Air Transport Accessibility Changes In Depopulating European States

This chapter examines air transport access for depopulating states in the European Union. Air transport can offer a relatively low cost transport and high speed access solution to communities and regions. It is a flexible and responsive transport mode which can be easily tailored to changing demand conditions. The drivers of variability in access by air for depopulating states are the focus of this chapter. Air services changes and population changes are related for the EU states and the characteristics of those experiencing depopulation are detailed. Extensive use is made of the rich Official Airline Guide (OAG) air traffic databases to trace the evolution of air service developments. It is shown that Europe's depopulating states for the most part have seen increased incomes and substantially increased levels of air access. Typically the air transport services are dominated by low cost carriers with destinations often influenced by the locations of migrant populations. The freedom of movement of the populations in these states has resulted in an overall westward shift in the population and this is reflected in the westward orientation of the air route networks of many Central European states since their accession to the EU.