Project Description
Frequent flyer programs (FFP) have gained popularity overtime in both the aviation industry and the research field. Despite the fact that there is already a lot written about airline loyalty programs in the existing literature, most studies focus on the FFPs in general, their role and significance in aviation and the influence the programs have on the flight behavior of passengers. Yet a specific focus on corporate FFPs and the influence of these programs on corporate flight behavior is left uncovered. Therefore, this thesis examines the differences in flight behavior of leads and actual members of a corporate airline loyalty program in order to find out whether corporate FFPs have an influence on the corporate flight behavior. In this study, where the research is applied to the case of KLM’s corporate loyalty program Bluebiz, data is collected through the use of a mixed methods approach which consists of qualitative data in the form of interviews with Bluebiz members, quantitative data on the flight behavior of Bluebiz members, and taking on the role of embedded researcher as a methodological approach. The collected data was then used to identify the differences in flight behavior of leads and active Bluebiz members, to identify the reasons for these differences and to provide an insight into the motivations of members to join the Bluebiz program. The findings of this research reveal that the actual flight behavior of active members positively differs from the anticipated flight behavior of leads. Despite the fact that there is a segment of cases where the difference in actual and anticipated flight behavior is adverse, for which different factors are the main reasons, it can be stated that the difference between the anticipated and actual flight behavior is beneficial. Therefore, it can be indicated that, in the case of KLM, the corporate FFP has a positive influence on the corporate flight behavior.
Author: R. Cappon (2023)
