Aer Lingus has been in airlines operation since 1938. As an airline company, it has been through the changes in transportation making it one of the most dependable companies in Britain. Recently, the company shares were sold to International Airline Group (IAG) by investors and the government giving IAG an ownership of 98.05% while other owners hold the remaining 1.95% of the total shares (Morrell & Peter, 91). Being the second largest airline operator in the country, it is expected to serve a large number of customers and tourists moving to various destinations in Europe and America. More so, the company is expected to serve timely and convenient long and short distance travels in the region profitably. However, the company under the ownership of IAG has made continuous losses within the past two years (Chari & Raj, 78). Continuous demand for transport and tourism growth in the region need first and efficient transportation which can be dependable at all time. It is, therefore, expected that the airline carriers carrying luggage and tourists across the region should improve in efficiency and performance to satisfy the growing demand. This paper will focus on some of the airline transport needs in the region. Then it will focus on the main complaints and inefficiencies in the region leading to unsatisfied customers. This will then be required to explain why Aer Lingus may not be able to survive without specialist partners.
Globalization, sports and recreation, need for better medical attention, diversified business and cultural interaction have been among the major factors leading to high and adequate transport demand (Lubbe & Berendien, 74). More so, improved tourism industry, especially during holiday, also demands efficient air transport facilities. International events and meeting in this region have also increased tremendously increasing the demand for transport. All these factors have necessitated the air transport sector to make various changes and innovations to enhance efficiency. Takeovers of airline companies and privatization have been necessitated as a means of improving efficiency. However, customers and tourists have continued to suffer the agony of delayed air transport in the region. Ireland to be specific where Aer Lingus serves have lamented of the delayed flights and cancellation of flights. Inefficiency in operation since the takeover by IAG has raised concern among politician, operators, directors and the customers who have suffered the delay and ticket cancellation.
With the current management and ownership, Aer Lingus have suffered poor operation and also decreased income revenue. The main concern is the delay in the flight and constant cancellation of the flights. The long lead time has led to inconveniences and failed businesses in the region (Peoples & James, 167). For example, various people travelling for games and sports have been delayed to a point that they missed their events. Many have complained of failed businesses and family meeting due to the long lead times caused by Aer Lingus Airline. Secondly, after the cancellation of the flight, the refunding of the paid costs has been delayed to an extent of customers seeking legal interference. Others have lost their money as a result of long refund processes and the cost of claiming the refund (Morrell & Peter, 91). This continuous to affect tourism activities in the region as the goodwill is also lost among the tourists who suffer the agony of poor transport services in the region.
Third, tourists and other loyal customers have suffered poor services from the receptions whose services continuous to be pathetic. Communication delay and poor response to the customers have affected the accessibility to the company. The reception and customer service attendees have in the recent past decreased their response to the customers. Customers have complained of hours of phone holding and hanging in the attempt to talk about the customer service. They have also complained of inaccurate information from the customer care which hence made their journey and travels to be delayed (Peoples & James, 167). Others have complained or slow the internet and thus processing of information with the customer services hence increased costs due to the tour and business losses. Lastly, it is expected that the company employees should be retained even after the takeover (Robinson, et al., 82). However, the new management approach shows that many employees may be sent home during the structuring of the company.
Given the many complaints about unsatisfying services offered the Aer Lingus, it has been echoed that the organization may not survive by itself. The new management of the organization has as well expressed their fears of failing to deliver to the expected standards. Customer satisfaction and services aligned to the tourism need in the region forms the baseline for the need of efficiency for the company. Tourism promotion is dependent on the availability of efficient transport system in an area for the movement of people from one region to another (Murphy & Gerry, 62). Tourism activities are known to be an economic activity which when disrupted can affect the total income in the country. In this regard, therefore, the field of transportation and communication in this region should be handled in an efficient manner as to provide reliable movement from one region to the other (Petraglia, 56). It is with this therefore that Aer Lingus under the management of IAG is required to consider a sustainable partnership to enhance the service provision (International Business, 17). In this case, the company new management has shown poor performance in customer service, communication and provision of other human resource services. Despite being the Britain largest airline operator, AIG needs to partner or rather outsource crucial services such as human resource management. The company should consider expertise application in the dealing with the customers who have shown their dissatisfaction with the service provided by the company (Morrell & Peter, 123).
Partnership with the external service providers comes with various advantages and benefits. For example, the company will be able to concentrate on the core activities with which the company is entitled (Combe & Colin, 231). These include the ability to provide better aircraft and Airbuses for better transportation. Provision of more advanced tracking methods for the safety and security of luggage transported through the airline service (Petraglia, 56). This entails concentrating on the technical resource provisions while outsourcing the non-core activities through partnering with expertise companies. This hence lowers the possible losses incurred by the organization and hence efficiency. It also improves the customer service of the reducing the delays, cancellation and having to wait long for the refund of the amounts paid. Improved customer service will improve the performance of the entire Aer Lingus Company. More so, partnership lowers the cost of operation of the firm increasing its efficiency and ability to deliver on its objectives optimally.
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