THE SOPHISTICATED AND INFLUENTIAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY PRIVATE AIR CARRIERS IN THAILAND AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CRISIS

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has severely impacted the aviation industry. Global travel restrictions introduced previously unanticipated challenges for commercial airlines, including financial losses, stranded fleets, and employment disruptions. Amidst these challenges, human resources management (HRM) emerged as a crucial operation for navigating the recovery and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the business. The objective of this paper is to investigate how sophisticated and influential human resources management strategies enhance operational stability and business alignment, enabling private airlines to remain competitive after the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The study adopts a qualitative research design supplemented by a quantitative approach to provide a comprehensive understanding of the human resources management strategies employed by private airlines in Thailand. The exploratory nature of the research led to the selection of the qualitative approach, which aims to reveal detailed insights into the perceptions, attitudes, and practices of leaders/management and employees in the aviation sector. Structured questionnaires gathered data, offering measurable insights into key trends like employee engagement, competency alignment, and the effectiveness of leadership development programs. The sample comprised 4 executives, senior leaders, and 50 employees from private airlines in Thailand. By combining qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of how these strategies enhance operational stability and business alignment among the aviation workforce in the post-pandemic era. This approach captures both managerial insights and employee experiences, providing a comprehensive understanding of the changing human resource landscape in the aviation sector.