Page 1
Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main
University of Applied Sciences
Applied Research Project
REDUCTION IN TOP 5
DEPARTURES DELAYS FOR
AIR INDIA INTERNATIONAL
FLIGHTS EX MUMBAI
OPERATED BY BOEING 777
Masters of Business Administration in Aviation Management
Semester 2
Mukul Ringe, Reg No. 1042245 Dy Chief A/C Engineer, 20 years Aviation Experience
Seema Vedak, Reg No. 1042180 Customer Relations, 17years Aviation Experience
Jose Fernandes, Reg. No 1034431 Visa Officer, Swiss Consulate, 19 Years Experience
Philip Thomas, Reg No. 1034460 Aircraft Engineer, Jet Airways, 8Years Experience
Professor Dr. Renike.
November 2013
Page 2
Page i
Table of Contents
1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 1
2 Problem Statement .............................................................................. 2
2.1 Scope ............................................................................................ 2
2.2 Structure of the report ................................................................... 2
3 Methodology ........................................................................................ 3
3.1 Method behind the empirical data. ................................................ 4
3.2 Research Design and progress .................................................... 6
3.3 Representativity of Data ................................................................ 9
3.4 Reliability of Data .......................................................................... 9
3.5 Validity of our Data ..................................................................... 10
3.6 Presentation of Theory ................................................................ 11
3.7 Criticism of references ................................................................ 12
4 Company description. ........................................................................ 13
4.1 Organisational structure .............................................................. 14
5 Theory ............................................................................................... 15
5.1 Delay Theory .............................................................................. 16
5.2 Theory on Consulting Tools ........................................................ 17
5.2.1 Problem Tree ....................................................................... 17
5.2.2 Hypothesis Tree ................................................................... 18
5.2.3 Issue Tree ............................................................................ 18
5.3 Cultural Theory ........................................................................... 19
5.3.1 What is Culture ..................................................................... 19
5.3.2 Artifacts ................................................................................ 21
Page 3
Page ii
5.3.3 Espoused Values ................................................................. 22
5.3.4 Basic Underlying Assumptions ............................................. 22
6 Operational Data Analysis ................................................................. 23
6.1 Consolidation of Raw Operational Data ...................................... 23
6.2 Problem Tree .............................................................................. 25
6.3 Hypothesis Tree .......................................................................... 26
6.4 Issue Tree “Awaiting load from another AI flight” ........................ 26
6.5 Issue Tree “Reduce delays at Immigration.” ............................... 27
6.6 Issue Tree “Cabin crew reporting late.” ....................................... 27
6.7 Issue Tree “Passengers reporting late at boarding gate” ............ 27
6.8 Issue Tree “Waiting for ATC Slot” ............................................... 28
6.9 Weather Influence on Delays ...................................................... 28
6.10 Aircraft Taxing behind .............................................................. 29
7 Cultural Analysis in Air India .............................................................. 29
8 Conclusion and action plan ............................................................... 30
9 Perspectivation .................................................................................. 32
10 References ........................................................................................ 33
11 Appendix A: Problem Tree ................................................................ 36
11.1 Hypothesis Tree ...................................................................... 37
11.2 Issue Tree for Awaiting load from another flight ...................... 38
11.3 Issue Tree for Delay at Immigration ......................................... 39
11.4 Issue Tree for Cabin Crew reporting late ................................. 40
11.5 Issue Tree for Passenger reporting late .................................. 41
11.6 Issue Tree for Awaiting Take off Slot ....................................... 42
12 Appendix B: Permission for use of statistical data ............................. 43
Page 4
Page iii
13 Appendix C: Consolidated overview of delay causes ........................ 44
14 Appendix D: Work Contribution ......................................................... 45
14.1 Mukul ....................................................................................... 45
14.2 Philip: ....................................................................................... 45
14.3 Seema ..................................................................................... 45
14.4 Jose ......................................................................................... 46
15 Appendix E: Interview Guide prepared for Corporate Culture ........... 47
16 Appendix F: Actual Interview Guide used Cultural Interviews and
answers ................................................................................................... 50
17 Appendix G: Interview Guide prepared for Delay Interviews ............. 55
18 Appendix H: Actual Interview Guide used Delay Interviews and
answers ................................................................................................... 59
19 Appendix I: Questionnaires to Assistant Duty Manager 1 ................. 69
20 Appendix J: Questionnaires to Assistant Duty Manager 2 ................. 70
21 Appendix K: Questionnaires to Assistant Duty Manager 3 ................ 71
Page 5
Page iv
Table of Figures
Figure 1:.Air India Organisation structure ................................................14
Figure 2: Air India Departmental Organisation Structure .........................15
Figure 3:Levels of Culture.........................................................................21
Page 6
Page v
Table of Abbreviations
AI Air India
ATA Actual Time of Arrival
ATC Air Traffic Control
B – 777 Boeing 777 series
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
IOCC Integrated Operation Control Centre
MCT Minimum Connecting Time
The minimum connecting time needed to a connecting flight.
This depends on the departing station and the airlines
involved.
MVT Movement
A movement message is sent by the departing station to the
arriving station.
OAL Other airline
OCC Operation Control centre
PTB Passenger Terminal Building
QTS Questions
STD Scheduled Time of Departure
Page 7
Page vi
Executive Summary / Abstract
Air India is the national carrier of India, carrying 30.74 million passengers
to destinations domestically and around the globe.
Air India has as the only Indian carrier the prestigious Boeing 777 giving
them the market advantage to be able to reap the benefits of offering the
highly lucrative ultra long range non-stop operations between India and
the US.
However to lure back old customers Air India has to make lot of efforts and
make an impressive new image to attract new customers. Lately it is being
reported that Air India is planning to sell some of their Boeing 777
Airplanes.
The project targets to improve customer service by reducing delays
thereby improving revenue and reputation allowing Air India allowing them
to regain the benefits of their unique position amongst the Indian carriers
in the highly lucrative ultra long range non-stop operations between India
and the US
Using the theories of root-cause analysis combining it with an analysis of
the corporate culture in the departure departments, we propose an action
plan that will minimize the delays of Air India’s Boeing 777 departures by
50% in the next 6 months.
We conclude that the following three top actions are critical to Air India to
bring down the departure delays:
1. Air India to confirm passengers possess the proper documentation
prior to issuance of boarding pass at check-in.
2. Revision of closing time of check-in counters.
3. Real time Tracking of Passengers at Airside area through mobile
technology.
Page 8
Page 1
1 Introduction
Air India is the national carrier of India, carrying 30.74 million passengers
to destinations domestically and around the globe.
Air India has as the only Indian carrier the prestigious Boeing 777 giving
them the market advantage to be able to cater to ultra long range non-stop
operations between India and the US.
Currently the Air India fleet includes 8 B777-200LR and 12 B777-300ER
aircrafts.
However, things are far from as good as they could be.
Air India urgently needs to improve its reputation as its total delays are
higher than industry average. This situation is not contributing to tap the
lucrative Indian-USA routes, as customers are staying away; causing the
airline to bleed finances.
In addition hereto, the Indian newspaper Business Standard (Business
Standard 2013), announced on 08th May 2013 that Air India is planning to
sell 5 of its 8 B777-200LR owing to change in market dynamics due to
global recession, steep increase in fuel prices and poor yields on non-stop
routes.
The project targets to improve customer service by reducing delays
thereby improving revenue and reputation.
The project is in consultation with Air India’s commercial department.
The project host from Air India is Mr. S. Sonawane, Manager Controls.
The key decision maker for the project would be the General Manager Mr
S. N. Ojha.
Page 9
Page 2
2 Problem Statement
The project is based on the hypothesis that 5 most significant departure
delays occurring on B777 operated by Air India can be reduced by 50% by
addressing the root causes.
We have specifically chosen the Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Air India
as this narrows our study to international long haul departures.
Limiting the study to international long haul departures, means that Air
India in their subsequent implementation phase will have the advantage of
creating a pilot project and a phased rollout using limited means, and still
be able to assess the results and make any subsequent corrective actions
prior to a wider implementation.
The deliverable is an action plan to reduce the top five departure delays
for Air India international flight operated by Boeing 777 ex Mumbai by 50%
in the next 6 months.
2.1 Scope
The scope of our project includes all International long haul departures,
operated by Boeing 777 aircraft, ex Mumbai airport. This narrows our
study to International long haul departures where Air India has a unique
position in the Indian Market.
The limitations of this project which remains out of scope are delays
caused by external factors which cannot be influenced such as weather,
bird hit, terrorist activities or political situations, any other carrier, airport or
aircraft type.
Moreover the actual implementation of the project, as well as any related
financials are also out of scope. Air India is completely responsible for the
implementation of the plan and its financial impacts.
2.2 Structure of the report
In the next chapter we describe the methodology used. The chapter starts
with describing the method behind the empirical data, continues with
Page 10
Page 3
research design. We then briefly discuss on representativity of data,
reliability of data and validity of data and end the chapter with presenting
the theory relevant for our project and conclude the chapter with some
remarks on criticism of reference.
In Chapter 4, we give a brief description of the company and the
organisational structure.
Chapter 5, describe the three different areas of theory relevant for this
project. Delay Theory, Consulting tools theory and cultural theory
In chapter 6 we account for our analysis of the delay causes.
Chapter 7 briefly accounts for the situation concerning cultural empirical
data.
In chapter 8 we present our conclusions and action plan for Air India.
Finally, chapter 9 briefly sets the whole project in perspective.
3 Methodology
In the following we will detail the methodology and considerations behind
the chosen method.
Overall the problem is an empirical survey based in a practical problem,
supported by theoretical considerations.
This is why the report also has a theoretical chapter and from a
methodological point of view the purpose of that chapter is to form the
theoretical basis. Thereby the theory will form a fundamental foundation
for the empirical research while at the same time creates the conceptual
framework for the subsequent analysis of the collected data.
We will in the following part of this chapter argue the empirical method that
we have chosen for our project, the data collection method and the choice
of informants.
Conclusively we will discuss the reliability and validity of our data and
present the theory we have chosen to use.
Page 11
Page 4
3.1 Method behind the empirical data.
Our research takes starting point in Air India where we have to achieve
knowledge of the departure delays of Air India.
This forms the basis for the choice of methodology for collection of
empirical data.
Within our problem we have the choice between two methods, the
qualitative method and the quantitative method.
We have chosen the qualitative method, based on the subject and
purpose. The subject is root cause analysis of delays supported by an
analysis of any influence of the corporate culture. This subject is difficult to
operationalise and quantify without being explorative. We have as a
starting point not included operationalisation and quantification and have
therefore deselected the quantitative method.
The explorative method is necessary for this analysis because the
knowledge we need to achieve will have many unpredictable aspects.
On the basis of a qualitative and explorative analysis it could be an added
advantage to also supplement with a quantitative analysis, which is also
what Ib Andersen (Andersen 1997, P.43) recommends.
We have to a limited extent also pursued this recommendation and
included supplementary qualitative analysis in the form of questionnaires
to the secondary group of non-core respondents.
The purpose of our project is to be explorative (Andersen 1997, P24) as
we wish to examine if the occurrences given as departure delays are the
genuine causes behind the actual figures causing delays and are in fact
actual root causes.
Exactly these root causes are not known in advance and consequently will
an explorative investigative approach be necessary.
We therefore find that the qualitative method with an explorative line-of-
sight be the most appropriate approach for our project.
