Airlines
- Strategic, tactic and operational scenario simulation
- Route development (Training, Web-Tools)
- White Spot Detection
- Prevention of failures of route inaugurations
- Products
- X-VIAP passenger toolkit
- X-VIAC cargo toolkit
- SONAR360° (Scan Of New Air Routes / White Spot Detection)
- RISE passenger Route Investigation Service
Airports
- Short-, mid-, and long term forecasts for infrastructure capacity needs
- Airline marketing assistance (Training, Web-Tools)
- Passenger / Cargo route potential studies (White Spot Detection)
- Enhanced market transparency
- Products
- X-VIAP passenger toolkit
- X-VIAC cargo toolkit
- SONAR360° (Scan Of New Air Routes / White Spot Detection)
- RISE passenger Route Investigation Service
Policy Decision Aids
- Air transport system investigations and development
- Development / investigation of policy measures and policy scenarios
- Enhanced market transparency (Web-Tools)
- Qualitative and quantitative assessment studies
- Products
- X-VIAP passenger toolkit
- X-VIAC cargo toolkit
- SONAR360° (360° Scan Of New Air Routes / White Spot Detection)
- SONARNetGen passenger (Network Generator)
SARS-CoV-2
X-VIAP-Covid - a web-tool to face the pandemic challenge.
Our contribution to support
- Airlines
- Airports
- Policy / Administrations
Door-to-Door approach – Benefits for the user
- “The planners' challenge” addressed by Manuel
- “Network development under the uncertainty of SARS-CoV-2”
addressed by Cedric
"The Hammer & Dance process based on Door-to-Door modelling"
addressed by Julian
Clients & Partners
We are open for cooperation with any kind of partner and have worked for a variety of clients.
- Air transport industry (airlines, airports, associations)
- Rail transport industry
- Political and administrative bodies on European, national, and regional level
- Universities, research organisations
- Chamber of Commerce, Development Agencies
- Consultancies
Our Position
We believe that transport is not an issue in itself; it has to serve the needs of people and economy in a sustainable way. Thus connectivity offered at airports or by any other mode is a service to consumers which is honoured by the demand attracted under the framework conditions set by the policy.
In order to understand the complexity of dependencies and mechanisms of action and to implement sustainable solutions for the benefit of mankind and nature, cooperation between politics, industry and research is indispensable.
Our work contributes to both understanding and cooperation.
X-VIAP-Covid passenger
These days, aviation industry is faced by one of the toughest economic challenges of our time due to the outbreak of the new corona virus. The resulting political restrictions make it almost impossible to keep operations running in an economically profitable way especially for the air travel industry. Air traffic is restricted almost everywhere.
To face these challenges, we developed X-VIAP-Covid based on our validated Door-to-Door tools, to optimize the choices for fleet usage in current times as well as preparing an exit strategy. To cope with the pandemic challenge and the large disruption of the air transport market the underlying model system was enriched by three additional components.
Confidence to fly
SARS-CoV-2 a new, hazardous experience makes people feel insecure. Insecurity results in low confidence to travel which is part of the human behaviours in general. The underlying assumption of the model part addressing “confidence to fly” is the fear of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, fears are not based on rational evaluations of the respective situations. It's rather a strong feeling of general unpleasantness regarding the specific circumstances. To approximate the factors which are relevant contributors in constituting this fear, psychological research results of general loss aversion of humans were used. In principle humans try to avoid any course of action, which makes their situation worse that their current one. With regards to air travel, we modelled this kind of behavioural tendency with the comparison of the origins and destinations SARS-CoV-2 situation. If the situation in the destination is worse than in the origin, the confidence to travel will be lowered significantly. Factors used concern the medical treatment in a foreign country, the health system, to be forced into quarantine, likelihood to have Covid-19 on board of the flight, and other local policy measures preventing the spread of the virus up to the risk that there is no possibility to return home due to flights are suspended and borders are closed. To embed the psychological certainty effect non-linear formulations of the models were applied.
Mobility change
Even though the world around us is constantly changing, people are resistant to change. More often than not people stay in their comfort zone, take the default option when they don't know any better or do things the way they have always been done. Changes from these patterns are triggered, when we are forced to leave said comfort zone and do things differently than before. Crises trigger such changes and the pandemic triggers security, disease and the economic effects on a worldwide dimension resulting into less air travel. On top there is the immanent bounce back effect of the virus. Especially the latter one forces everyone to adjust priorities and to adjust the comfortable daily life to fast changing circumstances either caused by the health situation or political measures imposed. The behavioural change concerns a massive change on working level by using virtual meetings and home office, vacation trips were redirected to local activities or short distance destinations and VFR traffic were on hold wherever possible. Everyone was urged to leave the comfort zone and aviation faces a cut in business travel and a time lag for VFR and vacation demand. On top airlines and airports are forced to follow new guidelines and policy measures are imposed pricing CO2 emissions. The circumstances addressed are translated into technical, economical and network constraints as well as regional competition reflected by model variables used on the demand side and the characteristics of the travel paths.
