Study of the full-service and low-cost carriers network configuration

Purpose: The network strategies used by airline carriers have been a recurring subject in air transport research. The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the different operational characteristics of the airline and its route network configuration. Design/methodology/approach: The two main airline carrier typologies - Full-Service and Low-Cost carriers – are analysed using empirical models developed on complex network research relating them to the business model of the airlines. Findings and Originality/value: Just in Europe, one can differentiate between Full-Service and Low-Cost Carriers by complex network analyses. In this process, it has been also found that new concept Low-Cost Carriers, such as Vueling, have network properties closer to Full-Service Carriers. Research limitations/implications: This paper has a limited sample, as includes 26 airline case studies from Europe, United States and Asia. Practical implications: The analysis carried out in this research can help to the assessment of the evolution of the strategies of airline carriers, and has also operational implications, since the configuration of an airline route network can determine its resilience to attacks and errors.Social implications: A better understanding of the properties of airline route networks can benefit airlines, passengers and another stakeholders of the air transport industry. Originality/value: Current research on air transport networks has only considered the global or regional level, but few studies have addressed the study of airline transport networks, and its relationship with their business model.Peer Reviewe

Measuring the vulnerability of global airline alliances to member exits

We analyse the vulnerability of airline alliance route networks to the exit of member airlines. Vulnerability measures how easy it is to disconnect a network. The assessment is performed by applying the theory of complex networks. We compute the normalized vulnerability for Star Alliance, oneworld and SkyTeam using airline schedules data and derive a ranking of member airlines according to their share in the overall vulnerability of the respective alliance. One result of our paper is that oneworld is the most vulnerable global airline alliance, SkyTeam ranks second, followed by Star AlliancePeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Airline route networks : a complex network approach

Communication via air routes is an important issue in a world organized around a web-like city network. In this context, the robustness of network infrastructures, e.g. air transport networks, are a central issue in transport geography. Disruption of communication links by intentional causes (e.g., terrorist attack on an airport) or unintentional (e.g., weather inclemency) could be a serious drawback for countries, regions and airlines. Policymakers and the management of airlines and alliances should be able to reduce the effects of such interruptions in order to ensure good communication through air transport (i.e., maximize the robustness of their network at a reasonable cost). The literature review of the study of air transport route networks through an analysis of complex networks has highlighted a lack of contributions to the study of the topology and the robustness of such networks, which contrasts with advances undertaken for other transport networks or communication systems. The literatura survey suggests areas in which research should be undertaken, based on the existing literature in other areas and from three different perspectives: global route networks, airline alliances and airlines. The aim of this research is to develop a better understanding of air traffic and, in particular, to be able to assess the potential damage of any airport being inoperative for a continent, country or airline

Codesharing network vulnerability of global airline alliances

Global airline alliances provide connectivity based on codesharing agreements between member airlines. An alliance member exit leads to the deletion of routes (if not operated by other members) which affects network connectivity. The paper measures the vulnerability of the codesharing network (CN) of Star Alliance, SkyTeam and oneworld, respectively, by applying the theory of complex networks. A normalized CN vulnerability metric is proposed. Using airline schedules data, a ranking of member airlines according to their share in the overall CN vulnerability is derived. The results for CNs are compared with the ones for the respective total network (TN) that includes routes with and without codesharing. The findings show that oneworld is the most vulnerable global airline alliance, SkyTeam ranks second followed by Star Alliance. The proposed graph theory approach might become a building block for a more comprehensive measurement of real world airline networksPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Analysis of the Chinese provincial air transportation network

The air transportation system is of a great impact on the economy and globalization of a country. In this paper, we analyze the Chinese air transportation network (ATN) from a provincial perspective via the complex network framework, where all airports located in one province are abstracted as a single node and flights between two provinces are denoted by a link. The results show that the network exhibits small-world property, homogeneous structure and disassortative mixing. The variation of the flight flow within 24 h is investigated and an obvious tide phenomenon is found in the dynamics of Chinese provincial ATN for high output level of tertiary industry. Our work will offer a novel approach for understanding the characteristic of the Chinese air transportation network.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Contextual effects and psychological features influencing decoy options: a review and research agenda

