EUROPEAN HUB AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT IN THE FACE OF INCREASING COMPETITION

摘要

European hub airports and their respective network carriers face rising competition from hubsin the Middle East and Asia. At the same time;;European airlines threat their traditional hubsto switch to other airports indicating growing competition between hubs and secondaryairports. This may also be fostered by severe capacity shortages at many European hubswhich inhibits the accommodation of additional demand. Transfer passengers will face anincreasing choice of airlines;;routes;;frequencies and prices. In the future;;it is thereforeimportant for European airports to ensure consistency and quality of airlines’ and passengers’demand.The paper outlines the state of research in terms of airport competition in general and of hubcompetition in particular. Within a range of studies of hub-and-spoke networks;;airportsfunction as node for network carriers by providing the required infrastructure. However;;inaddition to competing for the location of airline services;;hub airports aim at attractingpassengers for their non-aviation services and facilities. The discussion in this paper focuseson models appropriate for the evaluation of hub airport competition and the resulting welfareimplications. This approach may assist in the strategic decision-making process of Europeanairports and help to identify potential areas of future research.