Using a range of academic models and frameworks, critically analyse the case to identify the current position of the organisation and issues that The Skyvia Airways is facing. You should use 4 of the following from the module to critically analyse

Module code               BM00272

Module title                Fundamentals of management

Words count               2500

Group/Indvidual         Individual

Submission date         12/12/2025

Feedback date            16/01/2026

Weightage                  70%

THE SKYVIA AIRWAYS

CASE STUDY

Organizational Overview

Assets and Facilities

• Fleet:
  • 10 Embraer E190s for medium-haul European routes
  • 4 ATR 72s for short-haul regional flights
  • 2 leased Airbus A220s added in 2022 for testing expansion into Eastern Europe
  • Headquarters: Marseille Provence, France
  • Employees: 1,200
  • Facilities:
    • Maintenance hangars in Marseille and Lyon
    • Training academy in Avignon for pilots and cabin crew
    • Corporate offices in Karachi
    • VIP lounge services at Marseille, Lyon, and Geneva catered to premium passengers
    • Crew rest quarters and briefing rooms at Marseille and Lyon
    • On-site catering and logistics units
    • A central operations control centre, though lacking real-time analytics capabilities

The Garnier Family

1. Julien Garnier – Chief executive officer (CEO), owner and brother of Marc.
2. Marc Garnier – Chief Operating Officer (COO), owner and brother of Oliver.
3. Isabelle Garnier – Director of human resources and Marc’s wife.
4. Claire Dubois: Head of Recruitment, niece of Isabelle
5. Antoine Lefèvre: in charge of training and development, cousin of Isabelle
6. Sophie Garnier: Employee Relations Manager, sister in law of Isabelle

Board of Directors

• Julien Garnier – CEO
  • Élodie Martin – Director Strategy & Planning
  • Thomas Girard – Director Marketing
  • Marc Garnier – COO
    • Capt. Luc Bernard – Head of Flight Operations
    • Camille Roche – Head of Ground Operations
    • Engr. Henri Delacour – Head of Maintenance
    • Isabelle Garnier – Director of HR
      • Claire Dubois – Head of Recruitment
      • Antoine Lefèvre – Incharge of Training
      • Sophie Garnier – Employee Relations Manager

In the heart of southern France, where the Mediterranean breeze blends with the busy bustle of Marseille Province Airport, a regional Airways was born out of ambition, legacy, and family ties. Skyvia, founded in 2013 by brothers Julien Garnier and Marc Garnier, along with Marc’s wife Isabelle Garnier, was envisioned as a regional Airways that would connect smaller European cities with major hubs, offering a blend of affordability, comfort, and French hospitality. Julien, the elder brother, had spent over a decade working in aviation logistics. He was strategic, organized, and had a strong interest in aircraft engineering. Marc, younger brother, had a background in business administration and had previously managed a chain of travel agencies across southern France. Isabelle, formerly a secondary school headteacher, was known for her organisational skills and strong personality. Together, they pooled their resources and launched Skyvia.

The Airways’s early years were marked by optimism and rapid growth. Operating out of Marseille, Skyvia quickly expanded its routes to include Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux, and Geneva.The airline’s mission is “To connect people and places with safe, affordable, and reliable air travel” and vision “To be the leading regional Airways in Europe known for innovation and customer satisfaction.” The mission and vision translated to values of Safety, Integrity, Excellence, Inclusivity. The company’s slogan, “Éclairez votre voyage” (“Light up your journey”), resonated with travellers seeking a more personalised flying experience. The company’s fleet has grown to 14 aircraft, and the Airways employs around 1200 staff, including pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, engineers, and administrative personnel. Skyvia’s infrastructure is impressive for a regional carrier. Its headquarters, located near Marseille Provence Airport, houses executive offices, operations control, and customer service. The Airways operates two maintenance hangars: one in Marseille and another in Lyon, equipped for both routine checks and major repairs. A training academy in Avignon offers simulation-based instruction for pilots and cabin crew, while VIP lounges in Marseille, Lyon, and Geneva cater to premium passengers. The Airways also launched a digital booking and loyalty platform, though its development lagged behind competitors.

Julien assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer, with the duties of overseeing strategy, managing fleet acquisition, and legal compliance. Marc became Chief Operating Officer who manages day-to-day operations, plan routes, and manages logistics. Isabelle

appointed as the Director of Human Resources, is responsible for recruitment, training and develeopment, and ensuring staff welfare. While there was logical division of roles, it soon became visible that professional decisions are being influenced by personal relationships in ways that could be damaging. The operations of the Airways became increasingly complex as it grew. Skyvia began to attract attention from larger competitors as it added new routes to Munich, Barcelona and Milan. However, now the tensions started to emerge internally. Marc and Julien, who were once on the same page, are now increasingly divided. Julien has big dreams of establishing partnerships with other European carriers and to invest in digital transformation, including automated maintenance tracking and a new booking site. Marc, who tends to be conservative, opposes all these changes, insisting that it is better for the Airways to stabilize before expanding the operations.

