Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carr

Question

Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on transcontinental and transoceanic flights. These airlines currently rely on "hub and spoke" systems of routing, in which large planes, which can seat 400 people and are capable of transoceanic flight, fly into hubs that have runways sufficiently long to handle them. From there, passengers are dispatched to local airports on connecting flights on small planes. With takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked at most hubs, and little new runway construction expected, airlines will want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot.

The argument above would be most weakened if which of the following were true?

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft

B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do.

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft

D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service

E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity

Why not C? Argument is that buying 500 seater plane will be profitable provided airlines can fly more passenger in a given time slots, since they operate in a hub-spoke system they are bound by time slots at each hub. Hence if airlines cannot comply with that time slots of hub they will not be able to maximize the profit with 500 seater plane.

rockstar23 · Accepted Answer

IMO its D

lets look at the options:

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft
Irrelevant and out of scope. Hence out.
B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do
This one would look very attractive. However, this is something that is already mentioned in the argument. Read the last sentence, With takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked at most hubs, and little new runway construction expected. Its already given that the most slots are booked. Also, as a remedy, there is a new runway being setup. So this cannot weaken the argument. Hence out.
C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft
Irrelevant and out of scope. Hence out.
D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service
This option weakens the argument. Our entire argument is based on the assumptions that there are no small aircrafts available that are efficient in making transcontinental and transoceanic flight. Because, if there are such aircrafts then the Airlines will buy these small aircrafts (instead of the bigger aircrafts) capable of making the flight and landing at the local airports directly. This would increase the airllines volume of passengers at a given time slot. Hold
E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity
This does not weaken the conclusion in any way. Hence out

Hence D is correct.

Hope its clear

appsy01 · Answer

Conclusion of the argument is -> airlines want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot by purchasing 500 seat aircrafts
The Reason being -> Takeoff and landing timeslots of the hubs in transoceanic flights being maxed out with no new plans for construction of runways
So, to weaken this argument we need to provide a reason not to buy the 500 seat aircrafts

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft.
->Even thought technically this is a valid reason, it doesn't refer to the points in argument to come to this conclusion. Cost is out of Scope

B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do.
-> In this case, having higher per capacity of aircrafts is better to serve more people. It increases the performance of both Hubs and Airlines. So, buy 500 seat Aircrafts

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft.
-> The hubs are only used for dispatching of customers, so boarding time doesn't play a vital role here. Buying the 500 Seated Aircrafts does not hurt

D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service.
->In this case, better go with Small passenger aircrafts! Since they are transcontinental, the capacity of hubs doesn't matter as there is an alternate. They can land directly in local aircrafts instead of Hubs. Also, with the increase in the landing places, the volume of people they can serve should increase as well. So, don't purchase the 500 seat aircraft, but go with the small passenger aircrafts.

E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity.
-> We are talking about flights here, and not the hubs. If the flights are reaching their maximum capacity, then buy the 500 seat aircrafts

Hope this helps

tuanquang269 · Answer

Premise 1: Major airlines will buy new airplanes that have capability of loading 500 passengers and flying over ocean (and continent)
Premise 2: These new airplane rely on the "hub and spoke" system, in which the large airplane (400 pas) need enough long runways to take off and landing
Premise 4: Hubs slots is full now

Conclusion: If major airlines want to operate new airlines, they have to expand current runways

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft => quite irrelevant, the air ticket cost more, mean that cost need to offset with the new constructions of runways
B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do. => Strengthen
C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft => Strengthen. 500 seat airplanes need more boarding times, so expanding runways is necessary
D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service =>  this one is not strong answer, but it is the most sentence that can attack the expanding runways plan. Small passenger aircraft come into service, companies do not need to buy large airplane and not need to expand runways 
E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity => Does not explain the new constructions is bad idea

Please remind me if I was wrong :D

sanjeebpanda · Answer

There is no medium, transcontinental and transoceanic flights, to go to small air port .Hence if new flights can take more passenger in one go,then airlines can expand their business.
 Pre thinking:For weaken
 big fligts will not be able to land in the existing airport --
Other way passenger can directly move to local airport/local town.

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft  --Cost doesn't matter..Out of scope .
B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do.  It may tempt you.But companies will replace their old fligts .No new flights .
C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft. It doesn't matter as company expansion is meeting. 
D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service.. Yes.Thats correct.As there is other wa passenger can go directly. 
E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity. Hence we need some new option.

jlgdr · Answer

I went with C on this one cause I thought that given that the airlines wanted to expand the volume of passengers per given time slot, then if boarding times are substantially longer, this wouldn't be possible. Having said this, I still have doubts on C vs D as contenders Would be happy to discuss further Cheers! J

tsatomic · Answer

The conclusion: Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on transcontinental and transoceanic flights.

