A regional airline has observed a significant increase in customer complaints regarding flight delays over the past year. To address this, the airline plans to hire additional ground crew staff, arguing that this will improve turnaround times and reduce delays. Which of the following, if true, would most critically undermine the airline's proposed solution?
- ACompetitor airlines in the same region have also experienced an increase in flight delays during the same period.
- BThe cost of hiring additional ground crew staff would require an increase in ticket prices.
- CA majority of the delays occur due to air traffic control restrictions, which are beyond the airline's control.
- DIndustry data shows that hiring more ground crew typically improves turnaround times by less than 5%.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. A majority of the delays occur due to air traffic control restrictions, which are beyond the airline's control.
The airline's proposed solution (hiring more ground crew) is based on the assumption that delays are primarily caused by issues within their control, specifically turnaround times. Option B critically undermines this by identifying an external, major cause of delays (air traffic control restrictions) that the proposed solution would not address. If this external factor is the 'majority' cause, then the internal solution will be largely ineffective.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This suggests a common problem, but doesn't explain the cause or undermine the proposed solution for this airline.
- B. Cost is a financial consideration, not a factor that undermines the effectiveness of the solution in reducing delays.
- D. While a small improvement (less than 5%) might suggest limited effectiveness, 'majority of delays' due to an unaddressed cause (B) is a much stronger undermining factor.
Identifying Primary Unaddressed Causes
To critically undermine a proposed solution, identify a significant or primary cause of the problem that the solution does not, and cannot, address.
- Focus on the root cause of the problem.
- The proposed solution must fail to address this root cause.
- The unaddressed cause must be substantial (e.g., 'majority' or 'primary').
Memory trick: Trying to fix a flat tire when the engine is dead.