IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v96y2020icp141-151.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impacts of competition on connecting travelers: Evidence from the transatlantic aviation market

Author

Listed:
  • Bernardo, Valeria
  • Fageda, Xavier

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of competition driven by low-cost airlines and high-speed trains on long-haul connecting routings. We use passenger and fare data for 2010–2017 on transatlantic routings with a stopover in large European hub airports. Competition from low-cost airlines on the short segments of transatlantic routings reduces the number of connecting passengers channeled by hubbing airlines, who have to pay higher fares. In contrast, high-speed rail services are not found to lead to a reduction in the number of connecting passengers or to an increase in the price they have to pay.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernardo, Valeria & Fageda, Xavier, 2020. "Impacts of competition on connecting travelers: Evidence from the transatlantic aviation market," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 141-151.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:96:y:2020:i:c:p:141-151
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2020.06.005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X2030113X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2020.06.005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Njoya, Eric Tchouamou & Christidis, Panayiotis & Nikitas, Alexandros, 2018. "Understanding the impact of liberalisation in the EU-Africa aviation market," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 161-171.
    2. Cristian Huse & Alessandro V. M. Oliveira, 2012. "Does Product Differentiation Soften Price Reactions to Entry? Evidence from the Airline Industry," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 46(2), pages 189-204, May.
    3. Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2016. "Airlines’ reaction to high-speed rail entries: Empirical study of the Northeast Asian market," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 532-557.
    4. Moshe Givoni & Frédéric Dobruszkes, 2013. "A Review of Ex-Post Evidence for Mode Substitution and Induced Demand Following the Introduction of High-Speed Rail," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/152140, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Frédéric Dobruszkes & Moshe Givoni & Timothy Vowles, 2017. "Hello major airports, goodbye regional airports? Recent changes in European and US low-cost airline airport choice," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/239911, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Bettini, Humberto F.A.J. & Oliveira, Alessandro V.M., 2008. "Airline capacity setting after re-regulation: The Brazilian case in the early 2000s," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 289-292.
    7. Zhang, Anming & Wan, Yulai & Yang, Hangjun, 2019. "Impacts of high-speed rail on airlines, airports and regional economies: A survey of recent research," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-19.
    8. Dobruszkes, Frédéric & Dehon, Catherine & Givoni, Moshe, 2014. "Does European high-speed rail affect the current level of air services? An EU-wide analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 461-475.
    9. Hofer, Christian & Windle, Robert J. & Dresner, Martin E., 2008. "Price premiums and low cost carrier competition," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 864-882, September.
    10. Zhang, Yahua & Zhang, Anming & Zhu, Zhenran & Wang, Kun, 2017. "Connectivity at Chinese airports: The evolution and drivers," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 490-508.
    11. Bergantino, Angela S. & Capozza, Claudia & Capurso, Mauro, 2015. "The impact of open access on intra- and inter-modal rail competition. A national level analysis in Italy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 77-86.
    12. Bernardo, Valeria & Fageda, Xavier, 2017. "The effects of the Morocco-European Union open skies agreement: A difference-in-differences analysis," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 24-41.
    13. Fageda, Xavier & Flores-Fillol, Ricardo & Theilen, Bernd, 2019. "Hybrid cooperation agreements in networks: The case of the airline industry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 194-227.
    14. Austan Goolsbee & Chad Syverson, 2008. "How Do Incumbents Respond to the Threat of Entry? Evidence from the Major Airlines," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 123(4), pages 1611-1633.
    15. Soyk, Christian & Ringbeck, Jürgen & Spinler, Stefan, 2017. "Long-haul low cost airlines: Characteristics of the business model and sustainability of its cost advantages," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 215-234.
    16. Yahua Zhang & Faqin Lin & Anming Zhang, 2018. "Gravity models in air transport research: a survey and an application," Chapters, in: Bruce A. Blonigen & Wesley W. Wilson (ed.), Handbook of International Trade and Transportation, chapter 4, pages 141-158, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    17. Abate, Megersa & Christidis, Panayotis, 2020. "The impact of air transport market liberalization: Evidence from EU's external aviation policy," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    18. Oliveira, Alessandro V.M. & Huse, Cristian, 2009. "Localized competitive advantage and price reactions to entry: Full-service vs. low-cost airlines in recently liberalized emerging markets," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 307-320, March.
