Western Airport Authority

CASE STUDY

Background : The Western Airport is an airline company operating for five years by the

Western Airport Authority (WAA) in the British Midlands. The airline has

currently managed to increase their number of passengers. However, the airline

is also currently undergoing cash flow problems.

Question 1

The terminal is hot and noisy. Queues at check-in are long, and the delays are common.

1. Why is the terminal hot and noisy?

• The air-conditioners are not working and there are long queues at the check in area.

2. Why are the air-conditioners not working?

• The management does not carry out annual services for the air-conditioners.

3. Why doesn’t the management carry out annual services?

• The management does not carry out annual services because the management is trying to reduce their cost.

4. Why is the management reducing their cost?

• The management is facing current cash flow problems.

5. Why is the management facing financial problems?

• No proper financial planning was done.

ROOT CAUSE : Proper planning was not carried out by the Airline WAA since the starting of

the business.

Question 2

Some of the gates are a long way from the Departure Area. “We walked miles to get to our plane.”

1. Why did the passengers needed to walk miles to their plane?

• The passengers walked miles because the airport gates are located quite a distance from the Departure Area.

2. Why are the gates and the Departure Area far away from each other?

• The gates and Departure Area are far away from each other because there are no proper signboards to guide passengers.

3. Why are there no proper signboards to guide passengers to their plane?

• No proper signboards were displayed because the airline is too focused on attracting franchises that this issue was left neglected.