone uses (Ruiz-Mafe, Sanz-Blas and Aldas-Manzano, 2009).
The majority of the customer are willing to pay the usage charges for online flight ticket
booking, basically for avoiding nuisance to stand out in the long queues which are mandatory
during the time of manual bookings. The partner of the industry in enquiry has an ongoing
profitable business which is concerned with the booking of flight ticket for the destination of
the most important tourist around the world. Nevertheless, it faces the problem of clustering
of flight ticket at the time of holiday and festive seasons due to the high chances of crashing
of the website as there are a high volumes of traffic.
1.2 Research problem
The occasions of festival are referred to those time period of the year when most of
the people are willing to go on a travelling trip. This is cause of the abnormal rise in the
number of choices which are mainly available for their customers in terms of booking of
flight, availability, offers and prices. The profitability that is associated with the tickets
booking conquers excessive significant during these period of time. When the demand rises,
it leads to a gathering together of the customer, which eventually leads to a very high time
spent on the process of tickets booking. This more often leads to a particular company to be
apparent as being unproductive, because of this many consumers may often shift to the better
alternatives. In the future, this may lead to the loss in the business.
1.3 Overall research aim
This research aims to identify the problems which are associated with the gathering of
tickets when the time come of the booking of airline tickets. The holidays and festive seasons
are the peak season of this tickets booking.
1.4 Structure of the report
The resulting report will present forth a literature review that are comprehensive
which are going to identify the impending factors which leads to the gathering of tickets
during the booking of the flight especially at the time of festive and holiday seasons. The
research questions which are specified are mainly based on the nature of literature which has
been reviewed further and which is aiming at talking about the identified knowledge gap.

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They are also providing conceptual map in order to explain the related factors to this
identified gap and the rest of the report of research. The design of research involved the uses
of method of sampling which will describe the process of analysis while also being addressed
the concerns related to ethics. A widespread analysis of the findings of research is further
being supported by the indication from the formulated review of literature which has been
already provided. The discussion is being triangulated the attained indication, which are
further compared with the literature review, and stated the number of answers to the
questions of the research. The conclusion of the report is by a set of preferable
recommendation as well as their limitations, and a brief summary of all the key findings and
the potential outcomes.
2.0 Theoretical background: Literature review
2.1 Factors of demand and competition in flight ticketing
The competitions among all the organisations increases a lot over the years, as the
rivalry of the world in the markets has been increased uniformly. Their efficiency is needed
over here and they have to look over the newer ways in order to capture the opportunities of
the market to meet up with the manageable needs and the possible requirements of their
respective customers. In fact, an amalgamation of good quality and low prices is no longer
being considered a better enough mixture to attract the right customers at the right time
(Brueckner, et al., 2015; Park and Pan, 2018). The choice of the behavior can be said to be
exaggerated in sudden ways which has concerned the consumer’s preference in terms of
various services or products, and more often it helps the company to collect all the relevant
data which is necessary in order to learn about this preferences of the consumer in a single
attempt for the customization of their approach to the sale category. A mass of choices need
to be made more available to their customer at a level of generic, as well as this will help in
the maximization of their chances of convincing their decisions in their own favor. For
example, most of the companies of airline having a range of different fares for the peoples,
providing several kinds of facilities that are available for their passengers. They must be
understandable about the range of choices which the consumers would look to carry out, and
respect all the decisions of each and every customers. This is rather useful in case of reducing
the cluster of demand (Brueckner, et al., 2015; Park and Pan, 2018), and also for the creation
of value for them.
The channel’s diversity increases along with the available options for media of
information as well as the other several organisations that have made it a lot difficult for the