    19. Windle, Robert & Dresner, Martin, 1999. "Competitive responses to low cost carrier entry," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 59-75, March.
    20. Dobruszkes, Frédéric & Givoni, Moshe & Vowles, Timothy, 2017. "Hello major airports, goodbye regional airports? Recent changes in European and US low-cost airline airport choice," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 50-62.
    21. Zhang, Fangni & Graham, Daniel J. & Wong, Mark Siu Chun, 2018. "Quantifying the substitutability and complementarity between high-speed rail and air transport," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 191-215.
    22. Fageda, Xavier, 2014. "What hurts the dominant airlines at hub airports?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 177-189.
    23. Albalate, Daniel & Bel, Germà & Fageda, Xavier, 2015. "Competition and cooperation between high-speed rail and air transportation services in Europe," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 166-174.
    24. Button, Kenneth & Martini, Gianmaria & Scotti, Davide & Volta, Nicola, 2019. "Airline regulation and common markets in Sub-Saharan Africa," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 81-91.
    25. Murakami, Hideki, 2011. "Time effect of low-cost carrier entry and social welfare in US large air markets," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 306-314, May.
    26. Boonekamp, Thijs & Zuidberg, Joost & Burghouwt, Guillaume, 2018. "Determinants of air travel demand: The role of low-cost carriers, ethnic links and aviation-dependent employment," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 18-28.
    27. Bergantino, Angela S. & Capozza, Claudia & Capurso, Mauro, 2015. "The impact of open access on intra- and inter-modal rail competition. A national level analysis in Italy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 77-86.
    28. Moshe Givoni & Frédéric Dobruszkes, 2013. "A Review of Ex-Post Evidence for Mode Substitution and Induced Demand Following the Introduction of High-Speed Rail," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(6), pages 720-742, November.
    29. Scotti, Davide & Volta, Nicola, 2018. "Price asymmetries in European airfares," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 14(C), pages 42-52.
    30. Brueckner, Jan K & Spiller, Pablo T, 1994. "Economies of Traffic Density in the Deregulated Airline Industry," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(2), pages 379-415, October.
    31. Wang, Kun & Xia, Wenyi & Zhang, Anming & Zhang, Qiong, 2018. "Effects of train speed on airline demand and price: Theory and empirical evidence from a natural experiment," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 99-130.
    32. Bettini, Humberto F.A.J. & Silveira, José Maria F.J. & Oliveira, Alessandro V.M., 2018. "Estimating strategic responses to the march of a low cost carrier to primary airports," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 190-204.
    33. Wong, Wai-Hung & Zhang, Anming & Cheung, Tommy King-Yin & Chu, Jeremy, 2019. "Examination of low-cost carriers' development at secondary airports using a comprehensive world airport classification," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 96-105.
    34. De Poret, M. & O'Connell, J.F. & Warnock-Smith, D., 2015. "The economic viability of long-haul low cost operations: Evidence from the transatlantic market," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 272-281.
    35. Varella, Rafael R. & Frazão, Jessica & Oliveira, Alessandro V.M., 2017. "Dynamic pricing and market segmentation responses to low-cost carrier entry," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 151-170.
    36. Soyk, Christian & Ringbeck, Jürgen & Spinler, Stefan, 2018. "Revenue characteristics of long-haul low cost carriers (LCCs) and differences to full-service network carriers (FSNCs)," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 47-65.
    37. Grosche, Tobias & Rothlauf, Franz & Heinzl, Armin, 2007. "Gravity models for airline passenger volume estimation," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 175-183.
    38. Liu, Shuli & Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Impact of high-speed rail network development on airport traffic and traffic distribution: Evidence from China and Japan," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 115-135.
    39. Steven A. Morrison, 2001. "Actual, Adjacent, and Potential Competition Estimating the Full Effect of Southwest Airlines," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 35(2), pages 239-256, May.