Pandemic development
The spread of the virus was put into relationship to air, surface and community activities / mobility whereby policy measures in place were considered. This allows also examining the future development of the Covid-19 situation to foresee policy actions and the necessities to adjust air services in capacity and destination. This model component does neither substitute the pandemic models nor the medical forecasts resulting from them. However, some of their mathematics, values and indicators are of great value to explain relationships and to trigger the generation process of an air network as an adaptive strategy.
Due to the fast changing environment of the pandemic situation, evoking policy measures and competitive reactions the tool allows weekly forecasts, which can be cumulated at least to a periodically four-week-forecast to satisfy operational needs. For mid- and long-term forecasts we recommend to use our SONARNetGen model which incorporates a Hammer & Dance process. This process reflects local policies (the Hammer) upon the pandemic development and airlines reaction adjusting air services in capacity and destination (the Dance).
The model components of X-VIAP dealing with airport/route choice, intra- and inter-modality etc. remained in place so that the reflection of the competitive situation is ensured. Due to SARS-CoV-2 some specific analyses were added and some existing were enriched to foresee demand effects, e.g. thresholds of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants, demand at risk in the route specific catchment, likelihood of infected passengers on board.
Products
All products are free from external intellectual property rights (IP Rights) and under full control of MKmetric. In consequence we have the freedom to adjust our products individually to the client‘s needs and in line with our in-house research. The products are updated frequently and permanently calibrated using methodologies ensuring a high quality of results. Applications are running on high performance computers (UNIX) which are essential for advanced large scale transport modelling projects.
Web-Tools
Clients have access to our web-tools RISE passenger, X-VIAP passenger, X-VIAC cargo, and SONAR360° passenger 24/7 wherever they are and with any electronic device connected to the internet. The Internet Browsers Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are preferably to be used.
X-VIAP passenger toolkit
Aviation Route and Network Investigation
Gain market insights by analysing the passenger aviation market. Analyse the status quo reference or create your simulation results by modifying schedules and running the simulation. Investigate the effects of your simulations upon the market (e.g. cannibalisation) or compare simulation results. More than 25 analyses types are available. Discover the catchment area or surface leakage of a route. Investigate the distribution of demand between local-behind-beyond-bridge or just display the Door-to-Door passenger demand. Download your results as graph or table.
X-VIAC cargo toolkit
Gain market insights by analysing the cargo aviation market. Analyse the status quo reference or create your simulation results by modifying schedules and running the simulation. Freighter and belly cargo services are considered in parallel. Investigate the effects of your simulations upon the market (e.g. cannibalisation) or compare simulation results. More than 25 analyses types are available. Discover the catchment area or surface leakage of a route. Investigate the asymmetric distribution of demand by commodities or just display the Door-to-Door cargo demand. Download your results as graph or table.
X-VIAP-Covid passenger toolkit
Aviation Route and Network Investigation under the uncertainty of SARS-CoV-2
Based on the validated technology of the X-VIAP passenger tool the underlying model system considers the market volatility evoking from the pandemic situation. Policy measures imposed as well as a lag of confidence to fly and resulting changes in mobility behaviour are embedded in the simulation of new routes. To face fast local changes of the pandemic situation and related policy measures the simulation horizon allows a weekly forecast so that networks can be adjusted on time and operational necessities are achieved. Simulating a set of weeks indicate whether a region will exceed a threshold of new Covid-19 cases and might be classified accordingly resulting into a loss of demand in the route specific catchment. This information and some more analyses like the likelihood of infected passengers on board allow evaluating the sustainability of the network.
RISE passenger toolkit
Route Investigation Service
Execute a route study just concentrating on the route service pattern while RISE will run the simulation, adds a portfolio of analyses, and summarizes the results in comprehensive tables. RISE delivers KPI’s such as passenger volumes (local, transfers) of the airline/s operating at the route in focus, synergy effects and cannibalisation effects upon stock routes, route competitors with passengers attracted, airports with highest passenger gains/ losses, catchment of the local passengers of the route, demand growth, schedule and Door-to-Door effects. RISE is self explanatory, user friendly and multi-dimensional; nevertheless tool tips are added at all data types. In addition each result table is earmarked by a link to drill down to more details shown by a graph and a detailed table, both downloadable for further us e.g. in presentations.
SONAR360° passenger
360° Scan of New Air Routes / White Spot Detection
What is the passenger potential of a defined airport? Which routes are viable to be inaugurated? What cannibalization effects appear? Which airline to approach, what service structure, which airplane capacity? What footprint of emissions is to be expected or how do land based infrastructure investments of rail and road influence the catchment of an airport?
How to develop an airline’s network at a specific airport? SONAR360° passenger detects new, promising routes (white spots) and prevents to implement new destinations which will not be profitable. And / or how to reach strategic targets respectively, how to leverage transfer potential?
SONAR360° answers questions like this whilst considering the competitors and consumer behaviour on Door-to-Door level.
We are happy to adapt our SONAR360° approach to specific client needs, to fade into decision processes tailor-made.
SONARNetGen passenger
Network Generator
The SONARNetGen passenger is used as a network generator by airlines, airports and e.g. governments.
