Routledge Wings Across Europe: Towards an Efficient European Air Transport System

Airlines, like most industries, contain a mixture of good and badly managed companies (and perhaps more important, lucky and unlucky companies). More important in the longer-run is the institutional structure in which the companies offer their services. Air transport is a major industry in its own right. But it is also the fastest growing mode of transport for both passengers and freight, a large employer of labour, at the forefront of many technological developments and often a pioneer in adopting such innovations. It is the source of important economic stimuli for local economic development. This book examines the current state of European airlines - mainly, but not exclusively, those within the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). It seeks in particular to determine if the current institutional structure provides a sustainable basis for the continued vitality of air transport as a facilitator of economic development, and it can serve as an input into wider matters involving the social and political integration within Europe. It also includes material on airports, slots and security. It provides the opportunity to look at factors that currently influence the efficiency of European airlines and to see how the industry has moved to meet these challenges. The book is also designed to be accessible with a glossary at the end, definitions of key terms and concepts, a list of abbreviations and acronyms and two annexes that provide more details of the European air transport market within the wider international regulatory system. The readership includes all concerned with airline and airport management, including regulators and government departments of transportation, and researchers in air transport. While of main interest to those in Europe, it is also important to all who are dealing with similar questions in other continents, and all concerned with inter-continental air transport provision. In the current aviation context the key features of the book are: " Review '...anyone interested in the future of European airlines will find this book stimulating reading. Kenneth Button sounds a warning about the prospects of European airlines, documenting the rapid changes they have coped with over the years and the problem of covering costs. Button's prognosis is a challenging one - the current situation is not sustainable, the solutions not obvious.' Professor Peter Forsyth, Monash University, Australia. 'All in all this is a stimulating book and is highly recommended. It may perhaps be of most use to those already well versed in the issues discussed, but there is much food for thought here for everybody with an interest in European air transport.' The Aerospace Professional, September 2005:- About the Author Dr Kenneth Button is Professor of Public Policy at the School of Public Policy, George Mason University, USA. He is also Director of the Center for Transportation Policy and Operations and Director of the Center for Aerospace Policy. He has published, or has in press, some 80 books. He is editor of the academic journals Transportation Research D: Transport and the Environment and of the Journal of Air Transport Management.