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understanding of how consumers will going to choose their own products. This also gives the
direction of the way in which the buyers is going to choose their own products, and gives an
outline of an idea of their choices of the future. Thus enterprises needs for the understanding
of the way in which the buyers make their decisions as well as the prediction of these
inclinations is crucial to these organisations especially at the time of introducing the newer
products as well as setting the marketing target. The estimation for the preferences can be
arranged a lot more extensively and easily in order to help in the optimization of the
decisions. This has borrowed a noteworthy amount of prominence to the human choices and
decisions, especially for those who help in understanding the reasons that lead to the
available choices. The behaviors that are related to the choices made are predominantly
difficult, even though they can also be said to be rational as well. The decision makers also
struggles in order to simplify the preparation of the whole process. These choices of
mechanisms are the initial basis upon which the preferences is measured by the enterprises as
well as predict their own decisions (Zhang et al., 2016; Wong and Wei, 2018).
2.2 Consumer choice behavior
In things wherever shoppers have the choice of the many alternatives in terms of
merchandise, services or brands, they tend to create decisions that square measure
satisfactory to them in their given circumstances (Bergantino and Capozza, 2015). The idea
of knowledge integration are often aforesaid to be a supplier of mechanisms yet as specific
ways that during which folks will disintegrate the various parts of the knowledge as per the
involved preferences. It additionally states that as per the given things, the shoppers
sometimes compare the on the market choices among the market and weigh the execs and
cons against one another, associate attribute which frequently guides their entire decision-
making method. This can be a rather in depth and holistic approach to decision-making, that
is feasible solely by the mixing of shopper values along with the boundaries set forth by
specific rules. Promoting managers typically have to be compelled to rigorously observe the
decision-making processes beside those things wherever the shoppers may find yourself
collating the much-needed data and kind beliefs among themselves. These typically outline
the manner during which they supply the merchandise or service reviews. These reviews
typically facilitate the businesses confirm the standards per that the merchandise or services
may well be developed so as to satisfy the shoppers.
The other issue that has to be thought of whereas analyzing the patron selection
behavior is that of distinguishing if there's a scientific approach to their decisions and

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selections. Each the identification still because the understanding of those decisions area unit
vital to the event and formulation of selling ways that might be effective in any given state of
affairs. Shopper selection behaviors are sometimes conceptualized as being a mixture that
includes specific socio-demographics beside attributes that area unit involved with the
alternatives. Factors like perspective, knowledge and utility area unit usually enforced for
understanding and mapping the attitudes that area unit relevant to the selection behavior.
2.3 Consumer choice and behavior in the airline industry
The volatility of the fuel prices, coupled together with the economic challenges of
environmental sustainability and other concerns, have pressurized the airline industry.
Furthermore, the increase in the awareness regarding the level of competition has also
increased, and this can be further attributed to the availability of alternatives in transportation.
Most airline service providers are dependent on them, and their customers are highly valuable
to them, as they build their competitive advantage and help to understand the market
demands as well. Thus, the relationship that these companies have with their customers is of
utmost importance to them, as if affects its ability to make profits directly, in the long run
(Tamaki, 2018; Liu, at al., 2018). Keeping the passengers engaged and interested is one of the
most important objectives that need to be considered by these airline companies if they wish
to maximize the consumer loyalty and make profits as well. Adequate performance of these
airlines with regard to the expectations of these customers also helps determine the profits
they would make, as such initiatives have the power to affect the consumer choices directly.
These are among the most key drivers in the business for such companies, and airline
companies have to estimate those trends in addition to taking risks for understanding the
effect that these actions could have on the demand clustering (Tamaki, 2018; Liu, at al.,
2018).
Understanding the changing requirements and demands of the consumers is of great
importance to the consumers, but the entire system of decision-making by them is yet to gain
considerable significance. Thus, a more elaborate understanding of the process with regard to
this aspect is of major importance to the airline companies, since it would help to improve the
business models and the methods of operation. The increase in the number of choices
pertaining to travel, together with the diverse demographics, decision-making patterns and
cultural backgrounds – among various other factors – have also increased the clustering,
thereby posing a challenge to these ticketing companies when it comes to understanding all of

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the underlying reasons. The roles that each of these factors have often define the manner of
operation of the airlines.
2.4 Knowledge gap
A list of important and crucial factors has been reported by the above review of
literature, such as the understanding and measuring of the mentioned factors which are
crucial for the consumer’s acquisition and manipulating their process of decision making as
far as their concerned purchases. Furthermore, there is an apparent gap in this literature which
studies the demand of the consumer crowding at the time of procuring tickets that would
preferably take them to the destination which is same, and the ensuring opportunities loss
together with the influence of customer service.
Particularly, this study is aiming at addressing these knowledge gap with the help of
developing a specific framework that is vastly incorporated in nature, and would like to help
in the measurement and understanding the selected behavior of the consumer along with the
elements which will affect them. These elements are often very essential in order to decide
the way in which the buyers can be retained or acquired, and it also help in gaining
perception into the manner in which all these decisions are completely undertaken. Thus, it is
helping to come to a final decision about a solution that would preferably reduce the
gathering of the tickets of flight for the holiday destinations which is slightly popular,
especially during the time of vacations and holidays.