Page 12
Page 5
Although questionnaires are less time-intensive than interviewing, enable
comparisons to be made and can be analysed more easily than interviews,
Rassam (Rassam 2010, P130) also gives significant disadvantages of
using questionnaires as people may misinterpret some questions, they
may be constrained not to tell all they know and feel of fear of being
discovered and so give the answers that they thing are required. Also the
questionnaires leave very little room for supplementaries.
In addition to this, Schein (Schein 1985) gives reasons of criticism against
the questionnaire methods when attempting to collect cultural-based data.
According to Schein (Schein 1985, P. 184-197), the questionnaire method
as a method to explain corporate culture results in four basic problems.
First, a questionnaire method measures certain aspects of the norms or
climate of an organisation. Schein sees this as artefacts and does not
believe that this alone can account for the corporate culture.
Second, the corporate culture underlying the root cause analysis covers all
aspects of a group’s internal and external life. It is therefore practically
impossible to complete a questionnaire which will be sufficiently covering.
Thirdly, not all cultural dimensions are equally relevant for the works of a
group. It is therefore not possible to design a questionnaire which captures
the cultural dimensions which are relevant for the group you choose to
investigate.
Fourthly, it is impossible to know what the respondents will answer based
on what they feel you look for in the culture; or they answer the
questionnaire based on their view of the factual circumstances.
As the basic root causes and basic cultural assumptions are hidden and
therefore not necessarily present in the awareness of the respondents it
can be difficult for an individual to extract the relevant data.
Ideally in order to perform a thorough cultural analysis a focus-group
interview should be applied. In a focus-group interview it is possible to
observe how the participants work their way through artefacts and values
Page 13
Page 6
and begin to stimulate each others’ perception of the situation and thereby
start to provide the basic assumptions that signify the culture and also the
root causes. Unfortunately for technical reasons, we were not able to
assemble all respondents in a focus-group interview, and therefore have to
settle for a one-to-one interview. We do not believe that this will have a
severe adverse effect on our analysis, as the cultural analysis is only
intended to support our understanding of the root cause analysis.
As Rasien and Friga (Rasiel Friga 2007, P. 61) also recommends, we use
an interview guide, in order to organise our thoughts on paper and
secondly identify the topics we intend to cover in the interview and prepare
accordingly.
The above supports our choice of the qualitative method and furthermore
points towards completing the qualitative interviews using an interview
guide.
Moreover it has also been our intention to avoid limiting the respondents in
their answers as Rassam confirms (Rassam 2010) is one of the
disadvantages by using questionnaires. Where have therefore placed
significant emphasis on the core group of respondents presenting their
own views of the situation.
3.2 Research Design and progress
We start our research by applying multiple and successive steps of
consolidation to the large scale statistical raw data which we have
obtained directly from Air India.
The result of these successive consolidations is an overview of the
number of occurrences of any particular delay categorised into work area
and responsible person.
Addressing the five most frequent occurrences from this consolidated
statistics, gives us the basis for our empirical investigation.
In this following we describe the way we have chosen to complete the
qualitative interviews. We describe our choice of respondents and our
Page 14
Page 7
choice of data collection method including justifying our choice of
respondents. We also argue for our choice of data collection method and
research design
We base our subsequently explorative investigation in the departure
department of the airport, being the unit directly involved in the daily
operational aspects of the Boeing 777 departures in Mumbai Airport.
The data sources for our empirical research can all be characterised as
primary data.
Based on the approved project proposal we received permission from Air
India to use the statistical data and to access the different respondents we
have interviewed. The permission received from Air India is found in
Appendix B, Permission for use of statistical data.
Having this authorisation we feel that our access to the data was
reasonably assured. In a hierarchical organisation such as Air India, it is of
significant importance to obtain such authorisation.
We found it important to separate our interviews and our questionnaires in
three groups according to purpose. The reason behind this is that it would
give us a potential to select the group of respondents which we felt would
best contribute to the primary purpose of our interviews and our
questionnaire. It would at the same time help us in maintaining interview
focus.
We interviewed two various shifts duty managers about their
understanding of causes of delays and their opinions as per the questions,
which were created by our team to have proper assessment of the causes
which the duty managers are writing in delay reports. The third duty
manager was interviewed about cultural aspects.
The duty managers are accountable for the delay of any flight and hence
they will be forthcoming if anyone provides them any hope of providing
some methods to reduce delays. However, Air India being a government
organization, they had agreed to do so only on remaining anonymous.
Page 15
Page 8
As the shift duty managers are directly accountable for the delay of any
flight we consider this group of respondents our core group.
To have a opinion of lower level management we provided a questionnaire
to assistant managers to have an understanding, how the low level
managements observes delays and causes of delays, sometimes following
only orders of their superiors, thus feeling helpless in reducing the delays.
These staff are accountable to cross check the passengers boarding, crew
scheduling, co-ordinating the gate close of aircraft, other co-ordination
such as catering upload, baggage upload etc. They were selected
because they are also somehow directly involved in know-how of delay
causes. They also wanted to remain anonymous in providing the
feedbacks. These questionnaires were provided to around seven staff
members but only three of them returned with feedback. We consider this
group of respondents our secondary group.
Ideally, and if the primary purpose had been a complete corporate culture
analysis, it would have been completed as a focus-group interview, taking
into consideration an equal distribution between young employees having
a low seniority and old employees having a high seniority, in order to
discover the different views on corporate culture. A focus-group interview
is also preferred to a one-on-one interview, in particular in relation to
culture, as respondents will generally stimulate each other during a focus-
group interview, the aspect of which is not achieved by a one-to-one
interview. As our purpose of analysing culture is only of supporting nature,
we felt it acceptable to use only one-to-one interview.
In the project we are using the Pareto principle, which in a consultancy
assignment such as this we believe that a relatively small number of delay
factors are responsible for a large part of the problem (Rasam 2010).
Moreover, striving for a 100% solution in this case, will not be sensible in
terms of effort required on Air India in the implementation phase
(Obolensky 2010). In processing the statistical data made available to us
from Air India, we apply the principle described by Cowey (Cowey 1994)
Page 16
Page 9
as circle of concern and circle of influence, and choose the disregard the
delay causes we find are in our circle of concern, but not in our circle of
influence. The reason for this is that although some of them occur
frequent, they are beyond our influence, and our addressing these issues
will have little or no effect.
3.3 Representativity of Data
A major disadvantage by limiting our interviews to the Duty Managers and
the Assistant Duty Managers in this unit in Mumbai is that we obtain only
the views of key operational personnel in this unit. Although they
employees closest to the daily delays we will have significant views from
other units in Air India, which are not even represented.
Moreover, even if we were able to capture views from other parts of the
Mumbai organisation, there is no guarantee that the same units in other
Air India stations would have the same view.
For an investigation to be genuinely valid corporate wide, it would require
significant effort and time, which we for time reasons have chosen not to
address.
Never the less, we believe that the interview results will be relevant for
Mumbai and also still believe that the underlying root causes for the
significant causes for delay of Boeing 777 in Air India are probably more
similar in a corporate wide than not.
3.4 Reliability of Data
It will probably be difficult to recreate the exact same process as we have
been through. Ideally, it should be such, that others with the same
assignment, the same organisation and employing the same tools should
reach the same conclusions.
Broadly speaking we have two theoretical perspectives, a rational view
and an open ethnographic view (Andersen 1992). Employing the rational
Page 17
Page 10
view the researcher does not allow himself to deviate from the original idea
and no learning will take place.
Using the open ethnographic view where the entire project is a process, it
allows the researcher to identify oneself with the field of research.
In this perspective learning and reflexion will occur.
Furthermore we have to be aware that a respondent during the course of
an interview or later on, can change his descriptions and statements of a
particular subject. The interviewee will frequently not be able to repeat
statements from previous interviews because he during the interview or in
the intermittent period often will have obtained new knowledge or
increased consciousness of the particular subject which the interview or
the questionnaire has focused on (Andersen 1992). The same this applies
to the researcher during the course of the project.
The central focus has for us been the explorative and investigative
approach for the project. We see this as a search-and-learning process.
3.5 Validity of our Data
We feel that the validity of our data is in accordance with Schein’s view
that only a joint effort between members of an organisation and an outside
consultant can clarify de basic assumptions and the relation which exist
between these basic assumptions (Schein 1986, P. 169).
We also feel that we have achieved the level of co-operation and
motivation from all our respondents which is necessary to achieve an
understanding of their view of the root causes. We base this in the fact that
all our respondents in advance have become an accepted part of the Air
India Organisation.
Firstly have all the respondents in advance, willingly accepted to make
themselves available for our research project. This means that none of the
respondents have been forced to participate in our work. The motivation of
the respondents in their contribution to our work have therefore been high.
Page 18
Page 11
Secondly, all the respondents have been assured that we in no way have
had a hidden agenda towards the management in that any of their
statements or views will be used against them in their work.
We therefore do not feel that the respondents have limited their
statements fearing future retaliation from their employer. Consequently we
also feel that we have avoided the pitfall that Schein say exist in making a
cultural investigation where the necessary level of co-operation and
motivation will not be present (Schein 1985, p. 170-171).
In relation to this, we wish to inform that for personal protection of our
informants we have to the greatest possible extent chosen not to refer a
citation to a particular person. Instead we have in the cases where we felt
it necessary and relevant, chosen to group the statements in the following
four categories: Duty Managers and Assistant Duty Managers.
Moreover we have for personal protection of our respondents, and also for
restrictions of space in this report, omitted minutes of the interviews. If
necessary, these are available separately in writing.
3.6 Presentation of Theory
The theory is used as a tool to understand and analyse our collected
empiri. The theory has given us inspiration to the project, but has primarily
given us the basis to understand and process the collected data. We have
used the theory to identify the problems and topics which we have become
aware of during our initial field study. We have used the concepts and
definitions that the theory contributes to structure and analyse the
empirical material.
We have through the theory attempted to discover the root causes of
delays and attempt to support our findings using corporate culture based
on the empirical data.
We have primarily used the consulting tools theory from Tools for Project
Management, workshops and consulting by Nicolai Andler (Andler 2011)
because of the ability to understand the relations between the relevant
Page 19
Page 12
theory and our recommendations to arrive at a workable solution for Air
India.
Within organisation culture, Schein is one of the most accepted authors
and practitioners. In relation to understanding the culture if Air India, used
Schein and his methods to uncover the culture in an organisation.
We have used Schein’s three layer culture model as this is widely
accepted amongst other cultural researchers (Schein 1985, P. 17).It is
also a simple model to work on and a natural choice as we use Schein’s
theories. We have also used another main source to highlight cultural
aspects, Brown (Brown 1998). Brown’s book covers different theoreticians
view on the concept of culture, all within the modernistic or
symbolic-interpretative school. Brown also support Schein’s interpretation
of cultural theory, but has a wider field of theoreticians. Again it is positive
for the interpretation of our observations and interview data to use more
than one author’s view. In addition to this we have acquainted ourselves
with other cultural theoreticians such as J. Cartwright (Cartwright 1999),
although his theories will only be used sparingly.
The purpose of using the cultural theories is to obtain a picture of the
culture which is only mentioned in the periphery in operational and
strategical theories.
Culture is briefly mentioned, but often attributed a significant role in the
organisational way of accomplishing daily tasks. Consequently culture is a
very natural and significant choice to include when discussing root cause
analysis. The culture can have a significant role not only in the strategy
formation but also in the operational phase.
3.7 Criticism of references
Existing models for theories of Aircraft delays primarily takes basis in a
design perspective, such as runway design, PTB design or similar design
views; or they are mathematic models for minimising or reducing existing
delays by optimisation.
Page 20
Page 13
These models do not address the root cause of why delays occur in the
first place, such as why crew, for example, who originate at a base station
arrive late in the first place.
