High-speed rail and air transport competition in Western Europe: A supply-oriented perspective

Increasingly air transport growth raises the question of its impact on the environment. Public authorities and researchers are relying more and more on high-speed trains (HSTs), whose efficiency is supposed to lead to a modal shift from airplanes. However, most transport studies focus on the evolution of demand rather than supply, although it is basically the latter that determines environmental damage. In light of this fact, this paper aims to compare the overall dynamics in the supply of air transport in Europe compared to the HST supply and to examine empirically five city-pairs. The development of high-speed rail remains limited compared to the increase of air services. For a given city-pair, the decline in the number of flights depends on various conditions, including length of the HST journey and the strategies adopted by the airlines. Some carriers reduce their supply in terms of the number of seats but increase the number of flights in order to compete more effectively with the HSTs. Moreover, the competition between low-cost airlines and HSTs should be kept in mind and re-examined in a few years.     

Do the Gulf airlines distort the level playing field?

Gulf State aviation repeats a national development model previously applied in Southeast Asia. Developing national carriers and airport infrastructure together supports tourism, technology transfer and economic growth. Gulf airports leverage geographic advantage, but greater benefits flow from the absence of curfews or expansion constraints. Comparing Boeing B777-300 unit costs for one-stop journeys between Hong Kong and four European cities via Dubai, Frankfurt, London, and Amsterdam finds that the longer Dubai journey absorbs any cost advantage from through journeys on wide-body aircraft. Configuration impacts unit cost. Emirates configurations match Lufthansa, British Airways and KLM. Qatar Airways and Etihad match less dense Asian carriers. Finally, lower airport charges persist for the Gulf airports despite the introduction of transfer passenger fees in 2016.     

综合交通枢纽本体的解析

明确综合交通枢纽的物理、经济与人文内涵，对交通枢纽的规划、设计、建设及运营有方向性指导意义。由里到外、从内涵到外延，按基础设施、运营及管理三方面的基本要求，梳理综合交通枢纽的概念、性质、经济规律及作用；概括发展综合交通枢纽的六项本质属性。结合案例说明综合交通枢纽在现代化城市中发挥的功能及作用。     

International air network structures and air traffic density of world cities

This paper examines international air passenger and cargo flows within and among Asia, Europe, and America, and the degree of air traffic density for major cities worldwide, using a basic gravity model composed of GDP, population, distance, and several dummy variables. The results reveal that many cities are strengthening their position as international air transportation hubs, especially: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, New York, and Miami. Finally, the results show that the air traffic density of three cities, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam, is growing at an extraordinary rate.     

Impacts of high speed rail on railroad network accessibility in China

High speed rail (HSR) is changing the overall travel accessibility of cities in China. There have been a number of studies of high speed rail in China. However, detailed spatiotemporal accessibility pattern of cities affected by the operation of high speed rail in China has not been reported. This study takes a timetable-based accessibility evaluation approach to analyze the changes in travel time, travel cost, and distance accessibility for each of the four main stages of HSR development in China: no HSR service in Stage 1 before August 2008, several HSR lines in Stage 2 between August 2008 and July 2011, reduced operating speed of HSR trains in Stage 3 between August 2011 and November 2012, and addition of new HSR lines and reduction of ticket fares in Stage 4 between December 2012 and January 2013. In addition to the “corridor effect” and the “center-diffusion” pattern, this paper investigates the impacts of HSR on changes in in-vehicle travel time and out-of-vehicle travel time with respect to the policy changes that reduced the operating speed of HSR trains, rearranged the train timetable, and lowered the ticket fare on HSR trains. The analysis results indicate the spatiotemporal pattern of Chinese cities affected by these policy changes. This study is useful for assessing HSR impacts on the accessibility of various cities across China as well as serving as a decision-making support to policies related to adjustments of HSR operation and planning of future HSR routes by considering the existing HSR and non-HSR railway lines.     

Global air travel: toward concentration or dispersal?

