Browsing by Author "Voltes-Dorta, Augusto"
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Item Open Access An assessment of the potential for self-connectivity at European airports in holiday markets(Elsevier, 2017-04-06) Suau-Sanchez, Pere; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Rodríguez-Déniz, HéctorIn a context of intense airport and airline competition, a few European airports have recently started offering self-connection services to price-sensitive holiday passengers travelling with a combination of tickets where the airline/s involved do not handle the transfer themselves. This paper provides an exploratory analysis of the potential and implications of self-connectivity for European airports and airlines using a case study of air travel routes to holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. With the help of a forecasting model based on a zero-inflated Poisson regression, we identify the airports and airlines that have the highest potential to facilitate self-connections in the selected markets. The results also explore some implications of the widespread development of self-connection services in Europe.Item Open Access Classifying airports according to their hub dimensions: an application to the US domestic network(Elsevier, 2013-11-09) Rodríguez-Déniz, Héctor; Suau-Sanchez, Pere; Voltes-Dorta, AugustoGovernment agencies classify airports for different purposes, including the allocation of public funding for capacity developments. In a context of hub classification, determining the contribution of each airport to the national network in terms of the two dimensions of hubbing -i.e., traffic generation and connectivity- is a key aspect. In this regard, the choice of an appropriate connectivity indicator is still an unresolved issue. This paper adapts the well-known flow centrality indicator to an air transport context and develops a novel measure of airport connectivity. An application to the US domestic network is provided, using quarterly data on passenger demand to perform a detailed time-series analysis of airport connectivity patterns between 1993 and 2012. The flow centrality indicator is then used to define an alternative airport classification method within the context of the Federal Aviation Administration’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIASs). Results show that there is potential for improving the existing airport typology by explicitly separating connectivity and traffic generation as classification criteria.Item Open Access A comparative analysis of hub connections of European and Asian airports against Middle Eastern hubs in intercontinental markets(Elsevier, 2017-10-09) Piltz, Christopher; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Suau-Sanchez, PereIn a context of changing trends in global air passenger demand and strong airport and airline competition, the largest US carriers have challenged the quality of the flight connections provided by Middle Eastern hubs in direct competition with their own connections provided via European or Asian airports. Using schedules and bookings data between 2012 and 2016, we assess whether European and Asian hubs have lost market share to Middle East airports in the markets from the Eastern US to South Asia and South East Asia. Thereafter, we provide a comparative analysis of the quality of flight connections for selected European, Asian, and Middle Eastern airports, based on indicators like total frequencies, travel times, and connecting times (determined with a connections-building algorithm). The results provide insights on the threat posed by Middle East airports and airlines that have managerial and policy implications.Item Open Access Drivers of airport scheduled traffic in European winter tourism areas: infrastructure, accessibility, competition and catchment area(Elsevier, 2019-09-26) Suau-Sanchez, Pere; Voltes-Dorta, AugustoSki resorts in Europe are major tourism destinations that can generate traffic for their local airports. These small mountain airports can offer the airlines unparalleled accessibility to the resorts, but their catchment areas are typically not well populated. Local authorities are keen to develop scheduled flights but have failed many times in the past. In this context, there is no previous study that analyses the drivers of scheduled airport traffic in winter tourism regions. To that end, we compiled a large dataset of European airports and ski resorts and carry out a Poisson regression. Results show that catchment area, competition, and infrastructure outweigh accessibility to ski resorts as the main drivers of scheduled traffic at small mountain airports. This is linked to the dominance of low-cost carriers that prefer to operate out of major airports with larger aircraft. Small airports are recommended to focus on premium markets with smaller aircraft.Item Open Access An early assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on air transport: Just another crisis or the end of aviation as we know it?