Existing delay theories mostly seem to optimise the delay when it has
occurred.
We believe that a main reason for this is that airlines frequently prefer to
address their internal caused delay problems within their own domain.
We have therefore primarily been able to make indirect use of the delay
theories in our root cause analysis.
We have only to a limited extent employed secondary data. We base this
preference with the fact that articles from magazines and newspapers as
well as internal corporate newsletters often only provides a fragmented
picture of the reality.
4 Company description.
Air India is the National carrier of India flying national and international
passengers for the past 70 years. Recently it was merged with domestic
carrier Indian Airlines, which was also government owned airline. Now Air
India, the merged entity is having more than 100 aircrafts of which Boeing
777 are mostly used to fly international sectors, which are of two types
B777-300ER, 12 in number, and B777-200LR, and 8 in number. The
maintenance base of Boeing 777 is Mumbai, whereas Delhi is being
developed as International Hub. Earlier many direct flights to international
destinations were from Mumbai. But now a lesser number of direct flights
are from Mumbai. In addition Air India has sold off quantity 5, B777-300ER
aircrafts to Etihad recently. Air India is having 18 departments and big
churning is going on at the moment to cut the flab, making the situation
very dynamic. Co ordination between the various departments for smooth
operation is also very challenging, resulting in different opinions about
flight scheduling, crew scheduling and maintenance of aircrafts.
Page 21
Page 14
4.1 Organisational structure
Air India organisational structure is the divisionalised form, as described in
Mintzbergs structure in Fives (Mintzberg 1983). Mintzberg mentions five
types of internal coalitions in organizations, viz. personalized,
bureaucratic, ideological, professional and politicized. Air India being still
controlled by Civil Aviation Ministry of India may be categorized as a
bureaucratic set up with certain amount of being politicized. Civil Aviation
Ministry of India appoints Chairman cum Managing Director and Board of
Directors from cabinet secretaries, eminent personalities and internally
promoted managers.
The organisational structure is as depicted below. Please note that this is
only illustrative character.
Figure 1: Air India Organisation Structure. (Source: Air India website www.airindia.in)
The different departments will have different Executive Directors / General
Managers and inter departmental official communication will be at this
level to have smooth implementation of programmes. Each department will
have different policy and decision making levels depending upon criticality
Page 22
Page 15
of the decisions as depicted below. Level C-I, C-II, C-III and C-IV are
levels of low level management
Figure 2: Air India Departmental Organisation Structure. (Source: Air India website
www.airindia.in)
5 Theory
In the following chapter we will account for the theories and tools we have
used to analyse our case data.
In relation to our problem definition we find it relevant to quote some of the
existence of theories relation to use the delays.
In relation to our problem definition we find it relevant to use the following
three tools: Problem Tree, Issue Tree and Hypothesis Tree.
For our problem we also find it relevant to use cultural theory to describe
and understand the corporate culture.
We will use different cultural views from Brown and use Schein’s three-
layer model to clarify and uncover the culture. We thus use Schein to
uncover the organisational culture in our case and Brown to put the culture
in relation to its surroundings.
Page 23
Page 16
5.1 Delay Theory
Generally, there are a number of potential specific reasons for any given
aircraft to experience delay. According to Wells (Wells et al. 2004) the
most common factors that might cause an aircraft to experience a delay
are weather, aircraft mechanical issues or simply operating at a time when
overall demand for operations exceed capacity.
Wells (Wells et al. 2004) cite the FAA estimates that the majority of flight
delays occur because of adverse weather. Other delays are according to
Wells attributable to equipment, runway closure and excessive volume or
demand.
In the passenger handling process on landside, Deshpande (Deshpande
2001) finds passenger ground delays at airport terminals can occur due to
inefficient function of airport access and aircraft scheduling.
In relation to delays influenced by immigration, Deshpande (Deshpande
2001) is recommending that the border control activities should be
coordinated with aircraft schedule, especially at the peak hours.
In general, Wells (Wells 2004) notes that a certain amount of delay will
always be present and this will be the acceptable delay.
According to Wells (Wells 2004)is first the concept that some delays are
unavoidable because of factors beyond human control, such as changing
meteorological conditions; second, some delays though avoidable, might
be too expensive to eliminate. Third, even with the most vigorous efforts,
because aircraft operations are demanded on a somewhat random
timeframe, there always exist the probability that some aircraft will
encounter a delay greater than the acceptable amount. Wells (Wells 2004)
gives as an example an air carrier scheduled to land at 12:00 noon that
might actually wish to depart at some random period between 11:58 and
12:03, depending on winds or other factors that determine an aircraft´s
travel time to its destination. Dunbar (Dunbar 2010) also shows that delays
are inherent in airline operations due to stochastic delay causes, e.g.
passenger connections and late baggage loading.
Page 24
Page 17
Because of the above inherent delays, we believe that a “zero-delay”
concept will also not be a realistic target for our project.
According to De Neufville (De Neufville and Odoni 2003) planners of
passenger terminal buildings (PTB) can estimate aircraft delays due to
terminal configurations in the same way as they can estimate walking
delays, provided the area around the passenger building is not very busy
and aircraft do not have to wait for each other. Where congestion is likely
to already exist, PTB designers shall use detailed simulations of airfield
traffic.
The general results from the analysis of aircraft delays concerns midfield
concourse. Equivalent linear midfield concourses incur less delay for
aircraft than plus-shaped concourses because the linear concourses
allows for direct access to the gate from the taxiway, whereas alternative
arrangements may require several turns around the x-shape or plus-
shape. The linear concourse reduces the average taxi time distance
around passenger buildings by 25% and halves the number of turns (De
Neufville and Odoni 2003)
5.2 Theory on Consulting Tools
In the following we will give brief description of the Consulting tools that we
have chosen to use based on book by Tools for project Management
Workshops and Consulting Project by Nicolai Andler (Andler 2011).
5.2.1 Problem Tree
In order to analyse and find workable solutions to a problem, one has to
formulate, define and properly understand the problem. The problem may
either be complex or vague. It is hence necessary to that the specific
problem addressed is completely and clearly understood. According to
Andler (Andler 2011) problem tree is particularly useful when you are
confronted with a new problem and unknown situation. It aids in dividing
the problem into its component parts and understand the difference
between the root causes and the effect. In our case as we have an
Page 25
Page 18
unknown situation we choose to use the problem tree to understand the
problem and arrive at the root causes and define the effects it will have on
the company. The Problem tree is a hierarchical tree structure. In this the
trunk represents the problem, the roots represent the root cause and the
reason for the problem and the branches the effect and consequences of
the problem (Andler 2011). The problem tree asks the question ‘What’.
5.2.2 Hypothesis Tree
The Hypothesis tree tool is best suited if one has prior knowledge and
experience with the problem area and topic. The Hypothesis tree saves
time by helping to focus on the relevant aspects and most likely root
causes and/or solutions. The Hypothesis tree helps plan project approach.
The tool identifies the relevant areas and assumptions, on which you then
focus, and helps you to address and prove what is right or wrong instead
of undertaking a full-blown diagnosis (Andler 2011). We have chosen to
use this tree in our project as we have identified the root causes in the
problem tree. Each ‘why’ statement connects each level of the hypothesis
tree with its precursor statement and reflects our rationale and line of
argument.
5.2.3 Issue Tree
The Issue tree tool helps you to identify and structure potential ideas and
options on how to approach a problem. The tool deals with the ‘how’ –
how could we approach and solve the problem and what are possible
options? It creates a logic and hierarchical structure to explore and display
potential options and problem solving ideas. By answering the implicit
questions of the Issue tree, you can find out if your assumptions are
correct. This means that an issue tree is ideally used in conjunction with a
Hypothesis tool and the Hypothesis tree. An issue tree can help you
identify the relevant questions that you need to answer; hence, the tool
helps refine and focus your approach on the relevant information gathering
activities (Andler 2011). We have therefore chosen to use the Issue tree to
find if our assumptions are correct and help find solutions.
Page 26
Page 19
We have attempted to develop solutions that are Mutually Exclusive and
Collectively Exhaustive, however some issues may have more than one
option that can be used to reduce an identified problem.
5.3 Cultural Theory
In the following we will give a brief description of corporate culture and
specifically in relation to what culture is based on Schein’s three-layer
culture model.
5.3.1 What is Culture
When most of us hear the word Culture, we typically relate to national
culture such as, The Dutch, The Germans, The Indians; or we relate to
sociological culture, such as The Americans, The Europeans, The
Africans.
According to Virkus (Virkus 2009a), Kroeber and Kluckhohn complied in
1952 a list of 164 definitions of “Culture”.
Particularly slightly more traditional textbooks on organisational behaviour
have a very vague definition of culture, defining culture as institutionalised
traditions (Mishra 2001).
From Brown (Brown 1998) we know that the developments of corporate
culture within organisational theory significantly was influenced by
Hofstede’s book Cultures Consequences.
According to Hatch (Hatch 1997) Hofstede analysed and compared in the
late 1970’s different international affiliates of IBM and found evidence of
national culture differences within IBM’s organisational culture.
The four dimensions that Hofstede argues national cultures differ along
are:
Power Distance
Uncertainty Avoidance
Individualism (vs. collectivism); and
Page 27
Page 20
Masculinity (vs. femininity)
According to Bertsch (Bertsch 2012), Virkus (Virkus 2009a) and Brown
(Brown 1998) Hofstede later, in 1991, added a fifth element to his theory,
Confucian Dynamism (Long term vs. short term orientation).
Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture is a tool to identify national
cultural differences.
The GLOBE project has later suggested nine unique cultural dimensions
(House et Al. 2004).
According to Brown (Brown 1998), it was Edgar Schein’s book,
Organisational Culture and Leadership (Schein 1992) that has become
one of the key foundations of corporate culture.
Certainly a lot of textbooks on strategy and Leadership (Johnson and
Scholes 1997), (Hatch 1997), (Brown 1998) all quote Schein’s model for
culture (E.H. Schein 1992).
Although Tropenars and Hampden-Turner (Tropenars and Hampden-
Turner 1999) do not actually quote Schein, they also have a three-layered
model of culture identical to Schein (Schein 1992).
Schein (Schein 1992) identifies cultures at three different levels:
Artifatcs
Espoused Values
Basic underlying assumptions
Each of these will be briefly explained below.
Page 28
Page 21
Artifacts
These take the form of stories,
myths, jokes, metaphors,
rites, rituals and ceremonies,
heroes and symbols
Espoused Values
Beliefs, Values and attributes
Basic Underlying
Assumptions
These concern the
environment, reality, human
nature, human activity and
human relationships
Deepest Level of
Culture
Taken for granted
invisible
The most superficial
manifestation of culture
Visible but often undecipherable
Greater level of
awareness
Figure 3 Levels of Culture Source: Adapted from Schein (1992) P. 17, Hatch (1997) P. 211, Brown 1998) P. 12
5.3.2 Artifacts
According to Schein (1992) artifacts are at the surface of culture.
Hatch (Hatch 2007) explain artifacts as visible, tangible and audible parts
of culture. Categories of artifacts include physical objects created by
members, verbal manifestations seen in written, spoken language, rituals,
ceremonies and other behavioural manifestations. Members of a culture
may or may not be aware of their culture’s artifacts, but the artifacts
Page 29
Page 22
themselves can directly be observed by anyone. According to Schein
(Schein 1992) this level of culture is the easiest to observe but also difficult
to decipher. An observer can describe what he sees and feels but will not
be able to reconstruct what the artifacts mean to a given group or if they
even reflect important underlying assumptions (Schein 1992).
