台灣自1987年開放天空政策以來，各大小航空公司紛紛成立。低成本航空(LCC)也開始積極進入台灣市場。台灣與日本於2011年11月10簽屬日航空協定，此後，捷星(Jetstar)、樂桃(Peach)等低成本航空如雨後春筍般進入台灣，進而激起了許多低成本航空對於傳統航空(FSC)衝擊之討論。然而，低成本航在日本航載客率上是否真的對傳統航空造成影響？具體影響的程度為何？鮮有文獻深入探討。 本文針對大阪、成田、名古屋、琉球四條航線，透過敘述性統計、相關分析、多元迴歸分析之方法，將產業變數之、總體環境變數分別對華航、長榮載客率2011年至2016年之月資料進行分析。並進一步透過BCG矩陣歸納出兩家航空公司四條航線的成長率與市占率分布情形。 研究結果顯示，在日本四條航線上，低成本航空皆沒有與傳統航空載客率造成負向影響，反觀整體旅日市場上升，兩者市場區隔，形成二種經營型態共榮共存的局面。攸關日本線最顯著之變數為淡旺季、次者為消費者信心指數。在BCG矩陣研究結果顯示，中華航空四條航線市場占有率高、成長率低的情形；長榮航空相對市場佔有率低於中華航空，但是大阪線與琉球線的成長率卻高。 根據研究結果，分別對中華航空、長榮航空四條航線上提出各項建議，供航空業者、相關研究人員未來研究之參考。 / Since Taiwan agreed to initiate its Open-skies Policy in 1987, various airline companies began to form, including low-cost carriers (LCC) which eagerly entered Taiwanese markets. Taiwan and Japan reached aviation agreements on November 10, 2011; many LCCs such as Jetstar and Peach emerged as rising competitors in Taiwan, sparking a discussion about their impact on other full-service carriers (FSC). Do LCCs really pose a threat to FSCs in air travel between the two countries? To what extent do they affect those companies? Few sources have explored in detail. This research focuses on four destinations - Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Nagoya and Okinawa - based on descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis (MRA), while taking a close look at marketing and overall environmental factors in travel data between China Airlines and EVA Air (2011-2016, monthly). The growth and market share distributions of these four routes, operated by both companies, can be furthermore described using BCG matrices. The research concludes that, with respect to these four Japanese travel routes, LCCs did not create a negative impact on FSCs. Increasing traffic between Taiwan and Japan, in fact, facilitated prosper coexistence between the two types of carriers. Among the most significant factors are peak and low seasons, in addition to consumer confidence. BCG matrix analyses indicate that China Airlines had greater market shares and smaller growth rates; although EVA Air possessed fewer market shares than China Airlines, their Osaka and Okinawa routes grew at a rapid rate. The results of these observations may serve as suggestions to China Airlines and EVA Air, as well as references for aviation professionals and future researchers.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the changes to marketing strategy of airline companies in Europe due the proliferation of low-cost carriers in Europe. The thesis is divided into three parts. In the theoretical part the marketing strategy framework is established by reviewing the latest literature on marketing theory and its application to the airline industry. The second chapter provides the historical background and shows the specifics of the airline industry in order to determine when the proliferation of low-cost carriers in Europe occurred. It also analyzes the impact the proliferation had on the business operations of the network carriers by looking at the changes to different elements of the marketing mix. Finally the third chapter summarizes the authors research on consumer behavior in the airline industry. The research was conducted through a quantitative questionnaire and it investigates consumers perception of price and brand awareness.

This dissertation investigates the relationship of competition and firms' price responses, by analyzing: i) whether new entry reduces price discrimination, ii) when incumbents reduce price discrimination preemptively in response to the threat of entry, and iii) how competition increases prices. The dissertation consists of three independent essays addressing each of the above questions. The first two essays present an empirical analysis of the airline industry and the third essay presents a theoretical analysis of the credit card industry. In the empirical study of the relationship between competition and firms' pricing in the airline industry, I emphasize the importance of distinguishing the equilibrium behaviors with respect to different market characteristics. Major airlines can price discriminate differently in a market where they compete with low-cost carriers comparing to in another market where they don't, and also they can respond dfferently to the threat of entry depending on whether they are certain about the rival's future entry. The study reveals that competition has a positive effect on price discrimination in the routes where major airlines compete against one anther. In these routes, competition reduces lower-end prices to a greater extent than upper-end prices. In contrast, an entry by low-cost carriers results in a significant negative relationship between competition and price discrimination. Thus, the opposite results in the literature are both evident in the airline industry, and it is very important to identify the different forces of competition on price discrimination. Firms can respond to potential competition as well as actual competition. So, I extend the study to the relationship of potential competition and price discrimination, specially in cases where major airlines compete against one another while facing Southwest's threat of entry. I also attempt to suggest major airlines' motives of reducing price discrimination preemptively. The results of the study suggest that incumbents reduce price dispersion when it is possible to deter the rival's entry and that the potential rival discourages incumbents from deterring entry by announcing before its beginning service. Finally, I examine when competition can increase prices in a market, by analyzing the issuing side of the credit card industry. This industry is characterized by a two-sided market with a platform. Under the no-surcharge rule that restricts merchants to set the same price for cash and card purchases, the equilibrium interchange fee increases with competition. This occurs because issuers can compensate losses from competing on the issuing side by collectively increasing the interchange fee. As a result, limiting competition may improve social welfare when the interchange fee is higher than the social optimal level. In contrast, in the absence of the no-surcharge rule, the analysis shows that competition always improves social welfare by lowering the price of the market.

This study attempted to establish the travel behaviours and choice criteria of the South African domestic air passenger and how they differed between low-cost carriers (LCCs) and full-service carriers (FSCs). The study was quantitative and used structured questionnaires to collect data via personal interviews. Descriptive and inferential techniques were used to analyse the data, including a binomial logistic regression to identify predictors of model choice. Analysis This study attempted to establish the travel behaviours and choice criteria of the South African domestic air passenger and how they differed between low-cost carriers (LCCs) and full-service carriers (FSCs). The study was quantitative and used structured questionnaires to collect data via personal interviews. Descriptive and inferential techniques were used to analyse the data, including a binomial logistic regression to identify predictors of model choice. Analysis showed that passengers had a limited understanding of the functioning of the models. This results in consumer perceptions and expectations being discordant with the true differences. In distinguishing between models, LCC passengers rate LCCs more favourably than FSC passengers, but both rate FSCs higher than LCCs. This shows the need of consumers to have the features and services of the FSCs. Amongst the key findings was the absolute importance of price to the passengers on both models when purchasing the ticket. The analysis showed that LCC passengers are highly price sensitive and show loyalty to the lowest price (not airline model). It was apparent that frequent flyer programmes (FFP), or linkages to 3rd party loyalty programmes, for LCCs need to be reconsidered. Younger LCC passengers especially, indicated a need for a simple FFP to receive some form of ‘reward’, as well as benefits traditionally only offered by FSCs. FSC passengers show a greater degree of loyalty and less fare sensitivity. This provides the FSCs with a degree of fare flexibility and the opportunity to move their loyal, less price-sensitive consumers up the price curve to maximise revenue. It was shown that, in distinguishing themselves from FSCs, it is important that LCCs are perceived as being more affordable than FSCs and are offering a value-for-money service. In essence, LCCs have to defend their positioning by (i) ensuring that their fares are not perceived to be as high as a FSCs and (ii) watching that the FSC fares are not declining to a level where FSCs are perceived as being as cheap as a LCC. For LCCs, brand building strategies around issues other than fare need to be devised, with attention paid to identifying determinant factors. / Business Management / D. Com (Business Management)