Fuel is the top challenge and currently the most significant impediment to airlines’ profitability, followed by government regulations and customer loyalty, according to a survey carried out among 200 of the world’s leading airline executives.
The survey, carried out by Sabre Airline Solutions, shows that 95% of international and 94% of US airlines said fuel costs will have a significant impact on cost, revenue or operations this year.
Eighty-two per cent of US and 77% of international airlines said government regulations would have a significant impact and 77% of US and 74% of international airlines cited customer loyalty.
When it came to environmental issues, however, the results varied.
Only 5% of North American airlines viewed environmental concerns as a major challenge, while 34% of international airlines viewed it as one of the three biggest challenges they will face this year.
Sabre Airline Solutions senior strategist Steve Hendrickson said US carriers are too focused their balance sheets, to tackle to green issue.
“The momentum for potential regulatory actions against airlines’ carbon emissions is much more pronounced in Europe than the US, and US airlines are still obsessed with the emerging financial recovery they are slowing achieving, while carriers in many other regions are largely doing pretty well,” said Hendrickson.