5.3.3 Espoused Values
Values are the social principles, goals and standards held within a culture.
(Hatch 1999)
They define what members of an organisation care about, such as
freedom, democracy, tradition, wealth or loyalty. Values constitute the
basis for making judgements about what is right or wrong (Hatch 1999).
According to Brown (Brown 1997) values are intimately connected with
moral and ethical code, and determine what people think ought to be
done.
Members of an organisation are able to recognise their values fairly easily
and become especially aware of them when someone tries to change their
culture in some fundamental way (Hatch 1999).
5.3.4 Basic Underlying Assumptions
According to Schein (Schein 1992), when a solution to a problem works
repeatedly, it comes to be taken for granted. Basic assumptions are held
unconsciously and are very difficult to surface (Brown 1998).
Basic assumptions tend to be those we neither confront nor debate. Basic
assumptions represent what members believe to be reality and thereby
influence what they perceive and how they think and feel (Hatch 2007).
Basic assumptions are therefore extremely difficult to change (Schein
1992).
Basic assumptions are implicit, deeply rooted assumptions that people
share. The basic assumptions guide perceptions, feelings and emotions
about things (Brown 1998).
Page 30
Page 23
6 Operational Data Analysis
The Operational data analysis is performed in several steps.
First we detail the work behind the consolidation of the raw operational
data into workable data.
We then present our analysis of the workable data and our analysis of the
workable data which is also illustrated by the different trees, Problem Tree,
Hypothesis Tree and Issue Trees for each of the delay causes considered.
6.1 Consolidation of Raw Operational Data
We start our analysis of the first hand raw data available to us from Air
India. The raw data received from Air India is detailed operational
information of all delays out of Mumbai Airport.
The data received from Air India is an Excel sheet of delay reports
mentioning the various data in 57 columns mentioning various items such
as Flight ID, Flight No. Flight date, Aircraft Tail No., Aircraft type, month,
Departure from, Departure to, STD, delayed time, delay reason, arrival
delay, arrival delay time. This data is available and utilised for recording
purpose by the airline.
Successive consolidating the raw data and ordering the data, we obtain
the data presented in Appendix C. Consolidated overview of delay causes.
The delay reasons are specified in the internal Air India book "On time
Performance Delay Code Handbook", also known as IOCC Delay
Handbook.
IATA (International Air Transport Association) provides generic list for
delays but Air India has expanded the list to third numeric alpha codes for
evaluation of delay causes.
Delay codes are reported to central data base via the aircraft movement
messaging process. A movement (MVT) message is originated for every
Page 31
Page 24
aircraft movement and when an aircraft is delayed, applicable codes and
times are appended to the relevant section of the MVT message.
Where a delay code reason or description accurately reflects the
underlying cause of the delay, no further explanation is required. For
example, the delay code description for "15D" is "Boarding - Pax Late to
Gate". If this delay reason or description reflects the delay situation, no
further explanation is required.
A Reactionary / Consequential delay for a given flight is defined as when
there is a departure and arrival delay on the aircraft’s previous sector only.
The departure delay of the previous sector (if any) - this is the
consequential component.
Therefore, as per Air India Excel chart all the data was analysed and
individual delays from Mumbai Airport of 777 aircraft were scrutinized and
all the causes of delays as per IOCC Delay Handbook were summarized
and data was sorted to arrive at these list of occurrences or reasons which
mentioned that maximum number of delays.
The delay data was consolidated and broadly classified into the following 7
sub categories:
Airport
Passengers
Operational
ATC
Technical
Ramp
Weather
On an overall scale, the following number of delays are ranked as the top
delays:
443 Times: Reactionary Delay
Page 32
Page 25
327 Times Pushback delayed by aircraft taxiing behind
256 Times: Awaiting load from another AI flight
147 Times: Immigration authorities
93 Times: Cabin crew late
92 Times: Passengers late to gate
91 Times: Awaiting take off slots.
We note that the maximum delay occurrences are reactionary delays and
pushback delay by another aircraft taxing behind.
Our consolidation and analysis of the raw data, and exclusion delay
causes in our circle of concern, but not in our circle of influence has given
us the following top-five delay reasons, ranked in order of frequencies:
256 times: Awaiting load from another AI flight
147 times: Immigration authorities
93 times: Cabin crew late
92 times: Passengers late to gate
91 times: Awaiting take off slots
With the basis of these five reasons, we subsequently proceed with our
analysis of empirical data collected using the consulting tools Problem
Tree, Hypothesis Tree and Issue Tree.
6.2 Problem Tree
According to Andler (Andler 2011), problem tree aids to identify the root
cause and effects of the problem. In our project we have used the problem
tree and identified the possible categories for the root causes; airport
delays, ATC delays, operations, passengers, ground handling, technical
and weather. On questioning these categories with ‘what’ we have arrived
at the root causes which are immigration/security, Congestions, Awaiting
Page 33
Page 26
load from another AI flight, No shows, loading problems. Weather is out of
our project scope
6.3 Hypothesis Tree
The Hypothesis tree answers the question ‘Why’ (Andler 2011). In our
project we have used this tree to come to the following conclusion with
regards to why the problem occurs. While awaiting load from another AI
flight there needs to be proper coordination between the departing and the
arriving station.
The delays at immigration, customs and security are due to very stringent
documentation checks that have to be carried out by these Government
agencies.
Cabin crew reporting late would be due to problem with the transport that
is responsible to pick them.
Passengers reporting late to the gate have to be denied boarding and
charged a penalty. Revising the check-in deadline may also be helpful
according to the interview conducted with AI airport staff.
Awaiting ATC slots can be reduced by avoiding delays and ensuring an on
time performance.
6.4 Issue Tree “Awaiting load from another AI flight”
The issue tree helps to identify and structure potential ideas and option on
how to approach and solve the problem. There are four alternatives in this
cause of the core problem. The flight can depart without passenger,
baggage or the airline can think of revising the minimum connecting time.
AI can transfer passengers, cargo, and baggage on the next available AI
flight to save cost. Passengers can also be transferred on other airlines,
especially the premium customers to avoid a bad reputation.
Page 34
Page 27
6.5 Issue Tree “Reduce delays at Immigration.”
We do agree that delays at Immigration cannot be completely eliminated
as it is here that the Government authorities check all documents for
passengers not limiting it to AI. In order to reduce the delays for AI
passengers we recommend that a complete document check be done at
the check in counters and only in case the documents are in order should
the boarding cards be issued. Legally, according to the contract of
carriage an airline does have the right to refuse a passenger in the
absence of proper documents. This check at check in counter may also be
instrumental in reducing delays caused at immigration.
6.6 Issue Tree “Cabin crew reporting late.”
For this particular cause we recommend revising the pick time given to the
transport company. Traffic in a metro city such as Mumbai is completely
unpredictable and hence the time given to the transport company should
be revised considering the peak hour rush, emergency such as a flat tyre
some technical problem with the car. Proper coordination with the car
driver and his head office is necessary to reduce delays caused by crew
arriving late. Crew management system that is used by AI should be
followed where there is a proper rostering of the crew and stand by crew
details are on record.
Since we are specifically considering long haul 777, the crew reporting for
work on particular these flights will predominantly originate from the base
station itself, as opposed to arriving from another flight. If the crew were
not originating from the base station itself they would frequently exceed
their regulated working hours, and as such not be able to fly.
6.7 Issue Tree “Passengers reporting late at boarding gate”
We have repeated the first two reasons as these reasons are also the
reason for passengers reporting late at the boarding gate. These reasons
are delays at Immigration counter and delay caused due to awaiting load
from another AI flight.
Page 35
Page 28
Revising the closing time of the gates, pick up time at the airport. It is also
recommended to have a real time tracking of passengers for the
employees to track passengers, especially if they are asleep.
Some respondent’s proposer that passengers should report to the airport
even earlier than they do at present. We believe that requiring Air India
passengers to report even earlier than presently required three hours prior
to departure will not be a viable long term solution. Competing
international carriers are not having the same delay problems as Air India,
and will only make Air India loose out to competition yet once again.
6.8 Issue Tree “Waiting for ATC Slot”
Delays caused due to waiting for ATC slot is a reason to ponder on a bit
longer. Has AI missed the slot due to some other delay reason or was
there traffic congestion on the runway or many aircrafts waiting for takeoff /
landing?
In order to reduce the delay caused by ATC, it is necessary that AI does
not miss its allocated slots. Revising the fuelling time, time for turn-around,
submission of flight plan and obtaining flight clearance are all factors that
will improve the on-time performance. Technical staff also needs to be on
standby at all times to attend to any minor technical issues that may arise.
AI can also consider having an aircraft ready in case there is a need for
change in aircraft due to major technical issues.
6.9 Weather Influence on Delays
While it is known that Mumbai airport, with its load of 30.74 mio
passengers (Routes ABM Aviation 2013) is presently exceeding its original
operational design capacity for the international terminal of 7.5 million
passengers (3 x 2.5 million passengers), designed a 2.5 million
passengers for each of the fingers, 2A, 2B and 2C (Transport by Air 1987),
we would expect that some delays would be attributable to congestion,
such as aircraft block for each other. This is also what we seem to find.
Page 36
Page 29
On the other hand, it is surprising to find that delays of 777 on international
routes ex Mumbai is not attributable to adverse weather or to aircraft
mechanical issued to any major scale, as this is the major reason given to
delays by FAA.
6.10 Aircraft Taxing behind
As the existing international passenger terminal building at Mumbai is
predominantly finger-pier system, and not a midfield system, we may
expect some inherent amount of delay attributable due to the taxing of
other aircraft and push-back which will be hard to avoid
7 Cultural Analysis in Air India
The cultural analysis of Air India is based on answers to the 29 Questions
intended to uncover the three levels of corporate culture found in Appendix
E, Interview Guide Corporate Culture.
The questions were carefully crafted to correspond with the theories of
corporate culture and to uncover the three levels of corporate culture.
Regrettably, the questions actually presented to the respondents during
the interview were changed by one of the members of the group, without
the main author’s knowledge. The questions actually presented during the
cultural interview along with the accompanying answers can be found in
Appendix F.
This significant misalignment unfortunately means that contents of the
replies received from the respondents, are not suitable for culture analysis,
as they do not match the 29 questions prepared by us prior to the
interviews.
The actual analysis of corporate culture in Air India has consequently been
terminated, as the empirical data collected at the interviews does not to
any relevant extent support any analysis of the corporate culture.
It should however be noted, that should Air India as part of their continued
work on their project wish to undertake a cultural analysis, the questions
Page 37
Page 30
intended to uncover corporate culture through a focus-group interview are
already available in this report.
8 Conclusion and action plan
The entire process of departure which begins from passengers arriving at
the check-in counters to the aircraft taking off has number of processes
which although are separate are also inter-dependent in order to ensure
an on time performance of a flight.
Delays incurred in the initial phases of the passenger handling process,
will, unless they are deliberately absorbed in the intermittent steps of the
passenger handling process, invariably contribute to a delay rippling effect
or a delay domino effect in the subsequent stages of the passenger
handling process.
Revision of the passenger handling processes in Air India can happen in
two different ways. Firstly the existing steps in the present passenger
handling process can be eliminated or substituted by other steps in the
processes. Alternatively the existing process steps can be maintained, but
optimised or adjusted to better reflect the actual circumstances of the
process.
In our project we have concentrated our efforts on the five issue trees.
Applying Pareto’s law to the issue trees, it would make sense to address
these root causes, which have the greatest number of commonality across
all or the majority of the issue trees considered. This means, that by
addressing one root causes we will influence the processes in several
issue trees.
