IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transe/v203y2025ics1366554525003746.html

On the connectivity and resilience of airline overlays: An empirical study from individual airlines to system-wide effects

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Xiaoqian
  • O’Kelly, Morton
  • Wandelt, Sebastian

Abstract

Existing research on air transport networks has extensively explored connectivity, resilience and operational efficiency. The role of interactions between airline networks, however, and their impact on connectivity/resilience remains underexplored. This study investigates how the interplay/overlay of multiple airline networks influences the centrality and connectivity of cities within the global air transport system. By analyzing various network properties, we provide quantifications of the effects inherent to airline network overlays regarding two distinct perspectives: one based on connectivity and a complementary one based on resilience. We demonstrate how the aggregation of diverse airlines changes values of important indicators regarding both aspects. By emphasizing the importance of network overlays, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of air transport dynamics, enabling more robust and efficient global connectivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Xiaoqian & O’Kelly, Morton & Wandelt, Sebastian, 2025. "On the connectivity and resilience of airline overlays: An empirical study from individual airlines to system-wide effects," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transe:v:203:y:2025:i:c:s1366554525003746
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2025.104333
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1366554525003746
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tre.2025.104333?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Grosche, Tobias & Klophaus, Richard & Seredyński, Adam, 2020. "Market concentration in German air transport before and after the Air Berlin bankruptcy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 78-88.
    2. Sun, Xiaoqian & Wandelt, Sebastian & Zhang, Anming, 2020. "How did COVID-19 impact air transportation? A first peek through the lens of complex networks," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    3. Reynolds-Feighan, Aisling & McLay, Peter, 2006. "Accessibility and attractiveness of European airports: A simple small community perspective," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 313-323.
    4. Burghouwt, Guillaume & Hakfoort, Jacco & Ritsema van Eck, Jan, 2003. "The spatial configuration of airline networks in Europe," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 9(5), pages 309-323.
    5. Fan, Dongming & Sun, Bo & Dui, Hongyan & Zhong, Jilong & Wang, Ziyao & Ren, Yi & Wang, Zili, 2022. "A modified connectivity link addition strategy to improve the resilience of multiplex networks against attacks," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    6. Fageda, Xavier & Suárez-Alemán, Ancor & Serebrisky, Tomás & Fioravanti, Reinaldo, 2018. "Air connectivity in remote regions: A comprehensive review of existing transport policies worldwide," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 65-75.
    7. Aura Reggiani & Peter Nijkamp & Alessandro Cento, 2010. "Connectivity and concentration in airline networks: a complexity analysis of Lufthansa's network," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(4), pages 449-461, August.
    8. Li, Wenkan Ken & Miyoshi, Chikage & Pagliari, Romano, 2012. "Dual-hub network connectivity: An analysis of all Nippon Airways’ use of Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 12-16.
    9. Guillaume Burghouwt & Renato Redondi, 2013. "Connectivity in Air Transport Networks: An Assessment of Models and Applications," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 47(1), pages 35-53, January.
    10. Zanin, Massimiliano, 2015. "Can we neglect the multi-layer structure of functional networks?," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 430(C), pages 184-192.
    11. Lieshout, Rogier & Malighetti, Paolo & Redondi, Renato & Burghouwt, Guillaume, 2016. "The competitive landscape of air transport in Europe," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 68-82.
    12. Reynolds-Feighan, Aisling, 2001. "Traffic distribution in low-cost and full-service carrier networks in the US air transportation market," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 7(5), pages 265-275.
    13. Ke, Jian-yu & Cho, Woohyun & Su, Hao, 2025. "Flying through uncertainty: Air transportation’s impact on supply chain resilience and inventory efficiency," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    14. Yang, Huijuan & Delahaye, Daniel & O’Connell, John Frankie & Le, Meilong, 2024. "Enhancing airline connectivity: An optimisation approach for flight scheduling in multi-hub networks with bank structures," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    15. Wu, Jiang & Zhang, Pei-wen & Wang, Yu & Shi, Jim (Junmin), 2022. "Integrated aviation model and metaheuristic algorithm for hub-and-spoke network design and airline fleet planning," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    16. Başpınar, Barış & Gopalakrishnan, Karthik & Koyuncu, Emre & Balakrishnan, Hamsa, 2023. "An empirical study of the resilience of the US and European air transportation networks," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    17. Cattaneo, Mattia & Malighetti, Paolo & Paleari, Stefano & Redondi, Renato, 2017. "Evolution of the European network and implications for self-connection," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 18-28.
    18. Hsu, Chaug-Ing & Shih, Hsien-Hung, 2008. "Small-world network theory in the study of network connectivity and efficiency of complementary international airline alliances," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 123-129.
    19. Wandelt, Sebastian & Xu, Yifan & Sun, Xiaoqian, 2023. "Measuring node importance in air transportation systems: On the quality of complex network estimations," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    20. Jean-François Arvis & Ben Shepherd, 2016. "Measuring Connectivity in a Globally Networked Industry: The Case of Air Transport," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 369-385, March.
