Analysing air operators’ managerial perceptions of incentives for regional air service route development within Europe

摘要

While it has been established in previous research that public support for air services to peripheral orrneconomically underdeveloped regions is justifiable, the current EU Public Service Obligation (PSO) air servicernmechanism and particularly the level of competition for PSO contracts can be improved. This paper set out tornidentify best practice from different European policy approaches by viewing issues from an air operatorrnperspective. The heart of this paper is a survey of European regional air service providers. We examine thernairline managers’ perspectives in relation to assessing and bidding for PSOs on scheduled air services. Proposedrnimprovement areas include issues around the simple dissemination of PSO opportunities in the single market,rnadequate response times for proposal preparation/submission and in preparing for a start date, incentives torndevelop the air service during the contract period in terms of revenue and patronage. We also identify entryrnbarriers as well as issues around risk sharing, transparency and effectiveness of PSO contract awardingrnprocedures and trust issues with procurement authorities.