    40. Douglas W. Caves & Laurits R. Christensen & Michael W. Tretheway, 1984. "Economies of Density versus Economies of Scale: Why Trunk and Local Service Airline Costs Differ," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 15(4), pages 471-489, Winter.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kuljanin, Jovana & Kalić, Milica & Begović, Boris & Mijović, Nemanja & Renold, Manuel, 2021. "The effect of LCC market entry on dominant FSC's price into long haul sector: A case of Norwegian competition on British Airways' prices on selected transatlantic routes," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Zhang, Anming & Wan, Yulai & Yang, Hangjun, 2019. "Impacts of high-speed rail on airlines, airports and regional economies: A survey of recent research," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-19.
    3. Wang, Jiaoe & Huang, Jie & Jing, Yue, 2020. "Competition between high-speed trains and air travel in China: From a spatial to spatiotemporal perspective," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 62-78.
    4. Wang, Kun & Xia, Wenyi & Zhang, Anming, 2017. "Should China further expand its high-speed rail network? Consider the low-cost carrier factor," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 105-120.
    5. Bettini, Humberto F.A.J. & Silveira, José Maria F.J. & Oliveira, Alessandro V.M., 2018. "Estimating strategic responses to the march of a low cost carrier to primary airports," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 190-204.
    6. Ma, Wenliang & Wang, Qiang & Yang, Hangjun & Zhang, Guoquan & Zhang, Yahua, 2020. "Understanding airline price dispersion in the presence of high-speed rail," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 93-102.
    7. Xia, Wenyi & Zhang, Anming, 2016. "High-speed rail and air transport competition and cooperation: A vertical differentiation approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 456-481.
    8. Asahi, Ryota & Murakami, Hideki, 2017. "Effects of Southwest Airlines' entry and airport dominance," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(PA), pages 86-90.
    9. Wu, Shuping & Han, Dan, 2022. "Accessibility of high-speed rail (HSR) stations and HSR–air competition: Evidence from China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 262-284.
    10. Asep Yayat Nurhidayat & Hera Widyastuti & Sutikno & Dwi Phalita Upahita, 2023. "Research on Passengers’ Preferences and Impact of High-Speed Rail on Air Transport Demand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-26, February.
    11. Chiambaretto, Paul & Combe, Emmanuel, 2023. "Business model hybridization but heterogeneous economic performance: Insights from low-cost and legacy carriers in Europe," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 83-97.
    12. Gu, Hongyi & Wan, Yulai, 2020. "Can entry of high-speed rail increase air traffic? Price competition, travel time difference and catchment expansion," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 55-72.
    13. Soyk, Christian & Ringbeck, Jürgen & Spinler, Stefan, 2021. "Effect of long-haul low-cost carriers on North Atlantic air fares," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    14. Liu, Shuli & Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Impact of high-speed rail network development on airport traffic and traffic distribution: Evidence from China and Japan," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 115-135.
    15. Fageda, Xavier, 2014. "What hurts the dominant airlines at hub airports?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 177-189.
    16. Xia, Wenyi & Jiang, Changmin & Wang, Kun & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Air-rail revenue sharing in a multi-airport system: Effects on traffic and social welfare," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 304-319.
    17. Mizutani, Jun & Sakai, Hiroki, 2021. "Which is a stronger competitor, High Speed Rail, or Low Cost Carrier, to Full Service Carrier? – Effects of HSR network extension and LCC entry on FSC's airfare in Japan," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    18. Su, Min & Luan, Weixin & Fu, Xiaowen & Yang, Zaili & Zhang, Rui, 2020. "The competition effects of low-cost carriers and high-speed rail on the Chinese aviation market," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 37-46.
    19. Valido, Jorge & Socorro, M. Pilar & Medda, Francesca, 2020. "Airport capacity and entry deterrence: Low cost versus full service airlines," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    20. Zhang, Rui & Johnson, Daniel & Zhao, Weiming & Nash, Chris, 2019. "Competition of airline and high-speed rail in terms of price and frequency: Empirical study from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 8-18.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:96:y:2020:i:c:p:141-151. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.