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Unlike income or relative prices, air transport attributes and tourism demand on a given route can be endogenous. Using instrumental variables, this study attempted to account for the circular causality in estimating the effect of direct air service on tourism demand. Although we found evidence of endogeneity, the nature of the circular causation is context-specific; while direct air service can be regarded as an exogenous variable in one direction, it can have an endogenous relationship on the other. Findings emphasise the need to explicate information about the network nature of transportation and its endogenous relations with tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonality is an essential issue for service industries but lacks the attention of most transport scholars. To close this gap, this study explored the spatial heterogeneity and determinants of flight seasonality from a supply-side perspective, using the monthly flights of 222 airports in China during 2018 as a sample. The following conclusions were drawn. First, domestic flights in China face seasonality due to the country's vast territory and diverse natural environment. Second, from an airport perspective, seasonality is high in small airports serving remote places and in cities that are tourism destinations. Third, from a route perspective, feeder routes in the air transport network of China face higher seasonality when compared to trunk routes. Finally, airport size and a mix of natural landscape factors shape domestic flight seasonality at the national level. At the local level, most factors (e.g., airport size and temperature) are more evident in the northwest region. • The first systematic research on seasonality of flights from a geographical perspective. • Flight seasonality shows spatial heterogeneity at both the airport and route levels. • Several determinants (e.g., airport size and a mix of natural landscape factors) shape domestic flight seasonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-cost carriers (LCCs) are assumed to adopt a certain business model in which an important element is the concentration of services at secondary and regional airports. Yet, evidence suggests that increasingly LCCs also establish themselves in what can be considered the major airports. This raises the question of whether LCCs are changing their business model and adopting practices associated with the traditional, incumbent airlines, and if so what might cause such change. Based on categorization of airports and using OAG flight data the US and European markets are investigated. Focusing on several LCCs, with more attention given to Southwest and Ryanair, their profile of operation with respect to the type of airports used is analysed for a period of between 15 and 25 years and up to 2015. The results clearly indicate that LCCs are increasing their operations from major airports, while generally continuing their growth and expansion strategy. The main implication of which is the increase in direct competition between LCCs and traditional airlines while the impacts of this change on the smaller airports are not clear yet and need to be investigated further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the determinants of air traffic has become somewhat commonplace. However, previous papers have neglected to distinguish between domestic and international markets and to think about spatial units. This paper examines the factors of passenger air traffic for the whole world and considers both national and sub-national units. The study finds that the relevant factors partially diverge between domestic and international markets. It also appears that it is more valuable to consider sub-national spatial units than countries, notwithstanding econometric results. Indeed, the geography of residuals is much richer by sub-national units, while national units clearly mask centre-periphery patterns and/or significant disparities within large countries. • The factors of passenger air traffic are investigated for the whole world. • Results depend on the market (domestic vs international). • Results depend on the scale of spatial units (countries vs sub-national units). • Considering sub-national spatial units instead of countries is much richer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper analyzes the extent to which the liberalization of the airline market between the EU and Morocco has led to significant changes in both air services and leisure travel, thus contributing to the Moroccan tourist master plan to attract 10 million tourists. Liberalization has led to a large expansion of regular air services in terms of the number of seats and routes supplied but also to a decrease in charter business. The low-cost airlines are the main players in this move. International leisure mobility to Morocco has also strongly increased, although the relation with air transport liberalization is less clear. This increase involves both Moroccans living abroad and foreign tourists. Air transport has grown its market share despite the significant decrease in the number of tour operator packages sold. The increase is particularly large among Moroccan citizens living abroad, suggesting new habits with regard to long-distance mobility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper brings the lessons of critical thinking of environmental indicators to transport studies. To demonstrate the extent to which these indicators are not neutral, the case study focuses on airport noise indicators imposed by both the European Union and Flanders, Belgium, as they are applied to Brussels Airport's operations. Three directions have been considered. First, we unveil the spatial mismatch between protests and official noise contours that are supposed to reflect overall annoyanceand sleep disturbance. Then we highlight the high sensitivity of the mandatory noise indicators (L den , L night and dose-effect function) to both their definition and the thresholds considered. Second, we review the legislative process at the time the EU and Flanders adopted their regulation on noise assessment. It appears both the nature of the indicators and thresholds have been the subject of debate by EU Ministers and MPs, while Flanders has imposed a dose-effect function that is arguably outdated and unusable in specific cases. Finally, we discuss the results through the lens of the authoritative power of official noise indicators and related maps, which many journalists and scholars take for granted. All this contributes to the construction of distorted knowledge of noise issues and calls for a re-evaluation of the EU's and Flanders' noise indicators. • Environmental indicators often are a compromise between scientific knowledge and political-administrative rationales. • Noise contours vary according to the definition of indicators and thresholds. • Noise indicators do not efficiently take noise annoyance into consideration. • Policy makers should rethink aircraft noise indicators when considering the public's needs. • Scholars should not take environmental indicators for granted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the determinants of air passenger traffic has become commonplace. In contrast with most previous publications, this paper investigates these determinants in an emerging country, Turkey, at the provincial level between 2004 and 2014. We find that GDP/capita, population, distance to alternative airports, tourism, leading cities, and international migrations all support more air traffic. Furthermore, market concentration is associated with less traffic, and the presence of academics with more traffic. Mapping models' residuals suggest catchment areas, surface transport options, domestic migrations and (geo)politics could also matter. Accordingly, it appears the determinants of Turkey's air passenger traffic do not differ from those of developed economies. The results also suggest new airports should be built based on the aforementioned factors. • In contrast with most publications, this paper investigates the determinants of air traffic in an emerging economy. • The determinants of air transport demand in an emerging economy are almost identical with those of the developed economies. • Spatial characteristics of the airports had a significant effect on air passenger traffic. • Higher competition in an airport is positively associated with air passenger demand. • Level of tourism activities and the number of foreign residents are significant determinants of air passenger traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]