Aviation Management and Logistics (ITLS6410)
Semester 2 2023
Instructions for individual assignment
The individual report is designed to introduce students to writing to the standard required
both for professional reports and for assignments at Masters’ level. The report (10 pages
max including everything) will require students to analyse and benchmark the following
airlines:
Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Ryanair
based on their economic and financial performance (within the context of the relevant
geographic region).
Due date: 3 October 2023 (10.55am)
For the above airlines you (as an individual) should calculate the following for the
two most recent financial years (at least 2020/21 and 2021/22):
a) unit cost (per aircraft capacity)
b) yield (per RPK and/or RTK)
c) load factor
d) break-even load factor
e) employee productivity
f) aircraft utilisation
g) EBIT margin
h) Debt/equity ratio
i) Current ratio
j) P/E ratio
Having made these calculations, you should then compare these airlines with each other
and discuss why the first airline (CX) might or might not perform well (overall and
per indicator a-f) in comparison to the other three airlines and to the region it mainly
operates in. Please highlight if the first airline or even all three of them are in any way
special when compared to the average international (IATA) passenger airline. Please
also discuss (briefly) the limitations of your benchmarking approach and explain all steps
that you have undertaken (formulas, basis for calculations) during the benchmarking
exercise. If you have any questions regarding this assignment please post them on the
Canvas Q&A board.
Prof Rico Merkert 28 July 2023
