This paper investigates the consumer welfare consequences of the recent code-share agreement between Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines. We develop a discrete choice model based on individual flight characteristics. This structural model recognizes that consumers i) may have heterogeneous preferences for flight attributes, and ii) may face different prices for the same flight. The empirical methodology also deals with the measurement error problem stemming from the absence of consumer level data on prices. The estimation results suggest that, while the code-share agreement did not impact consumers significantly on average, it increased the average surplus of connecting passengers, but it decreased the average surplus of nonstop passengers. Interestingly, the magnitude of our welfare results may be attributed in large part to changes in products characteristics other than prices.

Progressive Commercialization of Airline Governance Culture analyzes the transition of the airline sector from the not-for-profit nation-bound public utility model towards a profit-oriented globalized industry. It illustrates how legal, political, historical and cultural factors have shaped the corporate governance in the airline sector, and describes how these factors influence economic decisions and performance. The unique feature of the book is that the subject is consequentially discussed from the perspective of airline governance culture. This approach links the examination of legal and policy factors which influence airline activities together with a discussion of economic issues, all within one clear, coherent and comprehensive framework.

This new study takes a keen look at the problems facing the international community due to conflicts arising from applications of varying competition laws by different competition authorities to international airline alliances. As a result of privatisation, deregulation, liberalisation and globalisation, international air carriers form alliances with one another in order to cope with growing competition in the international air transport market. This book clearly provides an introduction to the background to and origin of airline alliances, different models of alliances and the related anti-competitive practices resulting from existing international airline alliances. The potential anti-competitive practices resulting from these cross-border alliances trigger a great deal of concern from various competition authorities. Thus, this study goes on to provide a detailed analysis regarding the relevant EC competition law and US antitrust law and their applications to alliance activities. The comparison of different applications of EC competition law and US antitrust law to international airline alliances provides leading research results first-hand. In the conclusion, the essential elements regarding establishing a level playing field in the international air transport market are identified and the author provides possible solutions for the harmonisation of different applications of competition law to international airline alliances.