Air travellers’ behaviour when choosing airline and flight departure time: The case of medellín, colombia

Abstract

The behaviour of air travellers and their choice of airline and flight departure time are relevant subjects with an increasing interest because of their implications for planning purposes. However, most of the current approaches consider them to be isolated choices, while just a few contemplate them as a joint choice. The present investigation modelled the choice process of individuals related to a set of alternatives formed by a combination of airline and flight departure time, in the context of domestic travellers in the Metropolitan Area of Medellín, Colombia. The approach specifies discrete choice models, estimated from face to face surveys of revealed preferences data collected in the two airports serving the city. Correlations between alternatives and substitution patterns are calculated, including subjective values of time, direct and cross elasticities for ticket cost, travel time and departure time attributes. We also discuss some policy scenarios. According to the results, flights operating at a similar time, and those offered by airlines with the highest market presence have a higher level of competition. Travellers for leisure purposes are less sensitive to travel time than those travelling for business or another motive. Furthermore, the difference between the actual departure time and the preferred departure time of the traveller affects negatively the probability of choosing a specific alternative. In Colombia, air travellers have a highly elastic behaviour towards airfares, travel time and flight departure time. The conclusions drawn by the interpretation of the proposed models are useful for authorities in the formulation of policies, and for aviation companies to optimise their operation. The research provides valuable information on the context of Colombian air transport, which is poorly reviewed in the literature.