The geography of airline passenger movement through the major cities of the world has changed between 1990 and 2000. The change has been at the expense of the very large global cities and major hubs in favour of a group of next largest cities. It has been detected by comparing the shares of total passenger movement through cities in two separate ways, and by exploring changes in the connectivity between cities over a similar time period. The new pattern reflects the use of new aircraft technology, changes in the location of demand for air travel associated with a broadening in the global linkages between cities, new regulatory arrangements and airline corporate strategies. The implications are that the pressures for airport planning will be felt in a new set of cities, although because the share of passenger traffic through the very large global cities is still high they will remain a major focus for airport planning and management action in the immediate future.     

The networkability of cities in the international air passenger flows 1992–2004

A modified social network analysis model was designed in this study for use in the examination of the international air network. By using this model in analyzing the networkability of cities, the connectivity of the air routes was estimated, using the air traffic and the number of air routes. Networkability is the quantitative measurement of the spatial interaction relationships in the international air network. Through this process, this study aims to analyze the structural changes of the global network in 1992 and 2004. As a result, it was observed that London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and New York were class 1 cities that were at the top in both years. Tokyo was included in class 1 in 1992, but not in 2004. Rome, Zurich, Singapore, Los Angeles, and other cities were identified as the class 2 cities in 1992, while Singapore, Tokyo, Madrid, Hong Kong, Bangkok, etc. were identified as the class 2 cities in 2004. These cities occupy the center of the global network, and the class 1 cities are connected to the class 2 cities, which perform the function of hubs in each continent, thus uniting the whole world as one network.     

The role of London airports in providing connectivity for the UK: regional dependence on foreign hubs

In 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.     

Location analysis for the modal shift of palletized building materials

At present, the distribution of palletized building materials is mostly carried out by trucks, despite their movements having negative effects on society, the economy and the environment. However, these problems can be reduced if the transport of palletized goods is shifted to inland waterways. By doing so, the goods are bundled for the main haulage by barge. In order to reduce the transport distances by truck to an absolute minimum, a possible last-mile distribution would have to be organized via a limited number of directly canal-served hubs. The locations of those hubs are crucial for the feasibility of modal shift. This study advances the transport geography literature by elaborating a location analysis model specifically for palletized goods. This model determines the optimal hub location by taking into account the large variation of origins and destinations of transport flows, while the introduction of a cost structure enables potential economic gains (cost savings) and reductions in CO₂ emissions to be calculated. The analysis is performed for transport data on palletized building materials in Belgium. Two concepts were defined, which resulted in an optimal intermodal network of 9 hubs and one with 27 hubs; through the implementation of these networks, respectively 26% and 38% of the transport flows can be shifted to the inland waterways at a profitable cost. It can be expected that over time these percentages will increase further.     

More than medical tourism: lessons from Indonesia and Malaysia on South–South intra-regional medical travel

While scholars increasingly acknowledge that most contemporary international medical travel comprises South–South flows, these have gone curiously unexamined. Rather, policy, scholarly and media attention focuses predominantly on North–South flows of ‘medical tourists’. However, this focus diverts attention from the actual and potential impacts of South–South intra-regional medical travel flows on both their source and receiving contexts. As such, we present findings from a study examining South–South intra-regional medical travellers' motivations, preparations and practices to better understand the social, economic and political situations that condition them and their effects on the destinations that receive them. Our study of Indonesian medical travellers pursuing health care in Malaysia draws on 35 semi-structured interviews with Indonesian patients, their companions, medical staff and agents in both countries. From this, we suggest that South–South medical travellers' diverse socio-economic conditions shape decision-making and spending behaviour relative to treatment, accommodation and transport choices as well as length of stay. We identify ways in which informal economies and social care networks sustain the formal medical travel industry. Finally, we observe how medical travel increasingly serves as a means through which chronic and everyday health needs are met through temporary, visa-free intra-regional movement.     

Strategic development trend and key factors analysis of Airport City in Taiwan

In the past decade, many airports have shifted from being simple transfer ports to logistical transportation hubs and, more recently, into multi-functional airport cities. The emergence of the airport city provides evidence of advanced transportation development of a country or a region, as it serves as the impetus for national industry and a gateway to economic globalization. This paper explores the development trend of airport cities in Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore as a basis for analysis of outcomes in Taiwan. Using grounded theory-based qualitative research, this study analyses and conceptualizes thirty key factors and seven trends for airport-city development via interviews with focus groups and experts. These development trends are verified by a contingency analysis with airport cities development intelligence. In addition, this study conducts an industrial matrix analysis and verb-term coding to propose action items for industrial categories in the case of Taiwan Taoyuan international airport.     

