This volume examines the role that airports play in economic development and land values, the regulation and economic efficiency of airports, airport pricing and competition, and the role played by airports in influencing airline operations and networks.

This volume examines the role that airports play in economic development and land values, the regulation and economic efficiency of airports, airport pricing and competition, and the role played by airports in influencing airline operations and networks.

This tour d'horizon book reviews airport regulation and competition in different regions of the world and contrasts different policy perspectives. Organized in four parts, the first three examine, in turn, Australasia, North America, and Europe, while the last section looks at the institutional reforms that have taken place in these regions. The book covers the regulation of airports, and competition in different regions, as well as privatization policy, the interaction between airports and airlines, and regional economic impacts. It also examines the linkages between governance structures and forms of regulation. The book's global sweep embraces all the large aviation markets, bringing together the ideas and challenges of academic economists, airlines, airport managers, consultants and government regulators. As well as looking at different methods, degrees and paradigms of regulation it also spells out the stress-points, in a way that makes essential reading for airport operators, airline operations staff, as well as academic economists concerned with transport studies. It also offers interesting reading and important lessons for those concerned with regulation of the utility industries such as, telecommunications, water and power generation and distribution - where infrastructure can be subject to natural monopoly characteristics and where firms competing in downstream markets are dependent on the investment and operational strategies of the upstream infrastructure operator.

Foundations of Airport Economics and Finance analyzes the impact key economic indicators play on an airport's financial performance. As rapidly changing dynamics, including liberalization, commercialization and globalization are changing the nature of airports worldwide, this book presents the significant challenges facing current and future airports. Airports are evolving from quasi-monopolies to commercial companies operating in a global environment, with ever-increasing passenger and cargo volumes and escalating security costs that put a greater strain on airport systems. This book highlights the critical changes that airports are experiencing, providing a basic understanding of both the economic and financial aspects of the air transport industry.

Placing the airport business within a conceptual framework, the author examines the major global issues that confront it and offers solutions to the economic and financial difficulties likely to arise in the future.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the economics of airports for all managers, regulators and educators within the aviation industry. Written by three renowned experts but made accessible and relevant for all those working within the industry, or aspiring to do so, it is the perfect entry point for learning about the underlying economics of airports as a crucial component of the air transport system. It explains the cost structures of airports and then relates these to how airports determine their charges. It explains how charges at different airports vary, whether this is due to different types of traffic, different input prices, ways of producing outputs or different levels of efficiency. Most airports are publicly owned or regulated, and there has been a trend towards privatisation. The book explains how airports have been regulated and assesses how well the regulatory structures have performed; it discusses the trend towards light-handed regulation and the reliance on competition where this exists. The book examines the problems of limited capacity at airports and how these are resolved through slots and charging systems, and the long-term solution of investment in airports—why it is controversial, and how it can be achieved effectively. It also considers the environmental impacts of airports and the issues these pose for managers, from the well-known problems of airport noise to the growing recognition of the impacts of air transport on climate change, and the roles airports play in mitigating these consequences. Written for airport and airline managers, regulators and students, this book will suit Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes on air transport management.