Flying Off Course: The Economics of International Airlines (Paperback)

by Rigas Doganis (Author) "In the last 50 years technological innovation in air transport has far outstripped that in any other transport mode..." (more)
Key Phrases: cabin crew costs, flight crew costs, passenger service costs, United States, North Atlantic, British Airways (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...a very sound grounding for the beginner and fresh perspectives and insights for the most experienced airline economist, manager or regulator." -- Transport Economist

"...one of the most important contributions to the subject . . . this is an excellent book which I wholly recommend..." -- Transport

An ideal introduction to the way the industry is adapting to a rapidly changing environment. - M Sayer, Law School, Nottingham Poly

Product Description
Flying Off Course provides fascinating insights into the field of international transport as seen from an economist's perspective. In the five years since the first edition appeared, the international airline industry has changed dramatically. With the growth in deregulation have come new operating practices and management concepts. This enlarged second edition reflects these changes by incorporating new material. It analyses the key aspects of the industry such as: the factors affecting airline costs; the problems of pricing; airline marketing and product planning; the impact of United States deregulation; European air transport after 1992; the crisis in airfreight; and the economics of charters.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (December 3, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415084393
• ISBN-13: 978-0415084390
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,131,250 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best text available for airline economics -- Period., March 29, 1998

By A Customer

Superb! This text clearly explains the complex economic issues surrounding airlines today, including social and political perspectives. By far the best available resource for potential (or current) airline managers to help understand the driving forces in today's global airline industry. Certainly acceptable for any level of higher academic study, the text looks at economic paradigms driving the industry and provides a fresh perspective of the perils facing airilnes in the 21st century.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Academically Rigorous, Yet Comprehensible, September 13, 2004

By	Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Flying Off Course Third Edition (Paperback)

This is the best introduction to the fundamentals of airline economics that I have ever read. Doganis, an analyst and teacher these days, is able to take all his years in industry (including a stint as CEO of Olympic Airways of Greece) and distill it into a useful text full of real world examples. The third edition is updated to include new developments like Internet ticketing, and was written post-9/11, so that sections dealing with issues such as security are up to date.

The book has complete sections on airline, aircraft, and route planning and forecasting, and related subjects such as yield management, marketing, and charter operations. Of particular note is the chapter on pricing policies and fare structures; it is clear that Doganis completely understands the significance of the low cost carriers and the future of yields throughout the different regions of the world.

I always enjoy reading Doganis, and vastly prefer this updated version of "Flying Off Course" to the pre-9/11 "The Airline Business in the 21st Century" (although I do recommend that book as well.) This is a great book, and should be read and understood by airline managers everywhere. My only caution is that though it is not the most mathematically exhaustive book on the subject, casual readers may not enjoy the book inasmuch as it is quite weighty and the chapter on forecasting demand is fairly mathematically rigorous.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, thorough overview of international airlines, May 12, 1997

By A Customer

The former Olympic Airways Chairman (now Professor of Air Transport at the prestigious Cranfield University, UK) provides a magnificent overview of the economics of international airlines. The title refers to airlines' apparent inability to satisfy the most basic of economic necessities: matching supply and demand