ACTIVITY: FlyRight Airlines, Inc.
FlyRight Airline, Inc., is a medium-sized national carrier. Operating profitably for more than 10 years, FlyRight is interested in changing the interior layout of its biggest aircraft to better suit the needs and preferences of a large and growing segment of its market - business people. Management is planning to create a business-class section, reducing the number of rows of seats and installing small tables to enable businesspeople to work during long flights.
Prior to this major renovation, however, senior management has decided to conduct some market research to ensure these alterations would suit the needs of its target audience of passengers. To keep research expenses to a minimum, the following research approach was
implemented:
? Questionnaires were completed by passengers during their flights.
? Due to potential ease of administration and collection, questionnaires were distributed only on shorter flights of less than one hour duration.
? The study was conducted during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of December, when flights were
most full.
? To increase the response rate, each flight attendant was responsible for collecting a certain number of completed questionnaires.
? Management felt that this was a good opportunity to collect as much information as possible, so questionnaires included issues beyond the new business-class seating arrangements, such as check-in preferences and satisfaction with FlyRight's frequent flyers program. As a result, the questionnaire took about 20 minutes to complete.
Results from the survey were collected and analyzed. Before the final report is presented at an upcoming Board of Directors meeting, the results were reviewed by the CMO's staff, including several new marketing interns.
Questions (ANSWER BOTH QUESTIONS):
(1) If you were in charge of conducting this research, would you change any aspects of the study? Why?
(2) As a new intern in the Marketing & Promotions department, what would you say to your boss about results from this survey? Why?