eAirlines: strategic and tactical use of ICTs in the airline industry

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised the entire business world. The airline industry in particular has fostered a dependency on technology for their operational and strategic management. Airlines were early adopters of ICTs and have a long history of technological innovation, in comparison to many other travel and tourism businesses. This paper discusses comprehensive research, including exploratory research with airline executives, using qualitative methods to examine the use of ICTs in the contemporary airline industry and to discuss recent developments in the industry. The work demonstrated that the airline industry was using the Internet to improve its distribution strategy and reduce costs; it also used intranets and internal systems to develop tactical and strategic management. In addition, extranets were being gradually used for communicating with partners and to support Business to Business (B2B) relationships. The effort demonstrated that ICTs will be critical for the strategic and operational management of airlines and will directly affect the future competitiveness of airlines.