Beyond the brand: Analysing the rationale and relevance of one-brand, multi-AOC strategies in global airline groups

Airlines increasingly adopt one-brand, multi-AOC (OB-MA) strategies – operating multiple Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) under a single brand identity. Despite their growing prevalence, the strategic rationale and contextual factors driving OB-MA strategy adoption remain underexplored in the academic literature. This study develops a structured framework for assessing the situational factors that shape the establishment and implementation of OB-MA strategies. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), we identify, classify, and rank 15 key criteria and sub-criteria. Our findings reveal that jurisdictional constraints, strategic trajectory, and organisational lifecycle status are central to the rationale for OB-MA implementation. This study introduces a distinction between ex-ante qualification criteria – which justify the initial need for OB-MA structures – and ex-post success criteria – which determine their long-term viability. This distinction enhances the practical relevance of the framework, equipping airline executives with a diagnostic tool to assess both the necessity and sustainability of OB-MA strategies in dynamic market environments. This research offers both theoretical background and practical guidance for OB-MA strategy development and contributes to a more systemic understanding of multi-AOC structures within airline strategy. • One-brand, multi-AOC strategies widely adopted in the airline industry. • Paper develops framework to identify and rank relevant strategic criteria. • AHP methodology used for criteria ranking, based on senior expert interviews. • Three core considerations and ranking of 15 criteria developed. • Findings distinguish between ex-ante and ex-post OB-MA success criteria.