The fact that some of the issue trees are effective dependent on the
outcome of the issue trees prior in the process means that it would
generally make sense to address root causes as early in the passenger
handling process as possible.
Page 38
Page 31
In our case, we note that “Delay at Immigration” directly or indirectly
influences all our other issue trees. From a process improvement point of
view, it would make sense to prioritise the root causes in this issue tree.
Similarly we have identified each of the significant root causes in each of
the considered issue trees and we have ranked them in prioritised order to
derive at the final actions to be performed by Air India.
We consequently propose the following ranking of the top-ten actions:
1. Air India to confirm passengers possess the proper documentation
prior to issuance of boarding pass at check-in.
2. Revision of closing time of check-in counters.
3. Real time Tracking of Passengers at Airside area through mobile
technology.
4. Sharing information once passengers clears immigration.
5. Crew coordinator to set transport reporting time at least 10 minutes
before the pick-up time.
6. Revise start of boarding announcement.
7. Revise closing time of boarding gates.
8. Crew co-ordinator to ensure there are stand-by crew available at all
times.
9. Revise minimum connecting time (MCT) for load coming on Boeing
777.
10. Availability of technical staff in case of minor technical delays.
We believe that addressing these actions in a prioritised manner will
ensure that the delay departures of Boeing 777 ex Mumbai is reduced by
50% in six months.
Page 39
Page 32
9 Perspectivation
Rolling out the implementation in a phased manner, using Boeing 777 on
International routes ex Mumbai Airport as a pilot project and starting point
for corporate-wide implementation, we only believe will create a win-win
situation for Air India.
Air India’s reputation is already not good. Improving the perceived service
of some of the most prestigious routes in the network will only help Air
India create a short-term win situation.
In the unlikely event that the desired effect does not show as anticipated,
we believe it will not have significantly adverse affected the already
existing poor reputation of Air India use of Boeing 777 on International
routes ex Mumbai Airport.
Making a phased implementation, not only means that the effects can be
thoroughly evaluated in a fairly isolated scenario but also accomplished
with relatively few financial means, which is certainly also important in the
present financial situation which Air India finds themselves in.
Having as we expect a significant effect of the on-time performance of Air
India, a subsequent step for Air India will be to evaluate the further phases
of future implementation of the project on a wider scale, eventually
improving their entire network performance.
Page 40
Page 33
10 References
Andersen, Ib (1997). Den Skinbarlige Virkelighed – om valg af
samfundsvidenskabelige metoder. København: Samfundslitteratur.
Andler Nicolai (2011). Tools for Project Management, Workshops and
Consulting, A must-have compendium of essential tools and techniques.
(2 nd revised and enlarged edition). Erlangen: Publicis Publishing
Brown, A. (1998). Organisational Culture, Second Edition. London:
Financial Times Pitman Publishing.
Business Standard, (May 8, 2013) “Air India decides to sell 5 of 8 Boeing
777-200LR”, Available at: http://www.business-
standard.com/article/companies/air-india-decides-to-sell-5-of-8-boeing-
777-200lr-113050800538_1.html [Accessed 21 Nov 2013] New Delhi:
Press Trust of India
Cartwright. J. (1999) Cultural Transformations – nine factors for improving
the soul of your business. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall.
Cowey Stephen R (1994) The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People –
Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. London: Simon & Schuster.
De Neufville Richard and Odoni Amedeo, Airport Systems, Planning,
Design and Management, New York: Aviation Week McGraw Hill.
Desphande P. D. (2001). A Systems approach to Airport Engineering,
Pune: Mirali Prakashan
Dunbar Michelle et al. (2010) Robust Airline Schedule Planning: Minizing
Propagated Delay in an Integrated Routing and Crewing Framework.
Sydney: University of New South Wales.
Hatch, Mary Jo (1997). Organization Theory – Modern Symbolic and
Postmodern Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press.
House, R. J. et al. (2004). Culture, Leadership and Organisations: The
GLOBE study of 62 Societies. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Page 41
Page 34
Mintzberg, Henry (1983). Structure in Fives: Designing Effective
organisations. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall International.
Mishra, M. N. (2001), Organisational Behaviour. New Delhi, Vikas
Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
Northouse, Peter G. (2013). Leadership Theory and Practice. Sixth
Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc.
Obolensky N (2010). Data Collection and Diagnosis. In Sadler, Philip
(eds.), The Handbook of Management Consultancy, Second Edition, New
Delhi: Kogan Page India Private Limited, p. 155-184.
Rasiel E. and Friga P, (2007) The McKinsey Mind, Understanding and
Implementing the Problem-Solving Tools and Management Techniques of
the World’s Top Strategic Consulting Firm, Tata McGrawHill Edition, Ninth
Reprint, New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.
Rassam, C. (2010). Data Collection and Diagnosis. In Sadler, Philip (eds.),
The Handbook of Management Consultancy, Second Edition, New Delhi:
Kogan Page India Private Limited, p. 123-142.
Routes UBM Aviation. (2012). Routes Asia officially Handed over to
Mumbai for 2013. Routes UBM Aviation, Chhatrapati Shivaji International
Airport Mumbai, Press Release 17 April 2013.
Schein E. H. (1999) Organisational Culture and and Leadership, Second
Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Schein, Edgar H (1992). Organisational Culture and Leadership. Second
Edition., California: Josey-Bass Inc. Publishers
Transport by Air, Maharashtra State Gazetteers. 1987. Available on
http://archive.is/yAP1 saved from:
htttp://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/greater_bombay/com
munication.html Accessed on 21 November 2013.
Page 42
Page 35
Trompenaars, Fons and Hampden-Turner, Charles. (1999). Riding the
waves of Culture – Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business. Second
Edition. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Virkus, Sirje (2009a) Leadership Dimensions: Culture and Leadership –
Definitions of Culture. Available at:
http://www.tlu.ee/~sirvir/Leadership/Leadership%20Dimensions/definitions
_of_culture.html. [Accessed 19 Mar 2013].
Wells Alexander T. et al. (2004). Airport Planning and Management (5th
edn.) New York: McGraw Hill
Page 43
Page 36
11 Appendix A: Problem Tree
International Departure Delay ex BOM operated by B-777
Airport DelaysAir Traffic
Control (ATC)Operations Passengers
Ground
HandlingTechnical Weather
Immigration
Security
Airport
Congestion
Taxiway
Congestion
Catering
Late Crew
Arrival
Baggage
Issues
Fueling
Sick / Unwell
passenger
Gate No-
shows
Check-In
Problems
Overbooking
Late Cargo /
Baggage
Loading
Aircraft
Defects
Expert
Technical
Staff
Environmental Effects
Negative Publicity
Reputation
Additional Parking
Charges
Denied Boarding
Compensation Payment
Financial Effect ( Negative)
Awaiting load
from another AI
flight
PROBLEM TREE
Page 44
Page 37
11.1 Hypothesis Tree
In order to reduce
departure delay
operated by Air India
ex Mumbai by Boeing
777(B777) there needs
to be revision in the
passenger handling
process
Delay at immigration,
customs and security are due
to the fact that there is a very
strict document check prior to
issuance of boarding pass
Delays caused by awaiting
ATC slots are caused due
to late push back time
Awaiting load from another AI
flight is due to no coordination
between the arriving and
departing teams
Document checks should be
carried out at the check-in
counters prior issuing
boarding cards
Passengers/ baggage/ cargo can
be transferred onto the next AI
operated flight
Reducing avoidable
delays can contribute to
an On Time
Performance
Cabin crew are reporting
late due to transport not
reaching on time
Penalties should be
levied on passengers
who have reported late
to boarding gate
Stand by crew need to be
mandatorily positioned at
the departure station
Passengers should be
made aware of such
charges at the time of
creating their reservation
Hypothesis Tree
Page 45
Page 38
11.2 Issue Tree for Awaiting load from another flight
How can
we
reduce
delays
caused
due to
awaiting
load from
another
Air India
Flight?
Issue Tree
Cause 1
Reason : Operation Depart without
Passenger
Load
Depart without
Baggage Load
Depart without
Cargo Load
Transfer
passengers on
to the next
available AI
flight
Transfer
passengers on
other airlines
(OAL)
Transfer
baggage on to
the next
available AI
flight
Transfer
baggage on
other airlines
(OAL)
Transfer Cargo
on the next
available AI flight
Revise minimum
connecting
time(MCT) for load
coming on B777
Page 46
Page 39
11.3 Issue Tree for Delay at Immigration
How can
we reduce
delays
caused
at
Immigration
Issue Tree
Cause 2
Reason : Airport Delay
Passengers
arrive late at
Immigration
counters
Passengers
arrive at the
Immigration
counters on time
Revise closing
time of check in
counters
Sharing
information once
passengers clear
immigration
AI to confirm
passengers do
possess the proper
documentation at
check in
AI to confirm
passengers do
possess the proper
documentation at
check in
Page 47
Page 40
11.4 Issue Tree for Cabin Crew reporting late
How can
we avoid
Cabin
Crew
Reporting
Late
Issue Tree
Cause 3
Reason : Operation Rostered crew
reporting on duty
Transport sent for
the crew was
delayed
Crew coordinator to set
transport reporting time at
least 10 minutes before the
pick up time
Crew coordinator to ensure
there are stand by crew
available at all times
Rostered crew not
reporting on duty
Transport sent for
the crew was on
time
Longer time
for briefing.
Page 48
Page 41
11.5 Issue Tree for Passenger reporting late
How do we
reduce
delays
caused by
passengers
reporting
late to the
boarding
gate
Issue Tree
Cause 4
Reason : Passengers
Issue Tree on how
can we reduce
delays caused at
Immigration
Introduce a gate
no show penalty
Real time tracking
of passengers at
air side area
through mobile
technology
Issue Tree on how can
we reduce delays
caused due to awaiting
load from another Air
India Flight?