For an airline SONARNetGen passenger investigates future routes to determine fleet and aircraft capacity or to find new routes for the next schedule period whilst focusing upon all bases in parallel.
For Airports SONARNetGen passenger investigates infrastructure capacity needs by elaborating the passenger potential of future years in respect of the development at competing airports.
For Governments the SONARNetGen passenger allows to investigate the air transport system of the country under consideration of the competitors along the national / federal border and the big hubs around the world. Of course future land based infrastructures of rail and road are addressed in parallel due to their relevance for airport-route choice.
For what purposes our Door-to-Door based SONARNetGen passenger is used, different scenarios allow to simulate strategic and tactic scenarios for the development plan and risk assessment. Hence the competitors or / and the own business respectively policy strategy can be in focus.
Whether infrastructure decisions have to be considered or effects of policy measures on consumer behaviour have to be investigated, our SONARNetGen passenger can be adapted to the client’s needs.
X-VIAP-Covid passenger
These days, aviation industry is faced by one of the toughest economic challenges of our time due to the outbreak of the new corona virus. The resulting political restrictions make it almost impossible to keep operations running in an economically profitable way especially for the air travel industry. Air traffic is restricted almost everywhere.
To face these challenges, we developed X-VIAP-Covid based on our validated Door-to-Door tools, to optimize the choices for fleet usage in current times as well as preparing an exit strategy. To cope with the pandemic challenge and the large disruption of the air transport market the underlying model system was enriched by three additional components.
Confidence to fly
SARS-CoV-2 a new, hazardous experience makes people feel insecure. Insecurity results in low confidence to travel which is part of the human behaviours in general. The underlying assumption of the model part addressing “confidence to fly” is the fear of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, fears are not based on rational evaluations of the respective situations. It's rather a strong feeling of general unpleasantness regarding the specific circumstances. To approximate the factors which are relevant contributors in constituting this fear, psychological research results of general loss aversion of humans were used. In principle humans try to avoid any course of action, which makes their situation worse that their current one. With regards to air travel, we modelled this kind of behavioural tendency with the comparison of the origins and destinations SARS-CoV-2 situation. If the situation in the destination is worse than in the origin, the confidence to travel will be lowered significantly. Factors used concern the medical treatment in a foreign country, the health system, to be forced into quarantine, likelihood to have Covid-19 on board of the flight, and other local policy measures preventing the spread of the virus up to the risk that there is no possibility to return home due to flights are suspended and borders are closed. To embed the psychological certainty effect non-linear formulations of the models were applied.
Mobility change
Even though the world around us is constantly changing, people are resistant to change. More often than not people stay in their comfort zone, take the default option when they don't know any better or do things the way they have always been done. Changes from these patterns are triggered, when we are forced to leave said comfort zone and do things differently than before. Crises trigger such changes and the pandemic triggers security, disease and the economic effects on a worldwide dimension resulting into less air travel. On top there is the immanent bounce back effect of the virus. Especially the latter one forces everyone to adjust priorities and to adjust the comfortable daily life to fast changing circumstances either caused by the health situation or political measures imposed. The behavioural change concerns a massive change on working level by using virtual meetings and home office, vacation trips were redirected to local activities or short distance destinations and VFR traffic were on hold wherever possible. Everyone was urged to leave the comfort zone and aviation faces a cut in business travel and a time lag for VFR and vacation demand. On top airlines and airports are forced to follow new guidelines and policy measures are imposed pricing CO2 emissions. The circumstances addressed are translated into technical, economical and network constraints as well as regional competition reflected by model variables used on the demand side and the characteristics of the travel paths.
Pandemic development
The spread of the virus was put into relationship to air, surface and community activities / mobility whereby policy measures in place were considered. This allows also examining the future development of the Covid-19 situation to foresee policy actions and the necessities to adjust air services in capacity and destination. This model component does neither substitute the pandemic models nor the medical forecasts resulting from them. However, some of their mathematics, values and indicators are of great value to explain relationships and to trigger the generation process of an air network as an adaptive strategy.
Due to the fast changing environment of the pandemic situation, evoking policy measures and competitive reactions the tool allows weekly forecasts, which can be cumulated at least to a periodically four-week-forecast to satisfy operational needs. For mid- and long-term forecasts we recommend to use our SONARNetGen model which incorporates a Hammer & Dance process. This process reflects local policies (the Hammer) upon the pandemic development and airlines reaction adjusting air services in capacity and destination (the Dance).
The model components of X-VIAP dealing with airport/route choice, intra- and inter-modality etc. remained in place so that the reflection of the competitive situation is ensured. Due to SARS-CoV-2 some specific analyses were added and some existing were enriched to foresee demand effects, e.g. thresholds of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants, demand at risk in the route specific catchment, likelihood of infected passengers on board.
X-VIAP passenger
The X-VIAP passenger product is extracted from our multi-modal VIA model system. It meets both the needs of airports and airlines. The product concentrates on intra-modal and inter-modal effects. It is based on supply changes reflecting Door-to-Door transport. The passenger volume between regions is diversified by trip purposes. Air services of all carrier types (network, Point-2-Point, charter) are considered on the supply side.
