The perceptive analysis of the effect of proactive maintenance scheduling on maintenance costs and airline profitability: A case study of Turkish Airlines Technic

The accelerated development trend that the industry is going through has created an intensively competitive environment between global airlines. Intense competition in the sector and the pronounced decline in profit rates have increased the importance of reducing expenses and costs, in addition to the management of incomes. Towards this aim, airlines implement various methods to reduce their own costs. Maintenance comprises one of the significant expenses incurred by airlines, while airlines adopt various approaches in their cost-reduction efforts, including general maintenance enhancement programs. It has been seen that some of these methods positively affect cost-reduction efforts that have begun to be implemented. Proactive maintenance planning, on the other hand, is considered one of the methods aimed at reducing maintenance costs and thus increasing airline profitability and is actively used by many airlines. Turkish Airlines is playing a leading role in the effective use of proactive maintenance planning management. However, some proactive maintenance practices are controversial. In order to clear the air about these controversies, this research was carried out to make a perceptive analysis of the Turkish Airlines Technic employees. I carried out this study by using a quantitative survey with a sample of 133 Turkish Airlines Technic staff, which consists of technicians, engineers, planning staff, clerks, and managers. Staff was chosen among departments relating to maintenance. Besides questions that measure the perception of Turkish Airlines Technic staff on the effects of proactive maintenance scheduling on maintenance costs and airline scheduling, some questions relating to demography and experience are also posed. The data which is obtained as a result of this study were collected using an online survey method and analyzed with SPSS version 22. Chi-square and Fisher's tests, which are the most appropriate methods for comparing independent variables, were carried out to analyze the results. Keywords: Aircraft ground times, airline costs, airline profitability, aviation and finance, maintenance costs, proactive aircraft maintenance planning.