European airlines' strategic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic (January-May, 2020)

Sascha Albers; Volker Rundshagen

doi:10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101863

European airlines' strategic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic (January-May, 2020)

J Air Transp Manag. 2020 Aug:87:101863. doi: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101863. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

Authors

Sascha Albers^{1

2}, Volker Rundshagen³

Affiliations

¹ University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics and Antwerp Management School, Prinsstraat 13, 2000, Antwerpen, Belgium.
² Antwerp Management School, Boogkeers 5, 2000, Antwerpen, Belgium.
³ University of Applied Sciences Stralsund, Zur Schwedenschanze 15, 18435, Stralsund, Germany.

Abstract

This paper analyzes airline reactions to the COVID-19 crisis in the spring months of 2020 along the typical crisis response strategies of retrenchment, persevering, innovating, and exit. Based on the content analysis of 148 news items filtered from a daily aviation industry newsletter published during the unfolding of the crisis in Europe (from January 6 to June 2), the paper specifies and differentiates European airlines' strategic responses, outlines key implications for the post-COVID-19 competitive landscape, and raises attention points for managers and policy makers.

Keywords: Airline strategy; COVID-19; Crisis response; Europe; Pandemic; State aid.