The product focuses on the investigation of routes, route portfolio or air service changes (schedules, code shares, connecting times, operation days, etc.). To simulate schedules of the future the user is free to either use reference data or our second-to-none door-to-door demand forecast data. As the approach is region based the procedure of route identification works for ‘green field’ airports as well which never had any commercial traffic. The product is ready for use for any European client. It reflects all air transport activities to from within and across Europe. The product can be calibrated optionally for any client worldwide.
The route simulations are used by airports for airline marketing purposes and by airlines for network/schedule development and optimization for current and future flight plans. Furthermore it enhances market transparency. Most information a client relies on just analyzes the client‘s business whilst the product reflects as well the competitors business respectively the entire market. An advanced strong digital instrument for governments as well to investigate the air transport market within the country and relative to other countries.
The analyses are available in spreadsheets (tabular) and graphical form. A download on the personal work space for individual use is optional ready for use. The analyses are structured by the point of view an analyst may take (airport, region, route).
Our agile team is happy to integrate specific wishes (analyses) if any interest is indicated by a client. Based on a client request our product can be enriched optionally to stimulate cargo demand by capacity increase or interfaces for automatic data exchange to fade into the existing business processes.
Our contribution to your success
- Door-to-Door demand investigation
- Enhanced market transparency
- Thresholds of consumer reaction
- Investigation of destinations with no or low data availability
- Fast risk assessment – less failures of route inaugurations, e.g. cannibalisation
- Optimise service structure and co-operations
- Leverage transfer passengers and ‘hubbing by surprise’
- Identification of marketing hot spots
- Support of airport / airline negotiations
- Automation of planning process by digitalisation
- Adaptable to your business process
- Higher productivity / more planning cycles
- In time network adjustments
- Free capacity for high level human skills
Interested? Please get in contact and we are pleased to introduce the tool to you.
X-VIAC cargo
The X-VIAC cargo product concentrates on air born cargo, on intra-modal and inter-modal effects based on supply changes. This product reflects Door-to-Door transport. The cargo volume between regions is diversified by commodity groups. On the supply side beside freighter services also passenger services are considered to incorporate belly capacity.
The product focuses on the investigation of routes, route portfolio or air service changes (schedules, code shares, connecting times, operation days, etc.). To simulate schedules of the future the user is free to either use reference data or our second-to-none door-to-door demand forecast data. As the approach is region based the procedure of route identification works for ‘green field’ airports as well which never had any commercial traffic. The product is ready for use for any European client. It reflects all air transport activities to from within and across Europe. The product can be calibrated optionally for any client worldwide.
The route simulations are used by airports for airline marketing purposes and by airlines for the network development and optimization for current or future flight plans. Furthermore it enhances market transparency. Most information a client relies on just analyzes the client’s business whilst the product reflects as well the competitors business respectively the entire market. An advanced strong digital instrument for governments as well to investigate the air transport market within the country and relative to other countries.
The analyses are of asymmetric nature and available in spreadsheets (tabular) and graphical form. A download on the personal work space for individual use is optional ready for use. The analyses are structured by the point of view an analyst may take (airport, region, route).
The MKmetric team is happy to integrate specific wishes (analyses) if any interest is indicated by a client. Based on a client request our product can be enriched optionally to stimulate cargo demand by capacity increase or interfaces for automatic data exchange to fade into the existing business processes.
Our contribution to your success
- Door-to-Door demand investigation
- Asymmetric transport flows
- Diversification by commodity
- Enhanced market transparency
- Investigation of destinations with no or low data availability
- Fast risk assessment – less failures of route inaugurations, e.g. cannibalisation
- Optimise service structure and co-operations
- Leverage transshiphment potential
- Identification of marketing hot spots
- Support of airport / airline negotiations
- Automation of planning process by digitalisation
- Adaptable to your business process
- Higher productivity / more planning cycles
- In time network adjustments
- Free capacity for high level human skills
Interested? Please get in contact and we are pleased to introduce the tool to you.
SONAR360° passenger
360° Scan of New Air Routes / White Spot Detection
SONAR360° passenger has been developed to investigate the passenger potential and to identify white spots, evaluate, and rank up to 100 technically possible routes for a defined airport or for an airline network at a specific airport. The new routes to be investigated are identified by a process addressing competitors activities, catchment, leakage, indirect passengers, and the Door-to-Door air transport mobility.
The SONAR approach eliminates successively non-viable routes and adjusts them so that capacity meets demand while considering the offers of all competing airports and their route specific catchment areas. Thus cannibalism is minimized. SONAR360° passenger implements the best identified routes in the simulation system and integrates them into a flight schedule whilst addressing in parallel the transfer potential. As the approach is region based the procedure of route identification works for ‘green field’ airports as well which never had any commercial services. As a result, the client will get the most viable routes for a certain network or airport.
