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The Impact of Mergers on Quality Provision: Evidence from the Airline Industry

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  • Jeffrey T. Prince
  • Daniel H. Simon

Abstract

We examine how mergers affect quality provision by analyzing five U.S. airline mergers, focusing on on-time performance (OTP). We find mild evidence that merging carriers’ OTP worsens in the short run. However, we find consistent evidence that in the long run, their OTP improves. Subsequent analyses indicate efficiency gains, not reduced load factor or passenger volume, underlie our long-run result. Additional analyses of quality provision (e.g., flight cancellations) show no long-run worsening in these areas by merging firms. In the long run, airline mergers do not result in worsening performance, at least along several measures, and provide some time-saving efficiencies.
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  • Jeffrey T. Prince & Daniel H. Simon, 2017. "The Impact of Mergers on Quality Provision: Evidence from the Airline Industry," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(2), pages 336-362, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jindec:v:65:y:2017:i:2:p:336-362
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    3. Nicholas G. Rupp & Kerry M. Tan, 2019. "Mergers And Product Quality: A Silver Lining From De‐Hubbing In The U.S. Airline Industry," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 37(4), pages 652-672, October.
    4. Myongjin Kim & Qi Ge & Donggeun Kim, 2021. "Mergers and labor market outcomes in the US airline industry," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 39(4), pages 849-866, October.
    5. Yimga, Jules, 2018. "Domestic code-sharing agreements and on-time performance: Evidence from the US airline industry," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 14-27.
    6. Gil, Ricard & Kim, Myongjin, 2021. "Does competition increase quality? Evidence from the US airline industry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Thierry Blayac & Patrice Bougette, 2023. "What can be Expected from Mergers After Deregulation? The Case of the Long-Distance Bus Industry in France," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 62(1), pages 63-97, February.
    8. Chen, Yongmin & Gayle, Philip G., 2019. "Mergers and product quality: Evidence from the airline industry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 96-135.
    9. Myongjin Kim & Leilei Shen & Qi Ge, 2023. "Does Competition Increase or Decrease Price Dispersion? Insights from One‐Way vs. Round‐Trip Airfares," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 85(2), pages 435-455, April.
    10. Silke J. Forbes & Mara Lederman & Zhe Yuan, 2019. "Do Airlines Pad Their Schedules?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 54(1), pages 61-82, February.
    11. Yimga, Jules, 2022. "Code-sharing agreements and path quality in the US airline industry," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 369-385.
    12. Kyle Wilson & Mo Xiao & Peter F. Orazem, 2021. "Entry threat, entry delay, and Internet speed: The timing of the U.S. broadband rollout," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 3-44, February.
    13. Fan, Haobin, 2020. "When consumer type matters: Price effects of the United-Continental merger in the airline industry," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    14. Yimga, Jules, 2020. "Price and marginal cost effects of on-time performance: Evidence from the US airline industry," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    15. Chen, Jihui, 2024. "The pricing and quality effects of network structure choice: Evidence from American airlines’ international route cancellations," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
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    18. Lei He & Myongjin Kim & Qihong Liu, 2022. "Competitive response to unbundled services: An empirical look at Spirit Airlines," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 115-145, February.

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