Revise the pick
up time from the
lounge
Revise start of
boarding
announcemnets
Revise closing time of
boarding gate
Page 49
Page 42
11.6 Issue Tree for Awaiting Take off Slot
How do we
reduce
delays
caused by
awaiting Take
Off slots
Issue Tree
Cause 5
Reason : Air Traffic Control
(ATC)
Ready for
push back on
time
Not ready for
push back on
time
Revise time
for fuelling
Revise time
for turn
around
Issue tree for
passenger
late at gate
Issue tree for
crew reporting
late
Availability of
replacement aircraft
in case of a major
technical delay
Revise timing for taking
the Immigration
clearance
(Flight clearance)
Revise timing for
submission of
flight plan
Availability of
technical staff in
case of minor
technical delays
Page 50
Page 43
12 Appendix B: Permission for use of statistical data
Page 51
Page 44
13 Appendix C: Consolidated overview of delay causes
Time occurance Reason / Explanation Category Responsible person
147 Immigration Authorities Airport
70 Security - Mandatory Government Requirement Airport
37
Aircraft From Previous Sector Delayed Due Security, Airport authorities
and Airport Restrictions Airport
34 Other security issues Airport
27 New Security Procedure Airport
18 Government Authorities - Other Airport
17
Airport Facilities - Other
Evacuation of terminal due to bomb scares, or fire
alarms, lighting problems and anything that affects
the entire airport operation Airport
16 Visa/ Deportee problem Airport
10 Aviation Security Airport
8 New Security Procedure Airport
8 Inaccurate Documentation Airport
4 Customs -Manpower shortage Airport
327 327 - Pushback delayed by aircraft taxiing behind ATC
91 91 - Awaiting Take Off Slots ATC
27 27 - Aircraft is delayed Whilst in the Air,due to ATC ATC
13 13 - Air Traffic Servives - Other ATC
12
12 - Aircraft From Previous Sector Delayed due operations control, ATC
and Ground movement ATC
256 256 - Awaiting load from another Air India flight Operational
93 93 - Cabin Crew late Operational
92 92 -Boarding -Pax late to gate Operational
41 41 - Combining flights to accommodate disrupted pax. Operational
37 37 - Flight Crew late Operational
26 26 - Late Check - In, acceptance after deadline Operational
25 25 - Late / Slow Check-In accepting revenue pax Operational
20 20 - Boarding - Discrepancies or errors Operational
19 19 -Aircraft from previous sector delayed due passenger handling Operational
18 18 - Slow boarding for other reasons. Operational
16 16 - Check In error - Passenger & Baggage Operational
14 14 - Oversales or booking errors in own system Operational
11 11 - Operational requirements - Others Operational
11 11 - Check-In error - Other Operational
11 11 - Baggage Processing - Reconcilation or sorting error Operational
10 10 - Operational Requirements - Fuel load change due to revised forecast Operational
6 6 - Other staff / equip shortage due late running Operational
6 6 - Flight crew special request - Pax related Operational
6 6 - Catering delay Operational
4 4 - Slow / Incorrect crew departure procedures Operational
4 4 - Load connction - Awaiting load from another flight Operational
4 4 - Boarding - Slow pax seating due to seat misallocation Operational
3 3 - Late commencement of boarding Operational
3 3 - Cabin Crew Shortage Operational
53 53 - Passenger Offloaded- failed to board Passenger
39 39 - Pax convenience, illness or death Passenger
34 34 - Passenger Convenience (refer sheet2) Passenger
27 27 - Slow Boarding due to handicapped pax Passenger
6 6 - Slow handicapped pax disembarkation Passenger
18
18 - Delay caused by other reasons during aircraft
loading / unloading Ramp
12 12 - Aircraft loading and unloading - Late Baggage Ramp
9 9 - Late Cargo to Aircraft Ramp
4
4 - Problems with handling baggage, excluding sorting and processing of
bags, and congestion in baggage area. Ramp
443 443 -Reactionary Reactionary
45 45 - Departure control mainframe / Software and /or Hardware Problem Technical
44 44 -Aircraft Defects Technical
42 42 - Airport Facilities - Equipment breakdown Technical
16 16 - Aircraft Servicing equipment shortage or breakdown. Technical
14 14 - Aircraft change for technical reasons Technical
11 11 -Aircraft Cleaning problem Technical
11 11 - Aircraft Defects - Engines or APU Technical
11 11 - Aircraft fuelling and defuelling - Supplier Technical
10 10 - Aircraft defects - Cabin / Toilets Technical
8
8 - Other non departure control / Software, Hardware or Application
Problem Technical
8
8 - Aircraft damage during flight operations other than birdstrike and
weather Technical
6 6 - Non-scheduled maintenance or extra unplanned work Technical
Engineering / MRO
Manager at ATC / Data from ATC
website
Airport Duty manager
Airport Duty manager / Ramp
supervisor / Crew department
Airport Duty manager
Ramp Supervisor
Page 52
Page 45
14 Appendix D: Work Contribution
Work contribution for the project as given below.
14.1 Mukul
Consolidation of Raw Data. Changing of final Corporate Culture interview
questions. Changing of final delay reasons interview questions. Conduct of
Interview 3 and Conduct of Questionnaires.
Writing of: Chapter 4, Company Description, Chapter 4.1: Organisation
Structure. Chapter 6.1 Consolidation of Raw Data.
14.2 Philip:
Conduct of Interviews 1 and 2. Changing of final Corporate Culture
interview questions. Changing of final delay reasons interview questions.
14.3 Seema
Preparation of Questionnaires for Delay. Additional consolidation of Raw
Data. Additional consolidation of Interviews 1, 2 and 3. Analysis of
Problem Tree. Preparation of Problem Tree. Analysis of Hypothesis Tree.
Preparation of Problem Tree. Analysis of Issue Tree 1,2,3,4 and 5.
Preparation of Issue Tree 1,2,3,4 and 5.
Writing of Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2 Problem Statement; Chapter
2.1 Scope; Chapter 5.2 Theory on Consulting Tools; Chapter 5.2.1
Problem Tree; Chapter 5.2.2 Hypothesis Tree; Chapter 5.2.3 Issue Tree;
Chapter 6.2 Problem Tree; Chapter 6.3 Hypothesis Tree; Chapter 6.4
Issue Tree Awaiting load from another flight; Chapter 6.5 Issue Tree
Reduce Delays at Immigration; Chapter 6.6 Issue Tree Cabin Crew
Reporting Late; Chapter 6.7 Issue Tree Passengers Reporting late at gate;
Chapter 8 Conclusion and Action Plan
Page 53
Page 46
14.4 Jose
Overall Editing of the report. Writing of Original Interview Guide for Delay
Interview. Writing of Original Interview Guide for Cultural Interview.
Analysis of Issue Tree 1,2,3,4 and 5.
Writing of Chapters 2.2 Structure of the Report; Chapter 3.0 Methodology;
Chapter 3.1 Method behind the empirical Data, Chapter 3.2 Research
Design and Progress; Chapter 3.3 Representativity of Data; Chapter 3.4
Reliability of Data; Chapter 3.5: Validity of Data; Chapter 3.6 Presentation
of Theory; Chapter 3.7 Criticism of References; Chapter 5.0 Theory;
Chapter 5.1 Delay Theory; Chapter 5.3 Cultural Theory; Chapter 5.3.1
What is Culture; Chapter 5.3.2 Artifacts; Chapter 5.3.3: Espoused Values;
Chapter 5.3.4 Basic Underlying Assumptions; Chapter 6.0 Operational
Data Analysis; Chapter 6.6 Issue Tree Cabin Crew Reporting Late;
Chapter 6.7 Issue Tree Passengers Reporting late at gate; Chapter 6.9
Weather Influence on Delays; Chapter 6.10 Aircraft Taxing behind;
Chapter 7 Cultural Analysis of Air India; Chapter 8 Conclusion and Action
plan; Chapter 9 Perspectivation
Page 54
Page 47
15 Appendix E: Interview Guide prepared for Corporate
Culture
Interview guide – Culture
The person to be interviewed has to be made aware of the following,
before the questions are put to him.
Explain the purpose of this project, as being part of an MBA programme.
The following series of questions are intended to interpret the culture
which is found in this section of Air India.
For several of the questions it may be important to get an explanation of
the differences in the replies from department to department. This can be
due to local working conditions, but it could also have its roots in the
culture.
Please give as many examples and stories as possible in order for us to
be able to interpret the culture.
1. Please give examples of special forms of Air India Language
/jargon in the organisation?
2. What do you perceive as an example of language and behaviour
that identifies you as a member of the organisation?
3. How does your work behaviour influence your life outside the
organisation?
4. Have you discovered a behaviour, some way you act, which comes
from your work-situation in the organisation?
5. How does the individual employee perceive the difference between
being “newcomer” in the organisation and being “an accepted
member of the organisation”?`
6. Are there differences of how these two groups work – give
examples?
7. What is your perception of clear signs of hierarchal rank?
(clothing?)
8. Which are other symbols of power in the organisation, that are not
obvious to newcomers or people from outside the organisation?
(parking space, contacts, influence, etc)
Page 55
Page 48
9. Do you perceive that there are certain departments within air india
which are an career advantage to have worked in, or a career
disadvantage to have worked in?
10. Please give a typical story from your start in the organisation?
11. Have you personally recommended anyone to the organisation?
12. What was important for your to prepare the person for the
organisation?
13. Which qualities in the person made you recommend the person to
work in your organisation?
14. How does the organisation feel about circumventing the formal and
official channels?
(Is is accepted, or even encouraged?)
15. What is the Management’s view to cooperation outside the formal
and official channels?
16. Which ways are used to address your immediate surperior?
(Are there things which should not be said?)
17. Which examples do you have of different ways to address your
most immediate surperior as opposed to managers on other levels
in the organisation?
18. What is the Management’s reaction to different ideas and
approaches?
19. How are employees rewarded in the organisation?
20. How do you as an employee know that you are doing the right
thing?
21. Which behaviour is appropriate?
(please give examples of what is viewed as appropriate)
22. In what ways s it customary to reward employees and to thrash
employees in the organisation?
23. What is the reason that rewards are kept secret or published?
24. How is the focus on time?
(Is it an important factor – punctuality in meetings, payment of
salaries on time, etc)
25. What is the view on working hours, is it customary that you stay
longer in the office / work overtime or do the majority of employees
leave the office when their formal working hours have passed?
26. How does this reflect in the different departments or on different
levels in the organisation?
(Is there any explanation to this, or is it just the way it is)
27. Which factors symbolises the influence / significance of an
employee?
(Position/Power/Rights, Location of office in the building, size of
company car. Office with Window,etc)
Page 56
Page 49
28. Which physical elements in the working environment symbolises
the status of an employee?
(Is it culturally or strategically determined that there is a difference
between the statussymbols of the individual employee)
29. Which special effects symbolises power in the organisation?
Make sure that you thank the interviewee for his precious time
Page 57
Page 50
16 Appendix F: Actual Interview Guide used Cultural
Interviews and answers
Interview on Culture
Q1) Where do you see Air India brand among Major airline brands as
of today and in the next 10 years?
Ans: Employee 2
We are the obvious first choice for many people in India and some other
countries as well. That may not be for the same reasons, so as with some
major private and National carriers of today. Air India was always a brand,
a nation’s pride, and it will be so.
Q2) Well, looks little unrealistic…..
Ans: Employee 2
Absolutely no ways, Air India was always a brand, may be the mother
airline of many major players today, for e.g. Singapore Airlines. People fly
Air India for many reasons that may be remote and better connectivity,
Unlimited drinks on board, so like many which other private airlines usually
don’t do
Q3) Why Air India OTP is behind compared to other players?
Ans: Employee 2
I won’t agree, Air India OTP is behind, we may not be better than them,
but we are at par with them; at least with many key players.
Q4) But since you been in this organization for so long and with this
department , How do u see Air India flights delays ?
Ans: Employee2
Well, major delays and respective reasons are more or less same with all
airlines, Apart from that being the flag carrier. Control from government
Page 58
Page 51
side, over government official’s travel is a reason for some of the delays
.Many occasion’s flights are held for late arrival of the guests of
government. Even some cases in short notice aircrafts are to be
exempted from net work planning , that have had even ended up sector
cancellations also
Q5) What do you see as a solution to this?
Ans: Employee2
Well , that’s a something to be worked out , keeping or maintaining
aircrafts exclusively for Prime minister convoy travel is an option , in case
of other diplomats they have to be on time.
Q6) What about technical delays, and cancellations, lots of issues
with 777?
Ans: Employee2
That’s applicable to all players, not only with Air India. May be an industrial
issue, apart from that we got very strong technical back up. But sometimes
in case of technical AOGs, arranging the spares from different sources
nowadays becoming a delay, But that’s also not one exclusive problem for
Air India .Apart from that , Air India engineers maintain , world class
standard .
Q7) Like many major carriers, there is speculations that Air India not
good in connecting passengers, I mean without delaying the
subsequent sectors?
Ans: Employee2
This is very much unavoidable delay, while going for the max utilization of
the airplanes, transit stations are kept with Min ground time possible. The
connecting flights may get delayed due many reasons, for example ATC,
which itself is very much unavoidable as far as Mumbai airport is
concerned .If this delay is more than 20 mins. Very much whip effect is
Page 59
Page 52
created, subsequently fuelling will get delayed, as the same may be
allotted in another flight for the same timing .Basically the airline will
become scrape goat for reason of its
Q8) What’s the solution to this?