Detailed analyses like passenger potential (local, transfer, by trip purposes), market sales distribution (catchment), suggestion of carrier, aircraft type, level of service, top transfer destinations, competition analyses (airport and route choice), market analyses (airlines and destinations) are provided for each identified route. Summarised key figures and their changes caused by the identified routes under consideration for an airport are shown as well, notably for: catchment, attracted inhabitants and GDP, passengers, aircraft movements, change in regional accessibility, time savings, fuel consumption, and a set of emissions (CO2, NOx, ...).
The SONAR360° passenger results are enriched with route specific interpretations and recommendations. They are a comprehensive source for decision making or further use such as airline marketing, network development and strategic planning. Individual strategic needs can be examined closely and individual route specifications in focus can be checked by the flexible market potential investigation approach.
Networks can be optimised or routes can be identified for a specific fleet of aircrafts. SONAR360° has been developed as a result of a long lasting experience with a wide range of clients such as airports, airlines, regional authorities and airport shareholders.
Our contribution to your success
- Door-to-Door demand investigation
- Thresholds of consumer reaction
- Consideration of competitors
- Detect airport passenger potential
- White Spot Detection
- Investigation of destinations with no or low data availability
- Risk assessment – less failures of route inaugurations, e.g. cannibalisation
- Leverage transfer passengers and ‘hubbing by surprise’
- Identification of marketing hot spots
- Support of airport / airline negotiations
Interested? Please get in contact and we are pleased to introduce the product to you.
SONARNetGen passenger
Network Generator
SONARNetGen passenger acts as network generator. SONARNetGen develops for up to 60 airports in parallel the aviation network whilst considering the offers of all competing airports and their catchment areas. A SONARNetGen run implements up to 100 identified routes per airport in the simulation system and integrates them into actual flight schedules whilst addressing in parallel the transfer potential. Thus cannibalization is minimized. The new routes to be investigated are identified by a process addressing competitors activities, catchment, leakage, indirect passengers, and the Door-to-Door air transport mobility.
The SONARNetGen passenger eliminates successively non-viable routes and adjusts them so that capacity meets demand whilst considering the offers of all competing airports and their route specific catchment areas. As the approach is region based the procedure of route identification works for ‘green field’ airports as well which never had any commercial service. If requested by the client our system optimises existing flight services as well, if demand potential is not yet being fully exploited or capacity is too high or should be abandoned at all respectively inaugurated at another airport. The latter incorporates restructuring of multi-hub systems too.
Interdependencies between new and existing services in the air transport system as a whole are fully considered. Certain restrictions or freedoms can be defined as well to reflect strategies, competitors behaviour or infrastructure constraints. In consequence SONARNetGen can be used for the development of future schedules. Of course future land based infrastructures of rail and road are addressed in parallel due to their relevance for airport-route choice.
SONARNetGen passenger can be adopted within strategy scenarios. Thus it reflects different strategies and offers tactical advices and / or it simply investigates challenges rising from e.g. competitors, new aircraft types, partnerships, policy measures, rail services, road infrastructure or an airline merger respectively an airline exit.
SONARNetGen passenger is as a result of a long lasting experience with a wide range of clients such as airports, airlines, governments and airport/airline shareholders.
Our contribution to your success
- Door-to-Door demand investigation
- Thresholds of consumer reaction
- Consideration of competitors (60 airports and all airline types in parallel)
- White Spot Detection
- Investigation of destinations with no or low data availability
- Risk assessment – less failures of route inaugurations, e.g. cannibalisation
- Optimise service structure and co-operations
- Inquisition of single and multi hub structures
- Strategic or tactical network development
- Identification of capacity needs (airport infrastructure, airline fleet)
- Leverage transfer passengers and ‘hubbing by surprise’
- Identification of marketing hot spots
- Inspection of the air transport system strength and weakness
- Examination of level playing field determinants
- Quantification of policy measures (ASAs, blending quota, CO2-taxation, ...)
- Competition and connectivity analyses
- Cohesion and accessibility analyses
- Quantification of direct and indirect socio-economic effects
Interested? Please get in contact and we are pleased to introduce the product to you.
SONARNetGen passenger
Network Generator
SONARNetGen passenger acts as network generator. SONARNetGen develops for up to 60 airports in parallel the aviation network whilst considering the offers of all competing airports and their catchment areas. A SONARNetGen run implements up to 100 identified routes per airport in the simulation system and integrates them into actual flight schedules whilst addressing in parallel the transfer potential. Thus cannibalization is minimized. The new routes to be investigated are identified by a process addressing competitors activities, catchment, leakage, indirect passengers, and the Door-to-Door air transport mobility.
The SONARNetGen passenger eliminates successively non-viable routes and adjusts them so that capacity meets demand whilst considering the offers of all competing airports and their route specific catchment areas. As the approach is region based the procedure of route identification works for ‘green field’ airports as well which never had any commercial service. If requested by the client our system optimises existing flight services as well, if demand potential is not yet being fully exploited or capacity is too high or should be abandoned at all respectively inaugurated at another airport. The latter incorporates restructuring of multi-hub systems too.
