Kids Airline: Choosing the Next Runway

Hagop Panossian, Alexander Wakim

Product #:W47955_P

Supplier:Ivey/AUB

Discipline:Human Resource Management, Strategy

Setting:Lebanon, 2025

Details:Case (PDF) • 15 pages • 2026-04-06

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Jad Nasr founded Kids Airline Pediatric Clinic, an airline-themed pediatric dental clinic in Lebanon. In August 2025, he faced a pivotal growth decision. After navigating years of economic and political turbulence, the clinic had grown into a thriving, experience-led dental brand with three branches in Lebanon. But Nasr now had to choose a strategic path forward: grow clinical presence in Lebanon, expand internationally, or scale his brand into a pediatric hospital model.

The case challenges students to explore how experience-focused, service-centric health care models can be scaled without compromising quality. It raises questions about human capital, training pipelines, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, international market selection, and entry modes.

Learning Objectives

This case can be used to supplement students’ learning at the undergraduate or graduate level, specifically for students taking courses in strategic management, general management, and entrepreneurship. The case addresses decision-making on organic and inorganic growth avenues, challenges related to international expansion and growth, and integration of technology and AI within service-based business models.

At the undergraduate level, the case emphasizes qualitative trade-offs, experience and patient journey design, and structured decision-making using simplified matrices. At the graduate level, instructors can further deepen the analysis by emphasizing entry mode theories, cross-border operational complexity, and funding implications, with selective quantitative discussion supported by the exhibits provided in the case.

After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:

Understand the challenges of scaling service-driven business models reliant on human capital and emotionally engaging experiences.
Evaluate how emerging technologies and AI can enhance service delivery, personalization, and operational scalability.
Analyze the trade-offs between domestic and international expansion, considering brand equity, operational complexity, and market volatility.
Compare global market entry strategies, such as franchising, joint ventures, and wholly owned set-ups, and evaluate their short- and long-term implications.
Evaluate funding options for scaling a business, comparing the implications of internal financing, debt, and equity on growth, control, and risk.