Ans: Employee2
As I mentioned, this is very unavoidable for us. If government goes for
betterment of infrastructure to an extent this can be avoided, at least we
can come up to the international level.
Q9) But what you told is applicable to all airlines in India, and their
OTP in this aspect is much better than Air India, where the things go
wrong. Is there anything to do with company work culture?
Ans: Employee2
(Laughing) Not really, BUT the kind of pressure on employees with some
other airlines we don’t feel, It gives you lot of freedom, which some people
may misuse in a different way.
Q10) What is the criteria of selection to the company? Have you
personally recommended anyone to the organisation?
Ans: Employee2
It’s pure merit, you can’t even think of personal recommendations
Q11) Is over powered cock pit crew unions are the reason for delays
anyway?
Ans: Employee2
I would say, when crew s are getting late its Individual basis, when never
crew is late, company will have to look for alternatives, or delay the plane,
Solutions is also common we keep as much crew as stand by , but this not
easy always , we do face crew shortage , that is one of the major reason
of the delays
Page 60
Page 53
Q12) Being in the Operations department, how you rate the co
ordination with other departments in the organization?
Ans: Employee2
There is no void anywhere in communication methods or modes, but being
the government organization , I also feel, some employees feel over
security for their jobs and income.
There are people who are taking things very casually where pro activity
and agility and required over security and influence of Employee unions
are other reason for this attitude .
Q13) what about immigration issues, is these procedures putting Air
India flights in to delays?
Ans: Employee2
This is one area which is out of control for us, Customs and Immigration is
a different department, they follow their procedures until they are satisfied.
Sometimes that may cause delays
Q14) This delays causes are the same for all operators, do you agree,
some sort of follow up or push from operator side towards these
Customs and Immigration departments are lacking from air India
side?
Ans: Employee2
To an extent it may be true , because for a private operator employee, this
is a question of survival , but for us it is a procedure
Q15) Is the lack of innovative ides affecting you by any means ?for
example very fast in adapting new technologies for better operation
control and anticipating delays , how advanced Air India in this
respect ??????
Ans: Employee2
Air India also uses communication means and information technology
tools for betterment of the operations
Page 61
Page 54
Q16) How critical a delay in your operations department, I mean when
you people come to know about an ongoing or an impending delay,
how is it?
Ans: Employee2
We got the Operations coordination centre , the moment we get the call
from the station from the delay happens, we analyse , and we will see
which department is responsible for the delay , and note the point that This
Operations Co Ordination centre has got responsible people from all
departments of the airline , The call will be transferred to them, They along
with flight dispatch co ordinate and declare the expected delay , If the
expected delay is unpredictable or more than certain time , boarding will
be held or pax will be offloaded , we look for other alternatives , we all
departments will co ordinate and minimize the delay
Page 62
Page 55
17 Appendix G: Interview Guide prepared for Delay
Interviews
Interview guide – Departure Delays
The person to be interviewed has to be made aware of the following,
before the questions are put to him.
Explain the purpose of this project, as being part of an MBA programme.
The following series of questions are intended to uncover the root causes
of the departure delays.
Please give as many examples and stories as possible in order for us to
be able to interpret the actual root causes.
1. What are in your personal experience the three or five main
reasons for departure delays of 787 Out of Bombay?
2. Please give some examples of frequently occurring delays on your
shifts?
3. Which of these do you think are within the control of Air India?
4. Can you give examples of frequently occurring delays within the
control of Air India?
5. Are there in your opinion difference in types of delays that occur on
different shifts?
6. Can you give some examples?
Explain to the person, that from statistical material received from Air India,
it seems that there are five areas where delays occur: AWAITING LOAD
FROM ANOTHER AI FLIGHT, IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES, CABIN
CREW LATE, AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS, PASSENGERS LATE TO
GATE
Page 63
Page 56
7. Are these five reasons for delays also in your personal experience
what actually happens?
8. Can you give some examples of what actually happens?
Assume that the five reasons are “genuine”, we now discuss “Awaiting
load from another flight”
9. Why are we in the first instance awaiting load from another flight? –
What is the reason?
10. (ask “why” to the reasons given above, in order to find the root
causes..) Why are we ....??
11. In case of the incoming delay, what is in your opinion the best way
to eliminate this kind of delay?
12. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! - ex.
Changing the time scheduling?
We now discuss “IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES”
13. What is in your personal opinion the main problem with immigration
authorities?
14. Why is this a problem?
15. (ask “why” to the reasons given above, in order to find the root
causes..) Why are we ....??
16. In case of immigration authorities, what is in your opinion the best
way to eliminate this kind of delay?
17. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! - ex.
More fast track counter for F/J/WCHR/ Families with kids? Make
additional payment to get quickly through immigration? Elliminate
immigration?
We now discuss “CABIN CREW LATE”
18. What is in your personal opinion the reason for crew coming late?
Page 64
Page 57
19. Why are we in the first instance waiting for cabin crew? – What is
the reason?
20. (ask “why” to the reasons given above, in order to find the root
causes..) Why are we ....??
21. In case of the Cabin Crew Late, what is in your opinion the best way
to eliminate this kind of delay? (Is there a problem in crew
scheduling due to which they come late?; Is there a problem with
late pick up?; Does the pick up reach the crew residence at the
stipulated time?; Is the delay due to traffic?; If yes, can the pick up
time change to ensure the crew arrive on time?)
22. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! - ex.
Changing the time scheduling?
We now discuss “AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS”
23. What is in your personal opinion the reason “waiting for take off
slots”?
24. Why are we in the first instance waiting for take off slots? – What is
the reason?
25. (ask “why” to the reasons given above, in order to find the root
causes..) Why are we ....??
26. In case of the Waiting for take off slots, what is in your opinion the
best way to eliminate this kind of delay?
27. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! - ex.
Changing the time scheduling?
We now discuss “Passengers Late to Gate”
28. What is in your personal opinion the reason “Passengers late to
gate”?
29. Why are we in the first instance waiting for take off slots? – What is
the reason? (Why are ex. Lufthansa not having this problem? Is Air
India too “nice” to their passengers?)
Page 65
Page 58
30. (ask “why” to the reasons given above, in order to find the root
causes..) Why are we ....??
31. In case of the Waiting for passengers, what is in your opinion the
best way to eliminate this kind of delay? Ex. printing the boarding
time 5-10 mins earlier help in reducing this delay reason?
32. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! - ex.
Changing the time scheduling? A Cash penalty is imposed at the
boarding gate if passengers do not arrive on time?
Going again back to the start of our interview, we would again like to ask
you to reflect on the beginning of the interview, as learning might have
occurred on both sides of the interview table:
33. In view of what we have talked about, what are in your personal
experience “now” the three or five main reasons for departure
delays? Have your changed your views on the departure delays?
What has changed?
34. Making the most realistic impact on departure delays, how in your
personal experience do you think is the way forward and what
would be your suggestion? What are the five things that should be
dealt with?
Make sure that you thank the interviewee for his precious time
Page 66
Page 59
18 Appendix H: Actual Interview Guide used Delay Interviews
and answers
Q1. What are in your personal experience the three or five main reasons
for departure delays of 777 ex Mumbai?
Ans:
Employee A
It seems to be exaggerated. Every airlines has more or less same number of
delays, the delays do not depend much upon the aircraft type but on the age of
aircraft. For very new aircraft delays are in medium category, then after 2-3
years delays reduce, then for very old aircrafts technical delays are at high.
Main reasons are ATC delays, Passengers caused delays, and some technical
delays as far as 777 is concerned.
Employee B:
We just commenced the 777 operations, Right now mainly in gulf sectors and
some European sectors. I don’t know why you are asking for 777. Delay point of
view , whatever the delays are not much related to the aircraft type .
Main reasons are ATC delays , Commercial delays , and little bit technical
delays as far as 777 is concerned since it’s a new plane to the industry .
For 777, some industrial issues are there, and delays were also for that, I don’t
think it’s something you are concentrating on.
Q2. Please give some examples of frequently occurring delays on your
shifts?
Ans:
Employee A
Page 67
Page 60
Delays are independent of shifts. However during high workload time chances
of delays are higher. Any type of issue , may be commercial , ATC , technical ,
immigration , VIP movement, Runway closure , weather , crew issues ,
anything may come up.
Employee B:
Well Its nothing frequently happening , everyday is a new day .Any type of
issue , may be commercial , ATC , technical , immigration , VIP movement,
Runway closure , weather , crew issues , anything may come up.
Q3. Which of these do you think are within the control of Air India?
Ans:
Employee A
Traffic control delays are within our control. Technical delays sometimes mean
rescheduling, Immigration delays; delays because of VIP movement, Runway
closure, and weather issues are out of our control. Crew issues are
management problems
Employee B:
Good question, Commercial absolutely with in control. To an extent technical
and crew issues. Immigration, VIP movement, Runway closure, weather out of
control
Q4. Are there in your opinion difference in types of delays that occur on
different shifts?
Ans:
Employee A
Page 68
Page 61
As I said earlier, during high workload minor delays may occur. But major
delays are due to technical unavailability of aircraft, or due to VIP movement or
weather conditions.
Sometimes due to shortage of manpower or rather shortage of efficient
manpower may also be the reason of minor delays.
Employee B:
Well! Not really, but human errors are always there, may be some shifts some
days may have some key experienced people, missing some times , then such
delays are expected For example some engineering shifts some key person ,
who is authorised to do certain job , may be missing or sick at some station ,
then another person will have to be sent from another station by the next
available flight , otherwise the plane may get delayed. Apart from this nothing.
Q5. Can you give some examples?
Ans:
Employee A
Examples, during night shift sometimes it is difficult to trace a sleeping
passenger. During morning shift, sometimes some staff is late.
Employee B:
This is just what I said earlier.
Explained to the person that from statistical material received from Air India it
seems that there are five areas where delays occur:
AWAITING LOAD FROM ANOTHER AI FLIGHT.
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES
CABIN CREW LATE
AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS
PASSENGERS LATE TO GATE
Page 69
Page 62
Q7. Are these five reasons for delays also in your personal experience
what actually happens?
Ans:
Employee A
Yes, it appears so. But I feel there are more delays due to ATC then all of the
above. These delays are there, I would have added technical delays also, but
technical delays are really unpredictable.
Employee B:
Yes these delays are quite there, I would have added technical delays also, but
technical delays are really unpredictable.
Q8. Why are we in the first instance awaiting load from another load from
another flight? What is the reason?
Ans:
Employee A
It depends on company policy. I feel all agents should be told to book
passengers in a manner that they reach here at least six hours in advance for
an international flight. I, at present am not aware of any company policy
regarding this matter.
Employee B:
It’s very simple we are booking passenger from even small stations to
international destinations, and we had given enough margin time for the
international departure from Mumbai. But sometimes due whatever reasons the
incoming passengers carrying flight may get delayed. Well you have
appreciated the Air India policy of holding the international departure for such
passenger. Because if they miss the flight, of course we will work out if they can
be sent in some other airlines. If not so, for certain time we will hold the flight.
Q9. In case of the incoming delay, what is in your opinion the best way to
eliminate this kind of delay?
Ans:
Page 70
Page 63
Employee A
I said it already the options are the company should book passengers in such a
way that they reach the hopping airport six hours in advance or we may have to
send the passenger by some other flight, if we don’t delay the flight. We don’t
want passenger to get stranded in the airport for a day or night.