Interdependencies between new and existing services in the air transport system as a whole are fully considered. Certain restrictions or freedoms can be defined as well to reflect strategies, competitors behaviour or infrastructure constraints. In consequence SONARNetGen can be used for the development of future schedules. Of course future land based infrastructures of rail and road are addressed in parallel due to their relevance for airport-route choice.
SONARNetGen passenger can be adopted within strategy scenarios. Thus it reflects different strategies and offers tactical advices and / or it simply investigates challenges rising from e.g. competitors, new aircraft types, partnerships, policy measures, rail services, road infrastructure or an airline merger respectively an airline exit.
SONARNetGen passenger is as a result of a long lasting experience with a wide range of clients such as airports, airlines, governments and airport/airline shareholders.
Our contribution to your success
- Door-to-Door demand investigation
- Thresholds of consumer reaction
- Consideration of competitors (60 airports and all airline types in parallel)
- White Spot Detection
- Investigation of destinations with no or low data availability
- Risk assessment – less failures of route inaugurations, e.g. cannibalisation
- Optimise service structure and co-operations
- Inquisition of single and multi hub structures
- Strategic or tactical network development
- Identification of capacity needs (airport infrastructure, airline fleet)
- Leverage transfer passengers and ‘hubbing by surprise’
- Identification of marketing hot spots
- Inspection of the air transport system strength and weakness
- Examination of level playing field determinants
- Quantification of policy measures (ASAs, blending quota, CO2-taxation, ...)
- Competition and connectivity analyses
- Cohesion and accessibility analyses
- Quantification of direct and indirect socio-economic effects
Interested? Please get in contact and we are pleased to introduce the product to you.
RISE passenger toolkit
The RISE passenger product is specially designed for airline network planners and airline acquisition planners at airports. The tool is based on the Door-to-Door methodology and analyses of X-VIAP. While the planner concentrates on the service pattern of the route/s to be investigated, RISE will run the simulation, execute a portfolio of analyses, and condense the results by easy to read tables. Nevertheless each table is earmarked by a link allowing drilling down the results to more details shown by a graph and a table, which can be downloaded for further use. Tool tips at each data type explain the context of the information.
The focus of RISE is on the investigation of a route and the resulting effects on the airline's network and the airports concerned. In case more than one route is of interest to the planner these routes can be implemented in the same schedule edit and the portfolio analyses will be executed for any of the routes considered. Thus the effects of the network changes are outlined by route and if more carriers are operating on a route also by airline. The network changes defined in flight plan processing can also affect existing flights and routes of competing airlines or developments at competing airports.
The analyses provided by RISE are not limited to route KPIs, but also include an airline’s whole network and the airports affected. This creates a basis for decision-making that goes far beyond the analysis of individual routes. In addition to the passenger volumes (local, transfer) per airline, synergy and cannibalization effects are shown so that the planner can immediately see which routes from which airport gain additional passengers and which ones lose passengers. This makes potentially necessary capacity adjustments visible and can be taken into account in a further simulation in order to minimize risks and optimize the overall network.
The market distribution between the competing routes that are important in the core catchment area is also outlined. Depending on the volume of passengers attracted, this analysis also provides information on whether the route is fed from the core catchment area or whether it would be better to place the route at a different airport. A corresponding catchment area of local passengers on the route is also shown depicting the passenger market shares and volumes of each region.
It is very important for airport planners to recognize whether a new route will increase the number of passengers at the airport (local, transfer) or cannibalize existing routes and thus, in the worst case, trigger the withdrawal of an airline already operating at the airport. These results also show the development of the airline at the airport, which may result in contractual conditions or other consequences. As the results include not only the airports affected by the route but also competitor airports, strategic decisions can be derived in advance. A corresponding scenario shows the potential threat posed by the development of competing airport locations.
The user is free to work either with the travel patterns of the reference period or our second-to-none Door-to-Door demand forecast data of future periods on route investigations. In addition it is possible to switch between the schedule base of the reference period and a schedule base of the current period. On request, customer data (flight schedule and demand forecasts) can also be integrated instead. If both the flight schedule and the demand change, then a special type of analysis is of interest, which splits the different effects quantitatively and as a percentage. This analysis shows beside information about the actual market of the reference period, the demand growth effects and the Door-to-Door effects imposed by the schedule change of the period in addition to the effects caused by the schedule edit the user implemented.
As the approach is region based the procedure of route identification works also for ‘green field’ airports which never had any or just had a small amount of commercial traffic. Currently the product reflects all air transport activities to, from, within and across Europe. The product can be calibrated optionally for any client worldwide.
Our contribution to your success:
- Distinguish demand, network and route scenario effects based on Door-to-Door demand investigation
- Easy to read comprehensive summary of results of the investigated route/s
- Results allow optimization of stock network to maximize network profits
- Multi-dimensional results (KPIs) across airlines and airports concerned
- Automation of planning process by digitalization
- Adaptable to your business process
- Higher productivity / more planning cycles
- In time network adjustments
- Free capacity for high level human skills
Interested? Please get in contact and we are pleased to introduce the tool to you.
Training
The workshops offered are dedicated to clients who want to use our online services (Web-Tools).
Airport Workshop
The workshop is dedicated to the topic of airline marketing and structured in four steps.
