Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Multi-airport Systems Worldwide

Abstract

This study examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on multi-airport systems (MASs) worldwide. First, the recent literature on MASs is reviewed to identify emerging research topics and development patterns. Then, airline schedule data are collected for 53 sample MASs and used to analyse three dimensions of MAS structures before and during the late stage of the pandemic: (i) traffic and degree centrality distribution within MASs, (ii) intra-MAS airport competition; and (iii) airline competition intensity within MASs. The empirical findings reveal that MAS structures in Europe and the US have remained relatively stable despite the recent pandemic, partly because compared with Asia Pacific, air travel bans in these markets were lifted earlier, and domestic and international airline markets have largely returned to pre-pandemic levels. In comparison, significant changes have been observed in Asia-Pacific MASs due to restrictive bans on international travel and airline operations. As major airlines shifted capacity to domestic markets, in Asia Pacific intra-MAS airport traffic distribution became more balanced, intra-MAS airport competition intensified, smaller airlines dropped out, and airline concentration levels increased. In addition, with more under-utilized slots available, Chinese low-cost carriers increasingly consolidated their operations to selected airports within MASs which would allow them to achieve economies of scale. Overall, this study provides insights into the adaptability of MAS structures in the face of a global crisis.