Employee B:
I said it already the only option is sending the passenger by some other flight,
we don’t want passenger getting stranded in the airport for a day or night.
Q10. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! – e.g.
Changing the time scheduling?
Ans:
Employee A
Yes, but that is a big process, it may be done, If all the departments co ordinate
with each other as a team under one central authority, who has only the bright
future of airline in mind.
Employee B:
Yes but, it is already done with maximum possible allowance, what you see as
delays is simply what is beyond all this.
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES:
Q11. What is in your personal opinion the main problem with immigration
authorities?
Ans:
Employee A
Immigration clearance is a beyond our scope as it is under government of India.
Here the delays are little unpredictable as sometimes it may take longer time to
clear some passenger, as some passenger take more time to fill up forms, then
sometimes queues at immigration counters are too long because of number of
Page 71
Page 64
flights. But I think our higher management can play some role to streamline
these types of delays.
Employee B:
Immigration clearance is a kind of security clearance which makes it a no
compromise job, Here the delays are little unpredictable as sometimes it may
take longer time to clear some passenger, So in a way delays are justified here,
But if we more could enhance co ordination and communication and
understanding with Customs and Excise better to avoid the delays
Q12. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! – E.g.
faster track counter for F/J/WCHR/ Families with kids? Make additional
payment to get quickly through immigration? Eliminate immigration?
Ans:
Employee A
Seems to be a good idea. Having one or two fast track counters where slow
passengers can be accommodated depending on flight departure times.
Employee B:
Well this is very well known delay applicable to most of the airlines, the
betterment is an ongoing process, new innovative approaches without
compromising the security, is always there.
CABIN CREW LATE
Q13. What is in your personal opinion the reason for crew coming late?
Ans:
Employee A
This should be unacceptable as far as airline is concerned. Someone has to
take the blame and set the things right in this regard. This seems to be an
excuse to cover up for follies happened at some other level.
The main reason of crew delays , this I am taking basically for domestic sectors
, sometimes some crew from a sector is roaster for another flight, due many
Page 72
Page 65
reasons like shortage of crew etc, and if the incoming flight get delayed due any
reason. Then there will be delay.
Employee B:
Traffic in the city , breakdown of the transport, last minute change of roaster ,
crew reporting sick , including standby crew , But these are remote instances
which will end up in delays , Anticipating the traffic in the city , enough margin
time is always set with the transport.
The main reason of crew delays , this I am taking basically for domestic sectors
, sometimes some crew from a sector is rostered for another flight, due many
reasons like shortage of crew etc, and if the incoming flight get delayed due any
reason. Then there will be delay.
Q14. What is the solution for this?
Ans:
Employee A
Main reason for this type of delays is DGCA rules of duty times and rostering of
crew as per their unions’ demands and understanding with the management,
which may be corrected if management is more accommodative and crew is
less demanding
Employee B:
Main reason for this type of delays is shortage of qualified crew in the base.
AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS
Q15. Why do we have to wait for takeoff slots?
Ans:
Employee A
In simple words I will say lack of infrastructure, single runway operation,
haphazard airport plans, perennial construction work going on, and more traffic.
Employee B:
Page 73
Page 66
Simple words lack of infrastructure, single runway operation, ATC taking too
much time between landing and take offs, and more traffic, but that’s not the
reason, we should be able to handle the traffic.
Q16. In case waiting for takeoff slots, what is in your opinion the best way
to eliminate this kind of delay?
Ans:
Employee A
I think after the terminus work is completed delays due to these might reduce.
But with given constraints, the airline should not to miss the allotted slot to it.
Then ATC keeps the departure pending, if the slot is missed.
Employee B:
I mentioned the reason for this delay. But within the constraints, it’s the duty of
the airline not to miss the allotted slot. If it misses by any reason, say delay from
other departments, then you will have tough time from ATC.
Q17. In a busy airport like Mumbai, if you delay the plane from your side,
it’s going to further get delayed from ATC side?
Ans:
Employee A
Not always, but certainly if you miss the slot and its heavy traffic time.
Employee B:
Page 74
Page 67
Not always, but certainly if you miss the slot.
PASSENGERS LATE TO GATE
Q18. What is in your personal opinion the reason “Passengers late to gate”?
Ans:
Employee A
Now a day’s many passengers book their own tickets on internet etc and come
running to check in counters, but due to fatigue they are unable to reach gates
on time. Because of this they cause certain number of delays. Then our staff
gets occupied in arranging for their departure on some other airlines. If not so,
for certain time we will hold the flight.
It happens; main reason is some passenger are not aware of the impending
delays. What we normally do to avoid these types of delays, our employees
make frequent announcements about the boarding time. But not only this some
passenger report late for check in also
Employee B:
It happens; main reason is some passenger are not aware of the impending
delays. What we normally do to avoid these types of delays, our employees
make frequent announcements about the boarding time. But not only this some
passenger report late for check in also
Q19. What is in your opinion the best way to eliminate this kind of delay?
Ex. printing the boarding time 5-10 minutes earlier help in reducing this
delay reason?
Ans:
Employee A
Page 75
Page 68
Nowadays we are printing on boarding cards that departure gates will be closed
15 minutes (mins) before departure time. I hope it improves the situation in this
regard
Check in time also we have fixed time limit of one hour for international flights
beyond that we will not accept the passenger.
But after getting the boarding pass, some passenger go missing, and when the
boarding gate is closed they come from somewhere and create a scene.
Employee B:
Check in time, there is a time limit beyond that we will not accept the passenger
,
But after getting the boarding pass, some passenger go missing, and when the
boarding gate about to closed they come from somewhere, then argument.
Printing the boarding time 5-10 mins earlier is a good idea, but legal constraints
are here for that, you can’t type false information on boarding pass.
Q20. Can you think of any other options? – Thinking out of the box! - ex.
Changing the time scheduling? A Cash penalty is imposed at the boarding
gate if passengers do not arrive on time?
Ans:
Employee A
I think the best way is to make passenger aware of the criticality of careless
behaviours. Such passenger may be penalized by not allowing to board at all in
addition to forfeiting the ticket and its whole spent amount.
Employee B:
We have to see how practical in India it is. I think the best way, is to make
passenger aware of the timings, we want government to announce the rule of
not to accept the late passenger to the boarding gate.
Page 76
Page 69
19 Appendix I: Questionnaires to Assistant Duty Manager 1
The 5 main delays identified by our team as per data provided by Air India are as follows;
Awaiting load from another AI flight
Immigration authorities
Cabin crew late
Passengers late to gate
Awaiting take off slots
Q.No Question Yes No Maybe Remarks
1 In case of the incoming delay, can bags/pax be transferred on the next flight X
2 In case of the incoming delay, can bags/pax be transferred the next day X
3 Is it cost effective to delay a flight by 30-60mins in case rather than wait for the load X
4 Any other recommendation
Connecting Flight should be
reaching earlier
1 Are the number of counters at immigration less to handle the load of passengers from X
all airlines
2 If not,do you think the number of counters should double X
3 Would you recommend more than one fast track counter for F/J/WCHR/ Families with kids X
4 Any other recommendation
Fast track counter indicating flight
No.
1 Is there a problem in crew scheduling due to which they come late X
2 Is there a problem with late pick up X
3 Does the pick up reach the crew residence at the stipulated time X
4 Is the delay due to traffic X
5 If yes, can the pick up time change to ensure the crew arrive on time X
6 Any other recommendation
Crew should report to duty on their
own
1 Can an airline influence this reason for delay x
2 If yes, could you suggest how?
better co ordination between Mgt
and ATC
1 If a penalty is imposed will pax report on time X
2 Will printing the boarding time 5-10 mins earlier help in reducing this delay reason X
3 Any other recommendation
Gate should close 20 minutes
earlier to remove non reporting
passenger luggage
PASSENGERS LATE TO GATE
AWAITING LOAD FROM ANOTHER AI FLIGHT
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES
CABIN CREW LATE
AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS
Interview
Page 77
Page 70
20 Appendix J: Questionnaires to Assistant Duty Manager 2
The 5 main delays identified by our team as per data provided by Air India are as follows;
Awaiting load from another AI flight
Immigration authorities
Cabin crew late
Passengers late to gate
Awaiting take off slots
Q.No Question Yes No Maybe Remarks
1 In case of the incoming delay, can bags/pax be transferred on the next flight X
2 In case of the incoming delay, can bags/pax be transferred the next day X
3 Is it cost effective to delay a flight by 30-60mins in case rather than wait for the load X
4 Any other recommendation
Connecting Flight SHOULD NOT
BE Airline responsibility
1 Are the number of counters at immigration less to handle the load of passengers from X
all airlines
2 If not,do you think the number of counters should double X
3 Would you recommend more than one fast track counter for F/J/WCHR/ Families with kids X
4 Any other recommendation
Fast track counter indicating flight
No. may be a good idea
1 Is there a problem in crew scheduling due to which they come late X
2 Is there a problem with late pick up X
3 Does the pick up reach the crew residence at the stipulated time X
4 Is the delay due to traffic X
5 If yes, can the pick up time change to ensure the crew arrive on time X
6 Any other recommendation
Crew should report to duty well in
advance
1 Can an airline influence this reason for delay X
2 If yes, could you suggest how?
Co ordination between all airlines
and ATC
1 If a penalty is imposed will pax report on time X
2 Will printing the boarding time 5-10 mins earlier help in reducing this delay reason X
3 Any other recommendation
Passenger's Boarding card be
scrapped if passenger donot report
to gate on time.
PASSENGERS LATE TO GATE
AWAITING LOAD FROM ANOTHER AI FLIGHT
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES
CABIN CREW LATE
AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS
Interview
Page 78
Page 71
21 Appendix K: Questionnaires to Assistant Duty Manager 3 The 5 main delays identified by our team as per data provided by Air India are as follows;
Awaiting load from another AI flight
Immigration authorities
Cabin crew late
Passengers late to gate
Awaiting take off slots
Q.No Question Yes No Maybe Remarks
1 In case of the incoming delay, can bags/pax be transferred on the next flight X
2 In case of the incoming delay, can bags/pax be transferred the next day X
3 Is it cost effective to delay a flight by 30-60mins in case rather than wait for the load Question not clear
4 Any other recommendation
Connecting Flight should be at a
gap of 6 to 8 hours
1 Are the number of counters at immigration less to handle the load of passengers from X
all airlines
2 If not,do you think the number of counters should double X
3 Would you recommend more than one fast track counter for F/J/WCHR/ Families with kids
Two Fast track counters indicating
flight No. should be there
4 Any other recommendation
Immigration staff duties should be
proportional to flights
1 Is there a problem in crew scheduling due to which they come late X
2 Is there a problem with late pick up X
3 Does the pick up reach the crew residence at the stipulated time X
4 Is the delay due to traffic X
5 If yes, can the pick up time change to ensure the crew arrive on time X
6 Any other recommendation
CREW MAY BE GIVEN
TRAVELLING ALLOWANCE TO
REPORT ON THEIR OWN.
1 Can an airline influence this reason for delay X
2 If yes, could you suggest how?
Co ordination between airlines
management and ATC,
1 If a penalty is imposed will pax report on time X
2 Will printing the boarding time 5-10 mins earlier help in reducing this delay reason Already being done unofficially
3 Any other recommendation
Passenger must be offloaded and
fined
PASSENGERS LATE TO GATE
AWAITING LOAD FROM ANOTHER AI FLIGHT
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES
CABIN CREW LATE
AWAITING TAKE OFF SLOTS