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2.5 Conceptual map
Respecting the context of the gap of knowledge and focus of the study as per the
review of literature is being concerned, the below conceptual map can be framed, which
consists of dependent and independent factors: -
Figure 1.1 - Conceptual Map
The questions of research which can be articulated in relation with the review of literature
are stated as below –
a) Mention the reason behind gathering of the tickets influencing the choices behavior of
the consumer.
b) How can we remove the problem of gathering of tickets at the time of festivals so that
the overwhelming customers can adore faster booking of tickets?
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Overview of research design
This specific research has hired a method of mixed research that means both
quantitative and qualitative data which has been utilized in order to find the results of the full
Personal characteristics
of consumer
Characteristics of
consumer behavior
Characteristics of
consumer preference
Process of consumer purchase
Problem of research
Methodology
Conclusions
Hypotheses/Question of research
Goals

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process of research (Tashakkori and Teddlie, 2010). 120 people’s sample sizes was used here
in order to acquire the solutions to the questions of the research that will deduct from the
reviewed literature. A few multiple choice based questions while for others the format of
Likert scale that has been utilized. A sampling method of non-profitability nature has been
used in order to source the data, and this was done for ensuring that all the passengers who
were relatively harmful in their own outlook could also be persuaded for sharing their
opinions (Etikan, Musa and Alkassim, 2016). The method of survey has been employed for
the collection of the relevant data as well as the method percentage has been utilized for
deriving the result.
3.2 Ethical concerns
There are three key ethical concerns that are significant for any purposes of research –
beneficence, anonymity and informed consent (Oliver, 2010). All these participants had been
accordingly conversant about the purpose of the research that confirmed the awareness of the
reason of them for surveying, and thus, there was a presence of full consent from their end
too. The required questions were also framed so as to make it easier for them in order to
answer in a good manner, deprived of making them feel harmed or insulted. There were no
such signs of any cacophony among the given population at the time of the survey as well as
they had appeared to be relaxed with the already given 10 questions set. Additionally, there
privacy is also kept respectable because it is significant fore any of the researcher in order to
maintain the participant’s confidentiality for validating the ethical concerns of the complete
process (Wiles, et al., 2008).
4.0 Findings
The sample population belonged mostly to the middle-income group, and consisted of
75 women and 45 men. They were within the age group of 30 to 55. Below are the results
that had been deduced –
Question 1: How frequently do you use ticket of airline purchasing online?
Options Response Frequency Response Percentage Total Respondents
Extremely often 65 54% 120
Quite often 23 19.17% 120
Moderately often 18 15% 120

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Slightly often 14 11.66% 120
Table 1: Purchasing Online Tickets
Extremely often Quite often Moderately often Slightly often
54%
19% 15% 12%
Purchasing Online Tickets
Response Percentage
The above responses indicate that a majority of the people are used to booking flight
tickets through online systems. Out of the 120 people sampled, 54.17% of them prefer to use
online booking mode.
Question 2: Which destinations do you often travel?
Options Response Frequency Response Percentage Total Respondents
Istanbul 21 17.5% 120
Prague 12 10% 120
London 17 14.17% 120
Rome 18 15% 120
Paris 52 43.33% 120
Table 2: Popular Tourist Destinations

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Istanbul Prague London Rome Paris
0.00%
12.50%
25.00%
37.50%
50.00%
17.50%
10.00%
14.17% 15.00%
43.33%
Popular Tourist Destinations
The response from the sample population indicates that Paris is the most popular
holiday destination, followed by Istanbul and Rome.
Question 3: Which online website of airline-ticketing do you often use?
Options Response Frequency Response Percentage Total Respondents
Budget Air 57 47.5% 120
Cheap Flights 23 19.17% 120
Kayak 18 15% 120
Ixigo 22 18.33% 120
Table 3: Online Airline Ticketing Website