On node criticality of the Northeast Asian air route network

Abstract

In this paper, air route network robustness of the rapidly growing Northeast Asian region is assessed based on the node criticality. Air transport network is modeled and constructed as network of Air Route Segment (ARS), which is the minimum unit constituting air routes. Three variations of networks – unweighted, distance-weighted and demand-weighted Air Route Segment Networks (ARSN) are considered. Although not scale-free, the network is more vulnerable to targeted attacks than random failure, with a set of critical nodes identified as ‘pseudo-hubs’. When loss in flight operation is measured in the disrupted network, rerouting improved flight operability significantly. Findings on the set of critical nodes provide key insights for vulnerability of the network, especially in the context of regional coordination against various natural and manmade risks.