Reference no: EM132809520

It is a well-known fact that Canadian customers are not impressed with Air Canada and if federal regulations open up the Canadian airspace, the aviation leaders such as the likes of Emirates, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways will tap into this humungous market and cater to the needs of Canadians. In spite of its huge market share and vast connectivity across the world, Air Canada severely falls short of customer satisfaction. It is consistent with flight delays and cancellations. Complaints over refreshments including food service has blighted the airline's reputation quite a few times. The in-flight entertainment systems leave much to be desired and customers face hassles with the customer support team on a consistent basis. Also, more competition will not only improve competitive pricing but also will force Air Canada to cede its market share which does not augur well for its international business.

On the domestic front, West Jet is steadily ramping up operations and strategy to close the gap to its long-standing rival. West Jet even though smaller in capacity in comparison with Air Canada is focusing on improving customer service, fair ticket prices and newer route developments to make inroads into the high potential the domestic market has to offer. West Jet is also starting to connect the dots on the international arena by routing connectivity through major cities in Europe such as London and Dublin. While Air Canada may still enjoy the duopoly in the short term with West Jet, with the current practices, it may soon end up playing second fiddle to West Jet unless it improves its operations and business offerings.

How can HR strategic planning mitigate this threat?