Given that all other options clearly don't look valid here is my take on C and D:

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft.   Let's look at the line   'With takeoff and landing time slots  almost  completely booked at  most  hubs, and little new runway construction expected, airlines  will want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot.'    The words  ' almost '  and  ' most '  do not really give us a clear picture of how saturated the time slots are. eg. out of 10 hubs 7 may have their time slots almost completely booked but the remaining 3 may have enough to accomodate these new 500 seat aircraft with longer boarding times. This does not weaken the conclusion that major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers.

That being said, the argument assumes that, given the situation, the airlines will not want to consider any other option but    to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot   with the new 500 seat aircraft.    There may be another option which is likely to help the airlines achieve their objectives better, weakening the statement that    Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on transcontinental and transoceanic flights.

D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service.   This is an option which clearly is a better bet for the airlines given the current situation and hence, weakens the conclusion.

Let me know if there is a flaw in my reasoning. 
Cheers!

Abhishek009 · Answer

IMHO (C)  souvik101990  plz provide us the explanation..

SRRockGmat · Answer

Hi, Guys,

My first post here, so hope for the Kudos. Question was easy and I am detailing the thought process below

Vector airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on transantlantic and transoceanic flights. These airlines currently rely on "hub and spoke" systems of routing, in which large planes, which can seat 400 people and are capable of transoceanic flight, fly into hubs that have runways sufficiently long to handle them. From there, passenegers are dispatched to local airports on connecting flights, on small planes. With takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked at most hubs, and little new construction expected, airlines will want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot.

Summary in your own words - Hub and spoke model, High demand for flights. No additional capacity in infrastructure is possible.

The argument above would be most weakened if which of the following were true?

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft.

Redundant - cost is not discussed in the para anywhere

B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do.

Given data - No new infrastructure is being added. Hence airlines are willing to replace 400 sear aircraft with 500

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft.

No mention of boarding time anywhere in the passage as a bottleneck
D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service.

Hub and spoke model only exist, because small passenger aircraft cannot have efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight

If this is true than it weakens the argument.

E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity

It supports the argument that airlines should increase capacity to meet demand

sairam595 · Answer

Can someone explain what's the conclusion here and how option 'D' weakens it!

I feel option 'C' best weakens the argument than 'D'.

Harley1980 · Answer

Hello,  smartguy595

IMHO

This is a little bit weird question because I see the two-part conclusion:
1. Airlines will buy new big air crafts ... and ... will want to expand the volume of passengers in the given time

but I don't see premises on which this conclusion is based. 
There is should be something like "Airlines have a big need to create new transcontinental and transoceanic flights to make a profit".

C says that new aircraft need more time for boarding but this fact does not affect need of companies to buy these aircrafts because they still need them for creating new transcontinental routes

D says that airlines have another way to create transcontinental flights by buying new small aircrafts which can make the same flights but do not have disadvantages of big aircrafts.

RaghavSingla · Answer

I think the OA given is wrong. Here's my view:

Why D is wrong: It is mentioned that airlines are currently using hub and spoke model. That means, if they evenstart using new smaller planes, they'll still follow the old model and in the old model they'll need substantially more number of planes to carry same number of passangers as those carried by a larger plane. Sincw time slots are limited, the option of using smaller planes is wrong.

Why C is correct: This is because if new planes start taking more time to board, then airlines will nor have suffient flight numbers in the limited time slots they have. Their new planes would become useless in that case. Hence the best weakener against use of new planes.

Please give KUDOS!

Posted from my mobile device

sayantanc2k · Answer

Making the assumption that "they'll still follow the old model " is not justified. When smaller planes are purchased, they may fly directly to the destinations with shorter runways - the previous hub and spoke model may be changed.

Moreover I have a refutation to your point for option C: Since the new planes will carry more than 500 passengers, more than 25% their present capacity, an increase in boarding time upto 25% should not be an issue. The additional boarding time can be compensated by the additional number of passengers taken per flight. (Here the assumption is that the total number of passengers traveling from an airport does not change significantly).

Edit: Just now noticed that  origen87  has already made these points. I would say the OA is alright.

siddharthharsh · Answer

Conclusion:
 With takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked at most hubs, and little new construction expected, airlines will want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft. - Nothing said about cost

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft. - Even if boarding time is more per flight, the boarding time for smaller multiple flights to accommodate same number of passengers may be more, resulting in higher number of slots being occupied, so bigger planes might still be desirable

E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity. - Even if true, bigger planes substituted for smaller flights may allow for more capacity

D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service. - CORRECT - since smaller flights are able to use the NON-HUB airports hence the flights are no longer constrained by the time slots of the HUB airports, hence expansion of volume of passenger is not required.

