Airline Network Planning in 2021 and Beyond - Interview with Cem Tanyel, Sabre Travel Solutions

Sabre today published its latest whitepaper - The Art & Science of Airline Network Planning to Ramp up for Recovery - as the airline industry gradually turns its attention to longer term planning once more, and away from the short-term operational focus that was necessary earlier in the pandemic.

“From an aviation perspective, the latter half of 2021 is the time to change our outlook from crisis mode with a focus only on the immediate term to again taking on a more strategic view; analyzing market and fleet adjustments for the seasons and years to come,” said Cem Tanyel, Chief Services Officer, Sabre Travel Solutions. “However, shifting from a purely short-term scheduling focus back to a full timeline network planning view will not be easy in the current environment. In addition to difficulties caused by reduced passenger numbers and revenue, and resulting reductions in crew for some airlines, there are additional challenges given that the data airline managers could previously rely on to estimate future demand beyond the next few weeks is no longer reliable.”

That is why Sabre is developing the new airline network planning methodologies described in the whitepaper that leverage GDS shopping data in conjunction with historical Global Demand Data and Industry capacity data to predict demand in a manner that works effectively, even when prior year results become less representative.

The whitepaper sets out:

• New methodologies created by Sabre to take a more holistic view of Airline Network Planning at a time when it is not possible to rely on previous years’ data alone.

• How airlines are now shifting from a purely short-term to a full timeline planning view and why this process is complex as we move towards recovery.

• Latest industry data that can help airline managers in their decision-making process.

• Why airlines need to place a deeper focus on segmentation in both the leisure and business segments as we move further into 2021.

• The destinations and segments that are seeing above average capacity rebound.

• How Covid-19 has accelerated network planning innovation.

“Often it is said that necessity is the mother of invention,” said Mr. Tanyel. “This pandemic has driven innovation to an NPS process that has been quite static over the prior decades. Quantitative network planning approaches being developed that leverage technical advances were already under way before COVID19 but have now become more important to advance. A more complete, innovative process that incorporates segmentation analysis, shopping data and more robust industry schedule outlooks will be the outcome.”

  The Art & Science of Airline Network Planning to Ramp up for Recovery

To learn more about the latest trends in the airline industry and how Sabre is using its massive bank of data to improve the network planning tools it offers airlines, Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com interviewed Cem Tanyel on 8 July over Skype. The exclusive interview is available in both video and podcast formats below.

PODCAST

The 16-page (15.5MB) whitepaper can be downloaded here.

Editor's note: As the above video interview was conducted over the internet, I would like to apologise that the audio and visual quality are not up to the same HD/UHD quality that it normally would be. Hopefully it won't be too long until we are once again conducting exclusive video interviews in person, but for now we have to make do with what we have. Thank you.

See also: NDC - Exclusive Interview with Kathy Morgan of Sabre Travel Solutions.

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