Publications

10 Jul 2017
Op-Ed

Op-Ed: It’s a Bad Idea to Ban Customers From Recording Videos

not part of a passenger’s contract with United. (In a request for rulemaking, I recently asked the Department of Transportation to rule this and similar policies invalid and unenforceable.) But even if the policy was binding, it wouldn’t... View Details

Keywords: by Benjamin G. Edelman; Air Transportation; Air Transportation; Air Transportation; Air Transportation

12 Nov 2021
Op-Ed

Can Our Parenting Struggles Make Us Better Leaders?

I’m not just a professor and business consultant; I’m also a parent to two kids. As I’ve often mused, the challenges leaders face at home and at work aren’t necessarily all that different. In particular, both contexts leave leaders struggling between their desire to... View Details

Keywords: by Ranjay Gulati; Air Transportation

27 May 2014
First Look

First Look: May 27

http://hbr.org/product/rail-transportation-in-the-united-states/an/314084-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School Case 314-098 Flying High, Landing Low: Strengths and Challenges for U.S. Air Transportation The U.S.... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

04 Dec 2000
What Do You Think?

Have We Overdone Deregulation and Privatization?

Congress enacted legislation that had become known as "the Federal Express bill." It was designed to test the idea of deregulation by allowing air freight carriers to fly planes of any size on any routes, without federal price... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

February 1991 (Revised November 1993)
Supplement

Investment Analysis and Lockheed Tri Star

A set of five exercises in capital budgeting. Student calculates and compares various decision criteria (including IRR and NPV) for capital investment projects. This is an introductory case, where relevant cash flows are provided, and the focus is on the discounting... View Details

Keywords: Capital Budgeting; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry

June 2020
Supplement

TransDigm: The Acquisition of Aerosonic Corp.

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Daniel W. Fisher

This courseware accompanies the case "TransDigm: The Acquisition of Aerosonic Corp." View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Growth Management; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Value Creation; Valuation; Negotiation; Cash Flow; Contracts; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; United States

June 2020
Supplement

TransDigm in 2017: Congressional Hearing on the DoD Inspector General’s Report (5/15/19)

By: Benjamin C. Esty

This video accompanies the case, “TransDigm in 2017: The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning?” View Details

July 2003 (Revised April 2011)
Case

Singapore Airlines: Customer Service Innovation

By: Rohit Deshpande and Hal Hogan

The members of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) management committee needs to decide whether to cancel the implementation of the new lie-flat seats in business class after the effects of the global recession on the travel industry in September 2001. SIA was considered the... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; Singapore

07 Oct 2019
Sharpening Your Skills

How Companies Can Make Up with (Very) Unhappy Customers

JetBlue today is considered one of the top airlines in the world, and its customer ratings are as high as its airplanes. But not that long ago JetBlue was a prime business school example of a nightmare scenario displacing 130,000 passengers. The airline recovered—and... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Air Transportation; Air Transportation

January 1984 (Revised November 1987)
Case

Chicago-Midway (A): Alfred Kahn at the CAB

By: Richard H.K. Vietor

Keywords: Business and Government Relations; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Air Transportation Industry

November 1981 (Revised November 1982)
Case

Senator Kennedy and the Airlines

By: J. Ronald Fox

Keywords: Business and Government Relations; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Air Transportation Industry

May 1993
Case

Continental Airlines--1992

By: Stuart C. Gilson

Keywords: Air Transportation Industry

October 2023
Article

Innovation on Wings: When Do Nonstop Flights Matter for Global Innovation?

By: Dany Bahar, Prithwiraj Choudhury, Do Yoon Kim and Wesley Koo

We study whether, when, and how better connectivity through nonstop flights leads to positive innovation outcomes for firms in the global context. Using unique data of all flights emanating from 5,015 airports around the globe from 2005 to 2015 and exploiting a... View Details

Keywords: Nonstop Flights; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Patents; Research and Development; Air Transportation Industry

Read Now

August 2020
Case

Ready for Take-Off at Jet It

By: Gary P. Pisano, Hise Gibson and Nicole Gilmore

This case examines the business model and growth of a start-up company in the private aviation industry. In June 2020, amidst the COVID crisis, the company's co-founder and CEO must make a decision regarding an order of new jets that will significantly expand the... View Details

Keywords: Capacity Planning; Business Startups; Business Model; Growth and Development Strategy; Air Transportation Industry

January 2018
Case

Flying into the Future: HondaJet

By: Gary P. Pisano and Jesse Shulman

This cases examine Honda’s diversification into the light jet market. In 1985, Honda initiated a secret program to develop a small jet. Over the years, the program had many ups and downs (it was almost canceled several times). Then, a breakthrough in the configuration... View Details

Keywords: Diversification; Technological Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Innovation and Management; Air Transportation Industry

November 2017
Supplement

Merging American Airlines and US Airways (B)

By: David G. Fubini, David A. Garvin and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Exhibit to Merging American Airlines and US Airways (A) case. In February 2013, US Airways announced that it would merge with American Airlines to create the world’s largest airline. Doug Parker, the CEO of US Airways, would become CEO of the new American Airlines... View Details

Keywords: Airlines; Merger; Takeover; Integration Strategy; Merger Integration; Mergers and Acquisitions; Decision Making; Governance; Management Teams; Operations; Organizational Culture; Air Transportation Industry; United States

November 1994 (Revised August 1995)
Supplement

Canadian Airlines: Reservations About Its Future (B)

By: F. Warren McFarlan, Duncan G. Copeland and Chris L Marshall

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Air Transportation Industry

June 2012
Case

Perfect Storm over Zurich Airport (A) (Abridged)

By: Michael L. Tushman and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Josef Felder, CEO of Zurich Airport, faces several crises as he tries to transform the Airport from a slow-moving, conflict-ridden, government-owned entity into a privatized, world-class airport. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Leading Change; Crisis Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; State Ownership; Privatization; Air Transportation Industry