UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) AIR NETWORK PERFORMANCE AND HUB COMPETITIVE POSITIION: EVALUATION OF PRIMARY AIRPORTS IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Abstract: The growth of hub-and spoke operations has changed the competition among airlines and airports in a structural way. In this paper, the argument is put forward that the measurement of network performance in hub-and-spoke systems should take into account the quantity and quality of both direct and indirect connections. The NetScan model, which quantifies an indirect connection and scales it into a theoretical direct connection, is applied to analyze the competitive position of airports in an integrated way. Measuring and comparing the network performance and the hub connective performance of thirteen selected primary airports in East and Southeast Asia between 2001 and 2007 is to be elaborated in this paper. The results reveal that Tokyo/Narita has the largest total connectivity, which is composed of direct and indirect connections. It is also the most competitive with respect to hub connectivity and average hub connectivity. The most striking growth of network developments, however, can be found at the three major airports in Mainland China; Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The number of both direct and indirect connectivity at these three airports increased at a much higher rate between these years than at other airports. On the contrary, others, such as Osaka/Kansai and Taipei, experienced deteriorating network performance. This analysis made here may be helpful for airlines and airports in identifying their network performance and competitive position in relation to competing counterparts