Virgin Atlantic Airlines Business - Case Study Example

Business Name Institution Introduction Virgin Atlantic airline is suited in Britain and its main headquarter is in West Sussex. It was founded in the year 1984. It is regarded as one of the largest airlines in regard to the number of passengers they carry. It currently ranks at number seven in the United Kingdom. Branson is the current owner of the airlines. Over the years, as technology advancements take place, the environment has become more and more fragile (Elcome, 1999). Airlines have also contributed to degradation of the environment. Airlines emit poisonous gases and cause noise pollution. This has raised major concerns and environmentalists have pressured legislative bodies to enact rules and regulations that govern airlines. Virgin Atlantic is no exception to these regulations that govern it and regulate its environmental impact. The airline, thus, poses some risks to the environment. Environmental risks are regarded as potential or actual threats that have unpleasant effects on the environment and its organisms. The main environmental risks posed by Virgin airlines or Virgin Atlantic is noise and emission of dangerous gases such as carbon (IV) oxide. Environmental Risk Assessment Virgin airlines have several environmental regulations that govern it. The regulations include balanced approach. Noise is the main environmental risk that airlines pose to the environment. It is regarded as the main public issue that airlines face. Its impact however, does not last in the actual environment. It can however, lead to serious effects to people living next to an airport. It can interfere with sleep, communication, learning, performance and create annoyance (Griggs, 2013). The international civil aviation organization (ICAO) helped in introducing regulations that would avert noise pollution. ICAO requires all airlines that carry people to meet noise qualifications standards. The balanced approach is a regulation that contains four standard elements. The elements include operation limitations, noise hiatus operational measures, management and planning how to use land and reduction of noise. The regulation incorporates other noise reduction measures. Airlines are not allowed to fly over certain areas such as schools and hospitals (Griggs, 2013). Airlines on standby are supposed to avoid usage of support units of power. Airlines are also required to try and limit operations at night. The airline also has regulations that control its emissions. Aircrafts emit a lot of smoke and dangerous gases. It is, thus, required to charter out ways they can power their airplanes without causing emissions. They should also use fuel efficientl engines that consume little fuel and emit fewer gases, which are poisonous. Virgin airlines or virgin Atlantic has over the years complied with these regulations. The airline has procedures that ensure compliance with the regulations. It has invested in efficient airplanes that emit fewer gases. It also ensures that it submits its reports on gas emissions to the climate registry. The airline also complies with the regulations by cultivating a culture that helps its employees to reduce emissions in their place of work (Balmforth, 2009). The airline has also invested in airplanes whose engines are more modified. The engines produce less than sixty per cent noise compared to engines which are not modified. In a bid to trim down noise, virgin airline has succeeded in weight reduction of its aircrafts. We have current systems that are vital to our work group. The systems deal with communication, management and research. They maintain communication within the workgroup. Communication is vital as it helps in passing of information across the group (Karkin, 2008). They also manage the group and maintain cohesion within the group by ensuring everything works well. The systems also conduct researches. This information is of great importance to the work group. A risk assessment had to rely on several resources that provided information (Karkin, 2008). The resources include participants who provided information through their own feelings and opinions. The participants included employees of the airline and also the general public who provided information. The use of sources such as books was resourceful and provided information to us. Interviews were also some of our resources since we relied on them to gather some information. The main risks were noise and emissions. The workgroup used an interval scale to measure the use of resources. Use of resources was measured using information as the reference point. The current purchasing strategies include buying quality products. The airline has partnered with Boeing Company that manufactures airplanes. The airline has come up with a strategy that enables it to purchase quality airplanes. The airline has also been able to create a good relationship with Boeing. This is a purchasing strategy that the airline has used in its purchases. The Boeing company designs and creates airplanes for the company, which has been enabled the good working relationships. These are some of the purchasing strategies that the airline has been able to employ in its day to day running. The strategies have enabled the airline to familiarize itself with prices and options for products that are available in the market. It has also enabled them to create or build and maintain good relationships with its major supplying company, Boeing. The airline should however, make some improvements in its strategy to buy quality goods. Due to risks such as noise and emissions that the airline poses to the environment, it should try and increase its purchasing rate so that they can have many airplanes that have been modified to reduce environmental risks (Dillingham, 2008). The airline should try and make more improvements in its environmental conservation. It should work more on reducing noise pollution which is the main risk it poses to the environment. It should put more efforts towards complete reduction of noise pollution. It should also improve on wastes. The airline’s plane emits gases which are regarded as pollution (Janic, 2007). The airline should work hard to ensure that it has an elaborate waste disposal mechanism or program that will recycle more than 50% of the waste produced. The airline currently recycles less than 505 of waste produced. The airline should work towards energy reduction by generating electricity through use of solar panels. Lastly, the airline should enact proper measures that ensure that there is conservation of water in all its operations and processes e.g. cleaning, maintenance of airplanes, clubhouses and catering. Conclusion Virgin airlines or Virgin Atlantic is regarded as one of the largest airlines in regard to the number of passengers they carry. Virgin airlines have several environmental regulations that govern it. The regulations include balanced approach. It helps in ensuring that noise pollution is under control. The airline also has regulations that control its emissions. Aircrafts emit a lot of smoke and dangerous gases (Klein, 2014). It is, thus, required to charter out ways they can power their airplanes without causing emissions. References Balmforth, J. (2009). Virgin Atlantic. London: Routledge & K. Paul. Larkin, J. (2008). Risk Issues and Crisis Management in Public Relations. New York: Lea and Blanchard. Klein, N. (2014). This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate. London: Routledge. Elcome, D. (1999). The Fragile Environment: Pollution and Abuse. Massachusetts: McGraw-Hill Griggs, S. (2013). Sustainable Aviation Futures. New York: Pantheon. Janic, M. (2007). The sustainability of Air Transportation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Dillingham, G. (2008). Aviation and the Environment. New York: Pantheon. Read More