(Elsevier, 2020-06-04) Suau-Sanchez, Pere; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Cugueró-Escofet, NatàliaItem Open Access Estimating the costs for the airport operator and airlines of a drone-related shutdown: an application to Frankfurt international airport(Springer, 2020-07-08) Wendt, Philippe; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Suau-Sanchez, PereCommercially-acquired drones threaten airport operations due to limited knowledge of airspace safety regulations or deliberate action by drone operators. This study aims to determine whether the investment cost of a drone-defence system can be justified in relation to the financial cost of a drone-related shutdown. To that end, a case study of Frankfurt Airport is carried out with simulations of different disruptions during a peak-activity period similar to the 2018 Gatwick drone incident. With data on passenger traffic and airline schedules, we developed a passenger recovery algorithm to determine the amount of delays caused by the disruptions and the costs for the airport operator and the airlines. Results show that the investment in a drone-defence system is offset by the costs of a 48-h continued closure or several smaller closures, but since the largest share of costs is borne by the airlines, investments should be shared between both stakeholdersItem Open Access The impact of accommodation taxes on outbound travel demand from the United Kingdom to European destinations(SAGE, 2020-04-06) Heffer-Flaata, Hedvig; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Suau-Sanchez, PereDespite the progressive introduction of accommodation taxes in many European cities, there is no consensus in the literature as to whether they have positive or negative effects. This may be related to the lack of estimates of the elasticity of visitor demand to accommodation taxes. To fill this gap, we carry out two panel-data regressions using a data set of airline travelers from UK cities to Spanish, French, and Italian destinations between 2012 and 2018. The results from the two-stage least squares regressions indicate that UK international travelers are indeed sensitive to hotel taxes. However, the impact of these taxes differs between peak and off-peak periods and across destination countries, with French destinations showing the most negative effect on visitor flows. The analysis of tax elasticities at a destination level also reveals the lack of a significant negative impact on visitor flows to major cities like Venice or Barcelona.Item Open Access The income elasticity gap and its implications for economic growth and tourism development: the Balearic vs the Canary Islands(Taylor & Francis, 2020-01-30) Inchausti-Sintes, Federico; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Suau-Sanchez, PereThe Balearic and the Canary Islands are two well-known tourism-led economies. They both experienced a tourism boom during the same decades, and, hence, they developed a similar productive-mix. Nevertheless, there are strong economic differences between the two regions. While the Balearic Islands enjoy a high GDP per capita, the Canary Islands show a more modest performance. The results of a panel data regression confirm our hypothesis that they differ substantially in terms of income elasticity of tourism. It is two times higher in the Balearic Islands than in the Canaries, which indicates the first is perceived as a more luxurious destination. Furthermore, the results of a dynamic computable general equilibrium model show that the Canaries would converge in GDP per capita with the Balearic Islands if they attracted tourists with a similar profile as the latterItem Open Access Measuring the potential for self-connectivity in global air transport markets: Implications for airports and airlines(Elsevier, 2016-10-08) Suau-Sanchez, Pere; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Rodríguez-Déniz, HéctorOne of the strategies that air travellers employ to save money is self-connectivity, i.e. travelling with a combination of tickets where the airline/s involved do not handle the transfer themselves. Both airports and airlines, particularly low-cost carriers, have recently started catering to the needs of this type of passengers with the introduction of transfer fees or the development of self-connection platforms. The evidence provided by the existing literature, however, suggests that the degree of implementation of these strategies falls short of its true potential. In order to investigate how much self-connectivity could be observed in global air transport markets, this paper develops a forecasting model based on a zero-inflated Poisson regression on MIDT data. We identify the airports that have the highest potential to facilitate self-connections, as well as the factors that hinder or facilitate the necessary airline agreements at major locations. The results from this paper have many implications in regards to the widespread implementation of self-connection services and the future of the air travel industryItem Open Access Passenger recovery after an airport closure at tourist destinations: A case study of Palma de Mallorca airport(Elsevier, 