Ulrike Schmalz

Ulrike is a doctoral student at the WHU, Otto Beisheim School of Management in Germany. She holds a M.Sc. degree in organizational and social psychology and a BA degree in corporate management and economics. Within her PhD project, she focuses on passengers’ intermodal journeys in the context of air travel. Next to her studies, she works as a research associate at Bauhaus Luftfahrt, an interdisciplinary research institute focusing on the future of mobility and aviation.

For over one year, the Covid-19-induced crisis affects the travel sector, and very likely passengers' preferences, heavily. However, the scope of air travel preferences from a longitudinal perspective is rarely covered by research yet. As part of Ulrike’s doctoral project, the study explores long-term preference changes regarding air travel post-Covid using a choice-based conjoint analysis to test for attributes next to the ticket price (ancillary services).

Results strengthen the understanding about consumer choices post-Covid, close a currently existing research gap, and are valuable for the aviation industry to win back passengers' trust. The project is conducted in partnership with Bauhaus Luftfahrt and other data partners.