- We start with an outline introduction into the theory of our innovative Door-to-Door approach and compare it to the differences to traditional (QSI based) tools. In case of interest mathematics can be discussed in detail as part of the workshop or individually.
- The second part addresses the tool itself. General handling, analyses, route and network implementation are demonstrated. The interpretation of results enriches the various analyses real time.
- In the third part participants use the system hands on. After a short individual cruise through the system some analyses are performed and interpreted. In addition route investigations are implemented and we do test runs with our clients.
- Finally the new routes or network changes are analysed and conclusions are drawn.
Airline Workshop
The workshop is dedicated to the topic of network development and structured in four steps.
- We start with an outline introduction into the theory of our innovative Door-to-Door approach and compare it to the differences to traditional (QSI based) tools. In case of interest mathematics can be discussed in detail as part of the workshop or individually.
- The second part addresses the tool itself. General handling, analyses, route and network implementation are demonstrated. We outline multiple route testing and sampling of different routes to a scenario. The interpretation of results enriches the various analyses real time.
- In the third part participants use the system hands on. After a short individual cruise through the system some analyses are performed and interpreted. In addition route investigations are sampled, split into independent but consistent scenarios and implemented. We do test runs with our clients for route portfolios which address new routes as well as network adjustments.
- Finally the simulation results are analysed and conclusions are drawn. We support our clients in mapping of current network planning processes to identify the most appropriate way to assimilate our new digitalized Door-to-Door approach. In case specific internal tools or processes of the client should be supported by MKmetric tools, we outline potential interfaces, analyses and definitions to consistently connect the two systems.
Publications
As far as clients allow or research is financed either by public funds or by the authors the results are published. Please find enclosed some important publications. We refer to the public available web site of ‘Research Gate’ for a download.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benedikt_Mandel
Selected publications clients have been interested in:
The Hammer & Dance process based on Door-to-Door modelling; B. Mandel, J. Mandel; MKmetric GmbH; contribution to "Airlines in a Post-Pandemic World: Preparing for Constant Turbulence Ahead" by Nawal K. Taneja; Routledge; 1st edition, ISBN-13: 978-0367715823, ISBN-10: 0367715821; Jun 24 2021. | |
HIGH-TOOL – a strategic assessment tool for evaluating EU transport policies; Journal of Shipping and Trade; E. Szimba, J. Ihrig, M. Kraft, K. Mitusch, M. Chen, M. Chahim, J. van Meijeren, J. Kiel, B. Mandel, A. Ulied, E. Larrea, G. De Ceuster, R. Van Grol, Z. Berki, A. Székely and R. Smith; 2018 | |
A Decision Support Tool for the Strategic Assessment of Transport Policies – Structure of the Tool and Key Features; Elseveir, Transportation Research Procedia 25C; World Conference on Transportation Research - Shanghai; E. Szimba (a), B. Mandel (b), M. Kraft (a), J. Ihrig (a); 06/2016
| |
Europe-wide aviation connectivity measures and the PATH theorem; Benedikt Mandel (1, 3), Marc Gaudry (2, 3), Denis Ungemach (1); 02/2017
| |
Elasticities and Equations of the HIGH-TOOL Model (Final Version), HIGH-TOOL Deliverable D4.3, project co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme, Karlsruhe; Van Grol R., De Bok M., De Jong G., Van Eck G., Ihrig J., Kraft M., Szimba E., Mandel B., Ivanova O., Boonman, H., Chahim, M., Cor- thout R., Purwanto J., Smith R., Laparidou K., Helder E., Grebe S., Székely A.; 2016. | |
Final Structure of the HIGH-TOOL Model, Deliverable D2.2 of the HIGH-TOOL project, co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme. Karlsruhe, Germany; Mandel, B., Kraft, M., Schnell, O., Klar, R., Ihrig, J., Szimba, E., Smith, R., Laparidou, K., Chahim, M., Corthout, R., Purwanto, J.; 2016 | |
The Threat to Forecasting Traffic the Classic Way; AGIFORS Schedule and Strategic Planning Study Group Conference, At Mexico City; M2P Consulting Jeffery Oboy, MKmetric GmbH Benedikt Mandel; 06/2015 | |
Contemporary Airport Demand Forecasting: Choice Models and Air Transport Forecasting; Benedikt Mandel, MKmetric GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany; OECD International Transport Forum, Paper No 2014-07, Brussels, Belgium; 04/2014 | |
Integrated Ticketing on Long-Distance Passenger; European Commission DG Internal Policies, Structural and Cohesion Policies; Transport Services TRT Trasporti e Territorio - Silvia Maffi, Alessio Sitran, Marco Brambilla, Angelo Martino; MKmetric - Benedikt Mandel, Oliver Schnell; 2012 | |