2016-09-14) Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Rodríguez-Déniz, Héctor; Suau-Sanchez, PereIn the context of increased concern about the resilience of critical transport infrastructure to external events and the impact of such events on local tourism industries, this paper analyzes the ability of tourism-oriented airports to relocate departing passengers in the event of an unexpected airport closure. A case study of Palma de Mallorca airport is presented. Using an MIDT dataset on passenger itineraries in August 2014, several closure scenarios are simulated, and disrupted passengers are relocated to minimum-delay itineraries. Aggregate delays and relocation rates are used to assess the impact of each scenario, with a particular focus on UK and Germany markets. The results provide useful benchmarks for the development of policies aimed at minimizing the impact on stranded tourists, such as allowing for passenger connections, establishing a protocol for interline cooperation, and improving intermodal transfers. These measures will help mitigate the negative impacts on airline loyalty and destination image.Item Open Access The role of London airports in providing connectivity for the UK: regional dependence on foreign hubs(Elsevier, 2014-12-19) Suau-Sanchez, Pere; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Rodríguez-Déniz, HéctorIn a context of ongoing debate about the future UK aviation policy and its implications for regional economic development, this paper discusses the role of London Heathrow and the South East airports in providing connectivity for the UK, with particular focus on the international markets that originate from regional UK airports. Using an MIDT dataset of worldwide passenger itineraries served by the European airport network during May 2013, we first establish whether London Heathrow can currently be considered the most important hub for the UK, in terms of traffic generation, connectivity, and centrality, while also measuring the dependence of UK regions on foreign airports and airlines to remain connected with the rest of the world. Results show that, despite the competition, London Heathrow benefits from its massive traffic generation to remain the most central gateway for overall UK air transport markets. However, when only regional markets are considered, significant dependence on foreign hubs appears in many destinations, particularly to Asia–Pacific or the BRIC countries where above 80% of passengers use transfer flights. These results fit nicely with the observed trends of seat de-concentration and hub-bypassing in the airline industry. While dependence on foreign hubs can be interpreted as a sign of vulnerability, there is also the argument that bypassing Heathrow allows regional airports to develop new markets and reduce the level of congestion in the London airport system.Item Open Access The substitution of short-haul flights with rail services in German air travel markets: A quantitative analysis(Elsevier, 2022-09-07) Reiter, Vreni; Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Suau-Sanchez, PereIn recent years, a ban on short-haul flights for which alternative, more environmentally friendly transportation is available has been on European regulatory agendas, particularly in countries like Germany, with its well-developed high-speed rail (HSR) and a dense network of low-cost, point-to-point airline traffic. This study aims to quantify the potential impact on CO2 emissions of substituting short-haul flights with rail frequencies in 87 German air travel corridors. Using OAG data on passenger bookings and airline schedules for 2019, as well as current rail travel times, we determine the target flights by looking at the actual proportion of connecting passengers per frequency. We estimate a potential reduction in CO2 emissions of between 2.7% and 22%, depending on how strict the flight substitution is. However, the social benefits of those carbon emissions might fall short of the travel time losses experienced by the passengers. Increased investment to improve rail speeds and intermodal accessibility appears necessary before the substitution policies can be implemented.Item Open Access Vulnerability of the European air transport network to major airport closures from the perspective of passenger delays: Ranking the most critical airports(Elsevier, 2017-01-05) Voltes-Dorta, Augusto; Rodríguez-Déniz, Héctor; Suau-Sanchez, PereThis paper analyzes the vulnerability of the European air transport network to major airport closures from the perspective of the delays imposed to disrupted airline passengers. Using an MIDT dataset on passenger itineraries flown during February 2013, full-day individual closures of the 25 busiest European airports are simulated and disrupted passengers then relocated to minimum-delay itineraries. Aggregate delays are used to rank the criticality of each airport to the network, with the possibility of disaggregating the impact across geographical markets. The results provide useful reference values for the development of policies aimed at improving the resilience of air transport networks.