The disagreements on many matters started becoming frequent and more visible.Staff meetings started turning into battlegrounds, with department heads caught in the crossfire. Marc criticizes Julien for being too idealistic and out of touch with operational realities, while Julien blame Marc of micromanagement that can limit creativity. The HR department is still under the strong grip of Isabelle, but her choices are more often motivated by personal biases than by organizational needs. She started giving important HR and administrative roles to family members and close friends. Even though Claire Dubois, her niece, had no prior aviation experience, she is appointed as Head of Recruitment. Antoine Lefèvre, her cousin, was promoted as Incharge of training and development, while Sophie Garnier, her sister-in-law, is assigned the position of Employee Relations Manager. Long-serving employees who have been passed over for promotions are particularly alarmed by these selections.

The culture in Skyvia has started to change. The organizational environment that was once democratic and cooperative is now turning into being secretive and hierarchical. Employees feel unappreciated and excluded from decision-making. Promotions are increasingly determined by personal relationships rather than qualifications or performance. Once a pillar of support, the HR department became a source of frustration and resentment. Extremely dissatisfied with the company`s direction, Julien tries to implement changes. He suggests establishing an independent advisory board to supervise governance and bringing in an HR consultant to assess recruiting procedures. His suggestions are strongly opposed by Isabelle and Marc as they see them as threats to their authority thus paralyzing the leadership team.

Operationally, the Airways begin to suffer. Customer complaints increased along with frequent flight delays. While ground crew battles with outdated technology the cabin crew complains about insufficient training. Once known for its efficiency, the maintenance team experiences morale issues and staffing shortages. The Airways’s customer satisfaction scores started to decline, and their punctuality rate dropped below industry standards. Passengers started noticing the change too. Once praised, Skyvia, is now being criticised for inconsistent service and poor communication. Posts on social media now only highlight flight cancellations, lost baggage, and unresponsive customer service. Review sites and travel blogs started to warn about the declining standards of the Airways. The brand, carefully built over years, is beginning to breakdown and the financial impact is significant. Excessive employee turnover and inefficiency results in slower revenue growth and increasing operating costs. The Airways`s budget is further strained when it has to lease more planes to fill in schedule gaps.Once optimistic, investors have now become sceptical. Negotiations with possible partners are being dropped, and a planned expansion into Eastern Europe is put on hold.

The dynamics inside the Garnier family began to deteriorate.Increasingly isolated, Julien start spending more time away from the office, going to conferences and consulting external advice. Refusing to delegate, Marc strengthens his hold on operational control. Isabelle, confident in her decisions despite mounting criticism, maintains her influence over HR. A reflection of this dysfunction is the organizational structure. The three family members are at the top: Marc as COO, Isabelle as HR Director, and Julien as CEO. Department heads are positioned beneath them; some are selected because of family ties, while others are skilled and experienced. Decisions are often made based on emotion rather than evidence, long-term goals are unclear and strategic planning is reactive. These structural weaknesses became more apparent as the Airways faces external pressures. With low-cost carriers growing aggressively and national Airways maintaining strong brand loyalty, the French aviation market is becoming increasingly competitive. Complexity is increased by legal requirements regarding labour, safety, and impact on the environment. Skyvia has to be creative and flexible, but the existing structure makes it challenging.

Employee turnover started increasing and exit interviews show a consistent pattern including a toxic culture, lack of career progression and frustration with leadership.Those who remain have low engagement levels and are just staying out of loyalty or necessity. As a result, absenteeism started to increase with a decrease in productivity. Board meetings and executive decisions are impacted by family disputes.Marc criticises Julien for being disconnected from operational realities and Julien in return accuses Marc of micromanaging and inhibiting innovation while Isabelle dismisses concerns about nepotism.

Regulatory authorities started to take notice.Concerns regarding safety regulations and training compliance are being raised by the French Civil Aviation Authority.Labour inspectors started investigating claims of unfair treatment and discrimination.The Airways is being subject to fines and is required to provide plans for remedial action.These developments further damage its reputation and strain its resources. The Garnier family persists in their position in spite of these challenges. Unwilling to admit the damage that their management style is causing, Marc and Isabelle hold onto their positions, while Julien continues to advocate for change, but his suggestions are either blocked or modified. There is no accountability or reform system in place, and the company`s governance remains unclear.

Recently, a group of senior employees sent a confidential letter to Julien, expressing their concerns and proposing reforms. Among their suggestions is the appointment of an independent HR director, creating a governance committee, and introducing transparent policies for recruitment and promotion. No action has been taken yet, but the employees who signed it are quietly being sidelined. Meanwhile, Skyvia is a shadow of its former self.Its staff is disengaged, reputation is damaged, and its market share has decreased. The dream of effectively connecting with Europe has been lost due to family politics and poor leadership.