Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Heathrow's Business Model


上個禮拜,地鐵(066)股東通過同九鐵合併嘅議案。由提出到通過,一路都受到股壇長毛David Webb嘅反對。反對嘅原因,就係地鐵如果想平價攞九鐵嘅資產,政府就要攞番地鐵控制票價嘅權利。Webb兄擔心,地鐵載客服務會冇錢賺,分分鐘仲要蝕。

雖然,孫柏文都反對政府攞番控制票價嘅權利,不過今日想勸Webb兄唔好唔開心。理由係,地鐵嘅載客服務一路都冇乜錢賺,賺錢都係靠發展地產。如果你問我,地鐵根本冇心喺載客服務賺錢,佢哋嘅business model,根本只係利用「有得搭地鐵」呢個賣點,去推銷單位。

掛羊頭賣狗肉


人哋起樓,只會有gym、商場、泳池等配套設施。地鐵起樓,就包埋鐵路服務,問你服未?計我話,地鐵樓盤收嘅管理費,應該加埋搭地鐵嘅車費。

其實,世界上除咗特區地鐵「掛羊頭賣狗肉」,做交通生意為名,做其他嘢為實之外,仲有其他單位都係咁。今日,想同大家分享倫敦Heathrow希斯路機場嘅 business model。令我想寫嘅原因,係因有位港聞版編輯同事,剛從倫敦經希斯路返港,點知航空公司唔見咗佢啲行李。佢想我喺《金手指》寫衰間航空公司,我同佢講:「大姐,我唔係投訴版喎。」

不過,因為佢始終都係個單身女同事,所以我都有查個究竟。原來,根據投訴版嘅同事話,呢排從希斯路起飛嘅乘客,好多唔見行李,一班飛機可以過百單。原本聽到呢個消息,只覺得可惜。不過,一諗就發覺,希斯路機場嘅管理層,只係將business model發揮得淋漓盡致,所以特登唔見旅客嘅行李。

點解?大家唔好以為希斯路機場,係靠飛機升降收費、旅客費等賺錢。其實,希斯路賺錢嘅方法,係將機場變成一個好大嘅購物中心,做地主放租。收租賺到錢,可以補貼飛機升降費。升降費平,就會引嚟更多航空公司同乘客,人流再增,租就可以越貴。

咁點解要特登唔見旅客嘅行李?因為正當旅客發覺唔可以將行李存倉,佢哋就會選擇將乜嘢都手提。大家記得,乜嘢都手提會好辛苦。手提嘢嘅時間越短越好。大家分分鐘會喺倫敦行街時諗:「現在買,跟住攞嚟攞去會好攰,橫掂都要手提,都係去到機場先至買着數。仲可以慳番啲VAT。」家大家知道點解飛希斯路會唔見行李啦!

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PS. Thats also why there are so many delays and they make you arrive so early! hahahahah Force you to stay in the shopping mall. How's that for captive audience.

8 comments:

  1. I don't know if you have read 'Air Babylon', a fiction based on real stories of Heathrow Airport. According to the book, the baggage handlers all drive Mercedes or BMW, and are extremely wealthy. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. interesting...

    will take a look. sounds like a good book...

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  3. Pak Man

    What a Freakonomist !

    Very interesting and inspiring analysis.

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  4. a while ago when ppl start chasing 地鐵(066), i assume they had forgotten that early this year, the government had commented that they would be strict on the new town development (after the failure of cheung kwan O) to avoid the "wall effect"... meaning reduce on plot ratio and building height, and there will be revision on town planning and their first target to impose such restriction was all MTR new develop...

    btw, Heathrow is a good example for "what not to do"... since ppl are now avoiding to switch plane at hearthrow and england is losing the competitive edge as a transportation hub.

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  5. 不要讓祖國機場管理人看到呢篇野!

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  6. 頂!
    I'm the "double" victim!
    Lost my luggage there and shopped a lot there!

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  7. Yo Pineapple,

    I am being cynical.

    The real reason why they lose so many luggage is far more prosaic. Heathrow is designed for far less passengers than what they are handling right now.

    And when you add that to a sclerotic hiring and firing system for airport staff you have the magic ingredients for chaos.

    Yo Good slave,

    I am sure MTR will change design, but keep the plot ratio for their property development.

    However, when they change design. The view of apartments will be adversely impacted. Hence lowering prices.

    But whatever happens, as long as they can hood wink buyers (esp the new site at "Dream City" which is next to the dump) the profit will be generated.

    Anyhow, I won't be a buyer of MTR.

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  8. 栢兄:

    魔鬼在細節中,嘻嘻嘻~~~~~~;D

    Daniel.

    ReplyDelete