Positioning strategies in air transportation in terms of air passengers` perceptions: The example of Izmir

Turkish domestic airline market is in a fastly growing market condition. Companies are making huge investments for meeting demands and increasing the market share. Correctly understanding of the customer demands and developing convenient strategies are necessary elements under the circumstances of increasing competititon.Prepared study investigates positioning strategies in airway transportation with respect to air passengers? perceptions. Study consists of three main sections. In the first section, positioning process and positioning strategies are investigated. In this scope, marketing classification, choosing target market, studies of positioning strategies about target market are told in the frame of marketing plan.In the second section; aviation history, airway transportation and positioning studies in airway transportation scope are investigated and the emphasized points of the study in which positioning strategies of service quality, price, reliable, service characteristics are being told. General information about airline transportation is being given in this scope.The last section consists of the application part which is performed to evaluate positioning strategies in the domestic market of air transportation market in Izmir / Turkey in terms of air passengers? perceptions. Obtained data presented by frequency tables also analyzed and paraphrased by using MDS ? multi dimensional scaling.Key words: Positioning, positioning strategies, air passenger transportation, multi dimensional scaling