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Coursework assignment 2015/16 – Semester1 Read the case Aberdeen Airport and complete the task following it. Present your answer in an academic report format with numbered sections and sub-sections. You will need to make use of your existing knowledge of business management and/or conduct some background reading on any relevant models/theories/concepts that will facilitate a comprehensive analysis. For guidance, refer to the seminar materials provided: business management tools, the model report (Birmingham Furniture Company), language for cases, academic language and style, academic vocabulary, paragraphing, and problems and solutions.

ABERDEEN AIRPORT

Aberdeen Airport is one of the seven UK airports owned by the British Airports Authority (BAA plc). Last year, 2.5 million passengers used Aberdeen airport. It was opened in 1935 and is located seven miles from the city. When the airport opened, it was surrounded by countryside, but the development of the city means that housing is now located near to the airport. It has one main passenger terminal, and two which are specifically used for the numerous helicopters serving the North Sea oil rigs. Aberdeen is the largest oil-related centre in Europe.

Routes Fifteen airlines use Aberdeen Airport, offering 30 destinations which include London, Amsterdam, Paris, Orkney and Shetland. Due to the fact that the runway is shorter than other major airports, many of the larger planes commonly used for holiday flights do not use this airport. Travelling to Tenerife from Aberdeen requires the plane to land for refuelling midway through the journey, as the combined weight of the aeroplane and fuel would require a longer take-off area than currently available at Aberdeen. However, flights to London, Paris and Amsterdam are used by people wishing to fly further afield on holiday, as the Aberdeen flight provides a connection to these airports where they can transfer to other available flights. This does not mean that the cost of convenience is added to the price of holidays for the Aberdeen Airport traveller. Some package holidays are available direct from Aberdeen, mainly to the Spanish islands, Malta and more recently Italy. Online booking of tickets means that travellers just have to appear at the airport with their booking reference number. There is no longer any need for tickets to be sent out by post to customers. A new airline has recently postponed the launch of flights from Aberdeen to Oslo (Norway). A lack of bookings forced the launch to be postponed until March. Travelling further north in winter did not appeal to the Aberdeen public. It is hoped that Swedish people will visit Aberdeen more frequently. Like Norwegians, they may find the price of consumer goods in Aberdeen to be much lower than at home.

Security As with all UK airports; security in Aberdeen airport has had to be tightened in recent years. The first phase of a £1.5 million development has resulted in a new security search area. New technology is used to scan luggage and track passengers in some airports. For example, Gatwick airport requires passengers to have their photograph taken and details put into a barcode which is attached to the passenger’s boarding card. Before boarding, staff use a barcode reader to check the photograph against the passenger. Longer check-in times mean that extra facilities are required in airports. Aberdeen airport has a café and a bar. A shop selling newspapers and magazines exists, along with a specialist shop called Baxters selling their own famous brands of gourmet foods, soups and preserves. The duty-free shop sells a wide range of whiskies, many of which are not available in local shops. They appear to be competitive in price.

Access The airport is accessible from Aberdeen city by road and rail. Bus links are provided, with fares set at approximately £1.30 for a single journey. Unfortunately, not all buses are designed specifically for airport travel. Passengers with large amounts of bulky luggage find access difficult. Taxi fares are

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approximately £12 per journey. Although the railway station is close to the airport, passengers still need to take a taxi when arriving by train. A proposal has been made to investigate the launch of a new railway station at the airport. As this will be very expensive, there are plans to start lobbying the Scottish Executive for funding. Easier access would hopefully increase the number of people using the airport, and Aberdeen’s economy would improve as a result.

Flights Incoming flights to Aberdeen face a 10 p.m. curfew, after which no flights can land. Local residents have protested for many years at the prospect of the curfew being extended, as they claim the noise would be unbearable. Delayed flights may be forced to land at Glasgow and Edinburgh and passengers would then be transferred by bus to Aberdeen. This adds to the costs for holiday companies, who may subsequently choose not to offer holidays from Aberdeen airport for this reason. Passengers may not like the fact they have added inconvenience, especially if they are returning from holiday and have to go to work the next day.

Customer Satisfaction Each year, BAA interviews 70,000 passengers to gather their customers’ opinions. On a rating of one to five (one being the highest), Aberdeen Airport received an overall rating of four in 2004. Lack of trolleys and congestion caused by large numbers of travellers were the most common complaints. TASK: PROBLEM-SOLUTION REPORT You are a consultant. You have been hired by the managers of Aberdeen Airport to help them solve the problems faced by the company. Read the case and write a report analysing the problem(s) and suggesting solutions. Structure your report into four sections with the headings below. As for the sub-headings, they will have to correspond to the specific problems and solutions you identify and analyse (See model report Birmingham Furniture Company). Your total report should be three to four A4 pages long. 1. Background and Statement of Problems/Issues

2. Analysis of Data

3. Alternative Solutions

4. Recommendations (for the short and the long terms) NOTE: Further research on the company referred to in the case should NOT be carried out.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 1. Place your full name and section in the header on each page. 2. Number all pages. 3. Number all sections clearly, following the numbering format of the Problem-Solution Report. 4. Word-process your report in Arial font 10; line spacing: 1.5; alignment: justified. 5. Write the report in complete sentences and a formal academic register. 6. Save your work as a Word Document (Compatibility mode) file. 7. Give the document the following title: SURNAME NAME-Section-Case study title (Example: MIRONESCU DANIEL-II MIE-Lingo24) 8. Submit your answer as an email attachment to emilia.placintar@econ.ubbcluj.ro 9. REMEMBER: A blank e-mail would appear impolite to your teacher! SUBMISSION DEADLINE: TUESDAY 17 NOVEMBER, by 21.00 hrs