    21. Lu, Bo & Sun, Yue & Wang, Huipo & Wang, Jian-Jun & Shuai Liu, Samuel & Cheng, T.C.E., 2024. "Dynamic resilience analysis of the liner shipping network: From structure to cooperative mechanism," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    22. Li, Chi & Mao, Jianfeng & Li, Lingyi & Wu, Jingxuan & Zhang, Lianmin & Zhu, Jianyu & Pan, Zibin, 2024. "Flight delay propagation modeling: Data, Methods, and Future opportunities," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    23. Aisling Reynolds‐Feighan & Li Zou & Chunyan Yu, 2022. "Seasonality in European and North American Air Transport Markets: Network Structures and Implications for Airline Performance and Recovery," Transportation Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 61(3), pages 284-304, June.
    24. Aisling Reynolds-Feighan, 2013. "The global air transport industry: a comparative analysis of network structures in major continental regions," Chapters, in: Frank Giarratani & Geoffrey J.D. Hewings & Philip McCann (ed.), Handbook of Industry Studies and Economic Geography, chapter 18, pages 430-458, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    25. Wandelt, Sebastian & Sun, Xiaoqian & Zhang, Anming, 2023. "Towards analyzing the robustness of the Integrated Global Transportation Network Abstraction (IGTNA)," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    26. Wong, Allen & Tan, Sijian & Chandramouleeswaran, Keshav Ram & Tran, Huy T., 2020. "Data-driven analysis of resilience in airline networks," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    27. Wang, Xinglong & Peng, Jinhan & Tang, Junqing & Lu, Qiuchen & Li, Xiaowei, 2022. "Investigating the impact of adding new airline routes on air transportation resilience in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 79-95.
    28. Cheung, Tommy K.Y. & Wong, Collin W.H. & Zhang, Anming, 2020. "The evolution of aviation network: Global airport connectivity index 2006–2016," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    29. Sun, Xiaoqian & Wandelt, Sebastian & Zhang, Anming, 2023. "Price discrimination through hidden city options? A data-driven study on the extent and evolution of skiplaggability in the global aviation system," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    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. Wandelt, Sebastian & Wang, Shuang & Chen, Xinyue & Zheng, Changhong & Chang, Shuming & Sun, Xiaoqian, 2025. "Network structures in air transportation: A comprehensive review of applications and challenges," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    2. Qi Zhang & Bo Wang & Desheng Xue, 2022. "The Hub Competition in Delivering Air Connectivity between China and Oceania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Li, Siping & Zhou, Yaoming & Kundu, Tanmoy & Zhang, Fangni, 2021. "Impact of entry restriction policies on international air transport connectivity during COVID-19 pandemic," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    4. Hu, Yue & Dai, Liang & Fuellhart, Kurt & Witlox, Frank, 2024. "Examining competition among airline regarding route portfolios at domestic hubs under government regulation: The case of China's aviation market," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Zhu, Yipeng & Ng, Kam K.H., 2025. "Spatial temporal modelling of air traffic network evolution and resilience enhancement in response to the dynamic coupling of propagation outbreaks," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    6. Chang, Yu-Chun & Lee, Wei-Hao & Wu, Yi-Ting & Hsiao, Chien-You, 2022. "Airport transfer dependency on neighbour hubs – The case of Taoyuan Airport's aviation network," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 212-220.
    7. Mueller, Falko, 2022. "Examining COVID-19-triggered changes in spatial connectivity patterns in the European air transport network up to June 2021," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    8. Wang, Jianda & Wu, Xiangru & Yang, Senmiao & Wang, Kun & Fu, Xiaowen, 2025. "Navigating green routes: How does air connectivity influence environmental information disclosure quality?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    9. Cui, Ziyu & Dong, Hanjiang & Wang, Kun & Qiu, Jiehong & Fu, Xiaowen, 2025. "The structural evolution of the Chinese aviation network during and after the pandemic: A machine learning-based approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    10. Sun, Fang & Yin, Hao & Sun, Xiaoqian & Wang, Xinglong & Zhang, Yu, 2024. "Resilience analysis of cities' air accessibility under disruptions," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    11. Güner, Samet & Antunes, Jorge Junio Moreira & Seçkin Codal, Keziban & Wanke, Peter, 2024. "Network centrality driven airport efficiency: A weight-restricted network DEA," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    12. Chang, Yu-Chun & Lee, Wei-Hao & Wu, Chi-Hung, 2019. "Potential opportunities for Asian airports to develop self-connecting passenger markets," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 7-16.
    13. Cheung, Tommy K.Y. & Wong, Collin WH. & Lei, Zheng, 2022. "Assessment of hub airports' connectivity and Self-Connection Potentials," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 250-259.
    14. Zeigler, Patrick & Pagliari, Romano & Suau-Sanchez, Pere & Malighetti, Paolo & Redondi, Renato, 2017. "Low-cost carrier entry at small European airports: Low-cost carrier effects on network connectivity and self-transfer potential," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 68-79.
    15. Li, Jiaqi & Li, Zhenfu & Qi, Xinli, 2025. "A review of multilayer networks-based interregional transportation networks analysis," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    16. Lu, Mengyuan & Perez, Edgar Jimenez & Mason, Keith & He, Yin, 2024. "Fractal assessment analysis of China's air-HSR network integration," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    17. Papatheodorou, Andreas & Arvanitis, Pavlos, 2009. "Spatial evolution of airport traffic and air transport liberalisation: the case of Greece," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 402-412.
    18. Liao, Maozhu & Zhang, Yilin & Cheung, Tommy, 2025. "Airline network response to government policies: COVID-19 and Russian airspace closure," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 74-89.
    19. Oscar Díaz Olariaga & Carlos Alonso‐Malaver, 2022. "Impact of airport policies on regional development. Evidence from the Colombian case," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(6), pages 185-210, December.
    20. Pere Suau-Sanchez & Guillaume Burghouwt & Xavier Fageda, 2016. "Reinterpreting EU Air Transport Deregulation: A Disaggregated Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Traffic in Europe, 1990–2009," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 107(1), pages 48-65, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:transe:v:203:y:2025:i:c:s1366554525003746. 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/600244/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.