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Hub Premium, Airport Dominance and Market Power in the European Airline Industry

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  • Enrico Bachis

    (University of Nottingham)

  • Claudio A. Piga

    (Loughborough University)

Abstract

This study addresses two issues relating to the pricing behaviour of European airlines: 1) whether an airline's dominant position at the origin airport, at the route and the city-pair level affects the airlines' market power; 2) whether fares follow a monotonic time path consistent with the pursuing of an inter-temporal price discrimination strategy. Our estimates reveal that enjoying a dominant position within a route is conducive to higher fares. On the contrary, dominance within a city-pair does not seem to facilitate the exercise of market power. We find robust support to the assumption that fares follow a monotonic time path.

Suggested Citation

  • Enrico Bachis & Claudio A. Piga, 2006. "Hub Premium, Airport Dominance and Market Power in the European Airline Industry," Rivista di Politica Economica, SIPI Spa, vol. 96(5), pages 11-54, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:rpo:ripoec:v:96:y:2006:i:5:p:11-54
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    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L93 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Air Transportation

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