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When trains go faster than planes: the strategic reaction of airlines in Spain

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  • Ofelia Betancor
  • Juan Luis Jiménez

Abstract

Plans for the development of high speed railways lines (HSR) in Spain are widespread. At the beginning of 2010 four HSR lines were operating in routes where the air transport mode used to be dominant. In this paper we examine through econometric means the air carriers' reaction to these HSR entrances by using data at the route level. We test whether the HSR have changed both, the airlines' frequencies and the market shares. Our results show that it has reduced on average the number of air transport operations by 17 percent. On the other hand the demand has increased substantially, though the weight of air transport in the total market has been reduced, as it has been reduced the weight of the dominant Spanish air carrier Iberia on air markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Ofelia Betancor & Juan Luis Jiménez, 2011. "When trains go faster than planes: the strategic reaction of airlines in Spain," ERSA conference papers ersa11p295, European Regional Science Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p295
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