B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do. - Good Wrong answer - Again this restriction can be overcome by substituting Bigger flights for smaller flights (the implicit wrong assumption we usually make for deeming this option as correct is that, bigger flights will increase the current traffic, whereas bigger flights can simply replace smaller flights, resulting in no change in traffic. Hence. the small time slots can accommodate more passengers, thereby strengthening the answer)

FrozenRaccoon · Answer

Question Type : Weaken / Cause - Effect.
 Objective : Weaken Assumptions.

Premise: Airlines currently rely on "hub and spoke" systems of routing, 
Premise: Can seat 400 people and are capable of transoceanic flight, 
Premise: Takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked little new construction expected,
Premise: Airlines will want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot.

Assumption: Only way to expand volume of passengers is larger planes
Assumption: Vector only looking at 'hub and spoke' system of routing

Conclusion: Vector will purchase aircrafts carrying more than 500 passengers on transantlantic and transoceanic flights.

Answer Review : 
A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft.  - Out of scope. Doesn't affect assumptions.

B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do.  - Restated fact. Doesn't affect assumptions.

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft.  - Out of Scope. Doesn't affect assumptions.

D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service.  - New information. Affects assumptions. Weakens argument. Correct answer.

E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity.  - Restated fact. Doesn't affect assumptions.

AjiteshArun · Answer

The question indicates that the takeoff and landing slots are booked ( takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked at most hubs ), and option C says the new 500 seat aircraft require boarding times substantially longer than those of existing aircraft . The airlines want to increase the "volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot". Here the restriction is on the takeoff and landing slots. Boarding presumably does not affect those (unless the boarding process takes longer than the difference between the landing and takeoff slots, but that is not given). With the given volume of traffic at the hubs, the slots are booked, but nothing suggests that an airplane cannot stay at a hub for the boarding of a greater number of passengers. Option C therefore gives us no strong reason to believe that the airlines will not go for the bigger planes. They have no other way to increase the volume of passengers. In other words, for us to mark C, we would also have assume that the new boarding time will significantly affect a plane's turnaround time. That's a little iffy. D is far more straightforward. Additionally, and I don't know whether we should really press this point, "hub and spoke" is defined as: If we stick to this definition, we cannot assume that the boarding happens at a hub at all. The planes fly into hubs, from where passengers get on small planes. Where does the boarding happen, because we don't know whether the process works in reverse?

kaps1711 · Answer

Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on transcontinental and transoceanic flights. These airlines currently rely on "hub and spoke" systems of routing, in which large planes, which can seat 400 people and are capable of transoceanic flight, fly into hubs that have runways sufficiently long to handle them. From there, passengers are dispatched to local airports on connecting flights on small planes. With takeoff and landing time slots almost completely booked at most hubs, and little new runway construction expected, airlines will want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given time slot.

The argument above would be most weakened if which of the following were true?

Conclusion:  Airlines will buy many new aircrafts capable of carrying more than 500 passengers on transcontinental and transoceanic flights as they would want to expand the volume of passengers they can fly in a given possible time
 Premise:  Take off and landing time slots are almost completely booked
 Premise:  Airlines rely on “hub and spoke” model to transport people across oceans or continents
 Premise:  Little new runways are expected to be constructed

Analysis:

Hub and spoke model presents a bottleneck for the airlines to transport people across oceans and continents. Since the landing time and take off times are booked, the airport can not accommodate (for landing and take off) more planes per unit time. Airline will have to increase the volume of people per plane to increase the volume of people they are transporting (Across oceans and continents)

Potential weakeners would be: 
An alternate method to increase the volume => Airline may not buy those big aeroplanes
Current method will not work => something like runways are not build for such huge aeroplanes; these aeroplanes are not running at full capacity meaning that demand is distributed across time-slots/regions (All time-slots are booked).

A. The new 500 seat aircraft cost more per seat than existing aircraft
Does not weaken as the cost may be more but the customers might be willing to pay even more. It is not a deterrent for the airlines to buy the big planes.

B. Air traffic control systems at most hub airports cannot handle any more flights per hour than they currently do.
Strengthens a premise

C. The new 500 seat aircraft require  boarding times  substantially longer than those of existing aircraft
Take off and landing slots are booked. Does not imply that boarding times are booked. The airport might be huge with huge parking space and limited runways.

D. Small passenger aircraft, capable of efficient transcontinental and transoceanic flight and able to land on short runways, have come into service
An alternate method to increase the volume. Weakens the argument.

E. Transoceanic air flights are currently running at near maximum capacity
Strengthens the premise

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Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carr

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Major airlines will purchase many of the new aircrafts capable of carr

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