The impacts of congestion on automobile accessibility. What happens in large European cities?

Every day, a significant part of the population in large cities suffers transport congestion. One effect of this is a change in the spatial distribution of accessibility, which may lead to people or businesses finding themselves temporally in areas where accessibility values are lower than either desired or required. This paper studies changes in automobile accessibility over the course of the day, as caused by congestion of the road network in eight metropolitan areas of the European Union: London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Hamburg and Milan. The study was carried out using millions of data points on real speeds on segments of the road networks gathered over the course of two years from TomTom® devices, which provided for the incorporation of a dynamic perspective of accessibility. In each of the areas studied, the different impacts of congestion on automobile accessibility can be observed from differences in the distribution of opportunities and the provision of infrastructures, as well as from differences in culture and customs. Despite these differences, all cities experience two peaks with a lower value during the morning and afternoon. However, results show differences in the intensity and form of the effects of congestion on accessibility in these metropolitan areas. London, Paris and Rome are the cities where congestion has the greatest impact on automobile accessibility, while the Spanish cities are hardly affected by it.     

Effects of the Asian Crisis on the geography of Southeast Asia’s air traffic

An examination is made of how the Asian Crisis of 1997–1998 has affected the geography of air traffic within Southeast Asia and between the region and other parts of the world. The study’s context is provided by an examination of extra-regional and intra-regional air transport networks in 1965 and 1995 to highlight the key features of the period of rapid traffic growth. This exercise is repeated in 1998 and comparisons are made with the 1995 pattern to gauge the impact of the Crisis on the geography of air traffic and the variable response of major regional carriers. Interpreting the many extra-regional and intra-regional patterns emerging from this data comparison proved difficult. Some of the readjustments and realignments can be attributed to the Asian Crisis, others cannot. There are many explanations of these patterns just as there are multiple causes of the Crisis. As the Crisis is related to wider interconnections of the globalising economy it cannot be seen as a separate and isolated event. Invariably, the general effect of the Crisis meshes with specific political factors.     

综合交通枢纽与城市交通体系的整合

当前新建的以铁路为主体的综合交通枢纽，已经成为整个城市甚至整个区域的交通换乘中心，因此将综合交通枢纽纳入到整个城市的交通体系之中就显得十分重要。通过对郑州东站等几个大型综合交通枢纽工程实例的分析，总结了综合交通枢纽交通设计的关键因素，提出了将综合交通枢纽与城市交通体系进行全面整合的设计思想和设计方法。     

A comparison of indirect connectivity in Chinese airport hubs: 2010 vs. 2015

Airport hubs’ indirect connectivity is important for any aviation network. Indirect connectivity describes the capacity of airport hubs to provide indirect connections over the airline network. As the Chinese aviation industry has experienced development, this paper offers a comparative analysis of indirect connectivity for Chinese airport hubs between 2010 and 2015. We investigate wave-system structures, weighted indirect connectivity (WIC) and indirect connections of the top ten airport hubs in China. In the spatial analysis, this paper surveys the spatial patterns of indirect connections at four important airport hubs. Beijing-Capital airport has strong indirect connectivity worldwide. Pudong and Hongqiao airports worked together to maximize the spatial coverage of Shanghai. Guangzhou-Baiyun airport has sufficient indirect connections across southern China, and it intends to expand its spatial influence into northern cities.     

Enhancing Park and Ride with access control: A case study of Southampton

Implementing and promoting more sustainable forms of urban transport are key policies of Local Authorities throughout the UK. Park and Ride (P&R) is one such system implemented widely in the UK, especially in historic towns and cities with limited road and parking space in the centre. Some cities (e.g. Rome and London) have also implemented forms of ‘access control’ to reduce congestion and/or pollution in central areas. This paper describes a feasibility analysis of a unique application studied for potential implementation in Southampton—the integration of P&R with access control on a key corridor in Eastern Southampton where traffic demand is likely to increase significantly in the coming years because of new housing developments. The system concept is a P&R facility with express buses to the City centre, keeping the corridor free-flowing for these buses (and other traffic) using a combination of bus lanes and access control.Following an outline of the policy context and system design, this paper then describes the corridor and network modelling undertaken to predict the impacts of the scheme and alternatives of it. This has been based mainly on the CONTRAM dynamic traffic assignment model, which covers the whole of Southampton and its surrounding motorway network. The assessment of the benefits of the various options in this scheme showed that the combination of P&R with signalised access control was the best option to improve the movement of people on the corridor. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential issues for implementation, including the need for complimentary measures and a consistent policy framework.     

