Navigating Temporary Competitive Advantage: Pandemic-Driven Strategies in the Global Airline Industry

The present study examines the evolution and dynamics of temporary competitive advantage (TCA) in the volatile airline industry. This is illustrated by using the context of COVID-19 pandemic to understand the risk faced by the global airline industry. By focusing on “healthiness” as a source of competitiveness, many airlines and the industry instituted distinctive initiatives to demonstrate and deliver hygienically dependable travel experiences. The airline companies adopted a host of new technologies and processes such as biometric boarding, digital health passports, general biometrics, and bring-your-own-device, to minimize face-to-face interactions and curtail the spread of the virus. These competitive strategies aimed to improve the companies' operational efficiency, and cost reduction. The avenues for future research and implications for practicing managers are identified and discussed.