Iranian Business Management Association International Journal of Resistive Economics 2345-4954 14 3 2026 08 31 Business Model Presentation in the Air Transport Industry 124 139 245833 10.22034/oajre.2026.521914.1109 EN Ilnaz Khodamoradi PhD Student, Department of Business Management, Sar.C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran. 0009-0002-1795-8592 Majid Fattahi Department of Business Management, Sar.C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran Milad Farzin Assistant Professor, Department of Business Management, Sar.C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran. 0000-0002-4328-5734 Journal Article 2025 05 07 The objective of this study is to present a business model for the air transport industry. In terms of its purpose, this research is classified as applied-developmental. Adopting a qualitative approach and utilizing thematic analysis, the study aimed to develop the proposed model. The participant population for the qualitative phase comprised theoretical experts (academic elites and distinguished faculty members from universities) and executive experts (managers of airline companies and the aviation industry). Concurrent purposive and snowball sampling methods were employed. Theoretical saturation was achieved following semi-structured interviews with 14 experts. Data collection in the qualitative phase was conducted through semi-structured interviews. To ensure the reliability of the qualitative phase and confirm theoretical saturation, an inter-rater agreement correlation matrix and a dual-coder diagram were utilized. Model design and the identification of primary and secondary themes were performed using MAXQDA 2020 software. Based on the findings, the business model in the air transport industry encompasses seven main themes: technological infrastructure and smart data architecture, analytical capabilities and evidence-based decision-making, operational optimization and flight performance, customer experience and data-driven marketing, smart revenue and financial management, sustainability and corporate social responsibility, and organizational culture and data governance. Each main theme comprises at least three sub-themes. https://www.oajre.ir/article_245833_8851cb633e61aca4631cf2dfddb9b1c4.pdf