The economic impact of aviation: A review on the role of market access

In recent decades, advancements in telecommunications and (air) transportation have driven globalisation processes. Consequently, policymakers and scholars view access to transportation as an essential prerequisite for economic development. For aviation, existing empirical studies have attempted to estimate the wider economic impacts from regional, country-level and global perspectives. However, no theoretical framework has yet been presented that comprehensively captures the full set of mechanisms by which aviation can contribute to economic development. Such a framework would cover both positive and negative regional impacts, as well as the mechanisms and spatial distribution behind them. In this paper, we use a New Economic Geography approach to comprehensively describe the impact mechanisms. We then apply this theoretical framework to an empirical study of metrics of air transport supply, which policymakers and researchers can use to assess how well airports and their surrounding regions are connected by means of the air transport network. The results of our analysis can inform scholars and policymakers on how air transport can shape economic geography and the productivity of economic systems. The results might also provide guidance for future empirical work on the wider economic impacts of air transportation.     

中欧班列沿线贸易--物流网络结构优化分析

分析中欧班列节点城市贸易-物流网络结构,有利于推进现代化物流枢纽的建设。运用熵权法测算中欧班列国内节点城市物流绩效指数,通过修正引力模型分别测算2010年、2014年和2019年中欧班列沿线主要节点城市间贸易-物流联系强度,并采用地理可视化展现中欧班列驱动下沿线贸易-物流网络演变,结合网络结构分析得出中欧班列沿线主要节点城市的贸易-物流网络中心性和凝聚子群,为沿线集货中转枢纽的选取提供理论依据。结果显示,中欧班列有效改善了中欧城市间的经济关联格局,显著推动了沿线贸易-物流网络结构的优化。     

An analysis of European low-cost airlines and their networks

The growth of low-cost carriers (LCCs) is currently focused on the Western European market, where they represent the most determining factor in the evolution of airline networks. In this area, they stand for 18% of the total air transport supply according to seats. Limited to short and medium haul flights, networks are not too concentrated (no hubs). They are North–South, and compete with—when they have not replaced—some charter routes. The use of air freedoms beyond the fourth is still limited, but exclusive routes are a frequent phenomenon linked to the option for secondary (urban or regional) airports and/or niches.Finally, low-cost carriers give fresh impetus to point-to-point routes by drawing new networks complementing those of full service network carriers (FSNCs). If no hubs as such can be found in these new networks, significant concentrations characterize the major bases.The geography of low-cost networks is to a large extent the geography of EU air transport liberalization.     

Transport,economic competitiveness and competition: A city perspective

Stimulating the economy is a dominant policy objective, but on what basis are decisions being taken around transport and growth? We describe how transport studies and political geography offer two related, but poorly connected, theoretical approaches purporting to explain the relationship between transport and the economy. Yet in what ways does it matter that two different world views exist? We test these questions through an empirical case study of how city and regional officials use transport in attempting to realise economic objectives. Echoing theoretical approaches based in political geography, we find officials' own reasoning places emphasis on supply side improvements, especially connectivity within regions and on a high quality urban environment hoped to attract high GVA jobs. The decision-support tools are not well aligned to this reasoning, focussing on time savings and the justification of the value for money of proposed schemes relative to other investments in the region and nationally. In contrast to much theoretical work on competitiveness, employment growth is treated as exogenous with less emphasis given to which areas win and lose in the region. It is competition between weaker regional towns and cities that is prominent in officials' discourse. Such a gap between the thinking by officials, and the types of available transport investment decision-support tools, is of international significance. Given the centrality of the economy to where and what we invest in, the paper suggests a need for better knowledge about the efficacy of urban realm and other supply side improvements on job creation and on the influence of local autonomy in decision-making on investment selection and outcomes.