Objeto: El objetivo del artículo es desarrollar propuestas de investigación cuyos resultados contribuyan a la teoría existente sobre el efecto decoy Diseño/metodología: Primeramente, se presenta una revisión de la literatura sobre el efecto decoy y las interacciones con otros efectos contextuales que sean susceptibles de afectar a su funcionalidad. Después, se presentan dos propuestas de investigación: la introducción del doble decoy dentro de un mismo conjunto de opciones y el desempeño de opciones decoy bajo distintos niveles de fatiga cognitiva a lo largo de un proceso de compra. Aportaciones y resultados: En relación a la propuesta de investigación del doble decoy, se introducen distintas hipótesis acerca de su funcionamiento, generadas a partir de las distintas teorías existentes. Estas hipótesis predicen distintos comportamientos para el mismo diseño experimental. Este hecho reforzaría a al menos una de las vigentes explicaciones acerca del funcionamiento de opciones decoy. En relación a la proposición acerca del efecto decoy bajo distintos niveles de fatiga cognitiva, se esperan implicaciones relevantes para el diseño de procesos de compra que incorporen múltiples opciones, varios pasos a lo largo del proceso de compra u opciones complejas. Valor añadido: Ambas propuestas de investigación tienen como objetivo contribuir y mejorar la teoría existente sobre opciones decoy. Además, ambas aportarán información importante de cara al uso real de opciones decoy en procesos de compra.Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop future research proposals aiming to contribute the extant theory which explains decoy effects. Design/methodology/approach: Firstly, a review of the existing literature about decoy options and its interactions with contextual effects that could affect their performance is presented. Next, two research proposals are presented: the introduction of a double decoy choice set and the evaluation of decoy effect under different levels of cognitive effort in a purchasing process. Findings and Originality/value: For the research proposal concerning double decoy choice sets, different hypothesis are introduced based on the different theories aiming to explain the effect of simple decoy choice sets. This hypothesis predict different outcomes for the same experimental design, fact that could provide further support for at least one of the current explanations for decoy effects. Regarding the effect of decoy options under different levels of cognitive effort, implications for experimental design for sequential purchasing process are expected. Especially for those designed with complex options, with many steps or high number of options. Originality/value: Two new research proposal approaches are presented in order enhance the current theory. Moreover, both have managerial implications concerning the real usage of decoy options in reduced choice sets as well as in sequential purchasing processes.Peer Reviewe

Exact calculation of network robustness

Finding the most critical nodes regarding network connectivity has attracted the attention of many researchers in infrastructure networks, power grids, transportation networks and physics in complex networks. Static robustness of networks under intentional attacks analyses the ability of a system to maintain its connectivity after the disconnection or deletion of a series of targeted nodes. In this context, connectivity is typically measured by the size of the remaining largest connected component. When targeting these nodes, previous literature has mostly used adaptive strategies that sequentially remove central nodes, or created heuristics in order to improve the results of the adaptive strategies. The proposed methodology based on mathematical programming allows to identify, for every fraction of disconnected or removed nodes, the set that minimizes the size of the largest connected component of a network, i.e. it allows to calculate the exact (most critical) robustness of a network.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Recent trends in air transport research: a bibliometric analysis

The aim of this manuscript is to detect recent trends in air transport research through a bibliometric analysis. We have retrieved all articles published between 2013 and 2022 in the Q1 of the Transportation ranking of the Social Sciences Citation Index published in the Journal Citations Reports (Q1-T), and in the Journal of Air Transport Management. Both samples share the topics Industry Analysis, Air Traffic Management and COVID-19 and Air Transport. The specific topics of Q1-T sample are High Speed Rail and Air Transport, Environmental Impact of Air Transport and UAV and Urban Air Mobility. We have also found that materials of Q1-T are mainly written from the regulator perspective, and JATM materials from the perspective of airport and airline managers.The aim of this manuscript is to detect recent trends in air transport research through a bibliometric analysis. We have retrieved all articles published between 2013 and 2022 in the Q1 of the Transportation ranking of the Social Sciences Citation Index published in the Journal Citations Reports (Q1-T), and in the Journal of Air Transport Management. Among these records, we retained for the analysis the articles related with air transport. Analysing the author keywords of articles and retaining the Top 10 cited articles in each of the samples, we have identified six research topics for each of the samples. Both samples share the topics Industry Analysis, Air Traffic Management and COVID-19 and Air Transport. The specific topics of Q1-T sample are High Speed Rail and Air Transport, Environmental Impact of Air Transport and UAV and Urban Air Mobility. We have also found that materials of Q1-T are mainly written from the regulator perspective, and JATM materials from the perspective of airport and airline managers. We believe that this results are useful for administrators evaluating air transport academics, air transport academics themselves looking for new avenues of research and stakeholders of the air transport industry interested in evidence-based decision making.Preprin

Efficient calculation of the robustness measure R for complex networks

In a recent work, Schneider et al. (2011) proposed a new measure R for network robustness, where the value of R is calculated within the entire process of malicious node attacks. In this paper, we present an approach to improve the calculation efficiency of R, in which a computationally efficient robustness measure R' is introduced when the fraction of failed nodes reaches to a critical threshold qc. Simulation results on three different types of network models and three real networks show that these networks all exhibit a computationally efficient robustness measure R'. The relationships between R' and the network size N and the network average degree are also explored. It is found that the value of R' decreases with N while increases with . Our results would be useful for improving the calculation efficiency of network robustness measure R for complex networks.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft