Loyalty management in the airline industry

Diploma Thesis from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,3 (A), ( Middlesex University in London ), language: English, abstract: This report will demonstrate the importance of Loyalty Management in the competitive environment of the airline industry and will show that a successful approach to Loyalty Management consists of three different, interlinked aspects. These three ′pillars′ are Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Programs, and Complaint Management; their interdependence will be analysed in depth, with special attention given to the perceived importance of Frequent Flyer Programs. Findings show that customers do indeed perceive these issues as vital with regards to their loyalty towards a particular airline. It was found that Customer Service can be regarded as the foundation for Loyalty Management; it can help an airline to gain competitive advantage by setting it apart from its competitors. Frequent Flyer Programs, if implemented and run properly, can provide the customer with added value. As such, they compliment Customer Service and can help to increase overall loyalty. Additionally, Complaint Management was found to be gaining importance among airlines. The number of complaints was shown to be rising gradually, stressing the growing significance of efficient Complaint Management and its strong after-effect on customer loyalty.