Measuring market orientation of Muscle Pharm Corp. (MSLP:US) REAL LIFECASE STUDY – REACHING NEW HEIGHTS | Page 10

Reaching new heights - Open source software application SabreSonic® Res.

4. Management Discussion
This chapter discusses the risks and opportunities of the implementation of an airline reservation
booking system as well as key success factors in the integration of such a system that than can be
used to propose an implementation strategy for the merged airline.

4.1 Risks and opportunities
Despite being criticised as “anticompetitive weapons” used to gain and maintain monopolistic power
(Copeland and McKenney, 1988), airline reservation systems have undoubtedly revolutionised the
airline industry. The first automated systems were developed as a matter of necessity, with the
systems of the era limiting operations. While improvements in seat availability systems increased,
booked seats could not be linked with passenger details (Copeland and McKenney, 1988). An
automated system, therefore, created opportunities to provide real-time updates of the availability
of seats, match passengers to seats, and improve efficiencies in food and catering, baggage handling
and fuel usage (Copeland and McKenney, 1988). The first automated system was created with a
vision to perform these functions, as well as improve communication between airlines, provide seat
availability for all carrier schedules, print itineraries of passengers and enable the issuing of boarding
passes at remote terminals (Copeland and McKenney, 1988). This automation, therefore, had the
potential to increase customer service and maximise the utilisation of aircraft capacity, bringing
about increased revenue and a competitive advantage. However, the development of reservation
systems also resulted in unforeseen anticompetitive behaviour: co-hosting programs were
developed