A dissertation



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6.3. Description of Data


Automated web client robots (or webbots) were used to query the websites of JetBlue and one online travel agent (OTA). The webbots collected detailed itinerary, fare, and seat map information for nonstop flights on a daily basis from 8/5/2010 through 9/21/2010. During this time period, queries were run to collect airfares and seat maps for a rolling set of 21 departure dates. For example, when the data collection began on 8/5/2010, information for flights departing on 9/2/2010, 9/3/2010, ... , to 9/22/2010 was obtained. For the next day of data collection, 8/6/2010, information for the same flight departure dates was obtained. Collecting data in this way provides information for each flight in a market for 21 departure dates and over a booking period from 1 to 28 days before flight departure.

6.3.1. Selection of Markets


In selecting the sample of markets to use in this study, we control for several factors. We control for differences in market competition by selecting four markets where JetBlue and Virgin America compete head-to-head, with both offering nonstop flights. These markets are all long haul markets with similar flight times and lengths of haul. All of the markets are transcontinental flights that originate on the East coast. In selecting these markets, we are also controlling for equipment type. Specifically, both Virgin America and JetBlue mainly use Airbus 320 planes. In these markets, JetBlue flies the A320 exclusively, and Virgin America flies the A320 in all flights in all markets with one exception. In JFKSFO, Virgin America offered flights on their smaller plane, the Airbus 319, for six departure dates.

Table 6.2 provides a list of airport codes and airport names in our data. Table 6.3 provides a list of the airline codes and names, and Table 6.4 contains a list of the 4 markets included in this study, along with nonstop competitors, average fares, and number of bookings. A total of 7,522 bookings were observed for JetBlue.


Table 6.2: Airport Codes and Names

Airport Code

Name of Airport, City and State

BOS

Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts

FLL

Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

JFK

John F. Kennedy International, New York City, New York

LAS

McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada

LAX

Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California

SFO

San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California

Table 6.3: Airline Codes and Names



Airline Code

Airline

Type Carrier

AA

American Airlines

Major

B6

JetBlue Airways

Low Cost

DL

Delta Airlines

Major

UA

United Airlines

Major

VX

Virgin America

Low Cost

Table 6.4: JetBlue Descriptive Statistics: Markets, Competitors, Bookings and Prices



Market

Nonstop Competitors

Flight Number

DTOD1

Total Book-ings

Min Price

Mean Price

Max Price

BOSLAX

AA, B6, UA, VX

473

8

844

$114

$205

$586

483

18

927

$114

$191

$466

JFKLAS

AA, B6, DL, VX

187

7

451

$129

$254

$463

191

18

405

$129

$231

$463

197

10

458

$129

$282

$586

199

21

313

$129

$225

$463

711

14

481

$129

$251

$526

JFKLAX

AA, B6, DL, UA, VX

671

11

691

$129

$257

$586

673

16

671

$129

$244

$586

675

7

974

$129

$205

$526

677

19

747

$129

$223

$466

JFKSFO

AA, B6, DL, UA, VX

641

8

339

$129

$300

$586

647

17

221

$129

$287

$586

Totals/Averages:

7,522

$114

$233

$586

1DTOD= Flight Departure Time of Day, in military time. For example, a DTOD of 18 means the flights departed sometime between 6:00pm and 6:59pm.




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