Risk Analysis for short-term Cargo Collapses at European Airports; Aaron Scholz, Benedikt Mandel, Axel Schaffer; 2010 | |
The Impact on German High Speed Rail Demand Forecasts, 1994; also published in Classics in Transport Analysis Volume "Railways"; Series Editors Button K. & Nijkamp P.; Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, Surrey/UK; Mandel B., Gaudry M., Rothengatter W.; 08/2002 | |
The impact of liberalizing international aviation bilaterals: the case of the Northern German region; Gillen D., Mandel B., Hinsch H., Wolf H.; 2001 | |
Generalised Transportation-data Format (GTF): Data, Model and Machine Interaction; Mandel B., Nielsen O.A., Ruffert E.; Karlsruhe (Germany) / Copenhagen (Denmark); 06/2001 | |
An "Open Sky" Scenario for Hamburg Airport and Germany; Journal of Air Transport Management; Volume 7 Number 1 pp. 9-24; Editor: Kenneth Button; Special Issue: Proceedings of the 3rd Hamburg Aviation Conference, Germany 02/2000; Mandel B., Schnell O.; 01/2001 | |
Steps towards the infrastructure of ETIS (European Transport Information System) from a user's point of view - The way towards an operational ETIS using synergies between 4th FP, Mesudemo; Mandel B., Ruffert E.; Rotterdam; The Netherlands; 06/1999 | |
Airport Choice & Competition - a Strategic Approach; Mandel B.; 3rd Air Transport Research Group (ATRG) Conference; Hong Kong; 06/1999 | |
Measuring Competition in Air Transport; Airports and Air Traffic - Regulation, Privatisation and Competition Hamburg, Germany, HWWA; 02/1998; editors Pfähler W., Niemeier H.-M. and Mayer O.G., pp 71-92; Peter Lang Press; Mandel B.; 1999 | |
The Interdependency of Airport Choice and Travel Demand; Taking stock of air liberalisation - edited by Gaudry and Mayes Proceedings of the International Symposium at the ICAO, 04/1997; Kluwer Academic Press; Mandel B.; 1999 | |
Needs for Modelling Purposes; Towards a Pan-European Long Distance Mobility Survey for the year 2000, Concerted Action Committee on Information Systems; Commission of the European Communities; Mandel B., Rothengatter W.; 10/1998 | |
Methodological Developments within the Quasi-Direct Format Demand Structure: the Multicountry Application for Passengers MAP-1; Strategic European Multi-Modal Modelling; Working Paper BETA n°9815; Gaudry M., Heinitz F., Last J., Mandel B.; 09/1998 | |
A Disaggregate Box-Cox Logit Mode Choice Model for Intercity Passenger Travel in Germany and its Implications for High Speed Rail Demand Forecasts; The Annals of Regional Science (1997) 31, p. 99-120, Springer Verlag and puplished in The econometrics of major infrastructures edited by Quinet and Vickerman; Applied Econometrics Association; MacMillan Press Ltd.; Mandel B., Gaudry M., Rothengatter W.; 1997 | |
Bedarfsmodellierung im Telekommunikationsbereich aus verkehrswissenschaftlicher Sicht (Demand modelling in telecommunication out of transport science point of view) on behalf of Deutsche Telekom AG; Gaudry M., Mandel B., Last J.; 06/1995 | |
Entwicklung eines gekoppelten Verkehrserzeugungs- und verteilungsmodells für den Personenfernverkehr (Development of a linked trip generation and distribution model for long distance passenger traffic) on behalf of the German Ministry of Transport FENr.: 60307/92; Université de Montréal Centre du recherche sur les transports (C.R.T.), MKmetric GmbH, University of Karlsruhe (TH) Institute of Economic Policy and Research (IWW); Gaudry M., Mandel B., Rothengatter W.;1994 | |
Introducing Spatial Competition through an Autoregressive Contiguous Distributed (AR-C-D) Process in Intercity Generation-Distribution Models within a Quasi-Direct Format (QDF) Université de Montréal C.R.T., MKmetric GmbH Karlsruhe, Universität Karlsruhe (TH) Institute of Economic Policy and Research (IWW); Gaudry M., Mandel B., Rothengatter W.; CRT-971; 12/1994 | |
Linear or Non-linear Utility Functions in Logit Models? The Impact on German High Speed Rail Demand Forecasts; Transportation Research Journal Vol. 28B; Elsevier Science Ltd; Mandel B., Gaudry M., Rothengatter W.; 1994 | |
Effekte ordnungs- und preispolitischer Maßnahmen auf den Verkehr in Ballungsräumen (Effects of regulatory and pricing policy measures on transport in conurbations); VDI - Bericht Nr.: 1138, Verkehrskonzepte für Ballungsräume; Koblo R., Mandel B.; 1994 | |
Schnellverkehr und Modal Split (High Speed Transport and Modal Split) Baden Baden: Nomos Verlag; Mandel B.; 12/1992 | |
Efficient main routes of the German rail Stuttgart - Nürnberg - Bayreuth - Hof - Dresden; Strategy paper for the future of transport for the integration in the prior evidence of the German Transport Master Plan 1995; on behalf of the Industrie- and Handelskammer Upperfranconia-Bayreuth and the government of Upperfranconia; University of Bamberg and University of Bayreuth; Blum U., Mandel B., Maier J., Birk F., Grimmur Chr., Michalla Th.; 01/1992 |