Air Transport and Regional Development

The air transport sector is a major contributor to the globalization of the economy.  Its growth was accompanied and to a certain extent caused by liberalization.  The growth in traffic levels has led to congestion, at both major airports and in airspace, and to a lack of service on thin routes, thus mainly affecting core regions and remote regions.  Dr Amaya Vega from the Whitaker Institute’s Environment, Development, and Sustainability research cluster is part of the Management Committee of the TUD COST Action Air Transport and Regional Development (ATARD). With 28 parties involved, the Action is led by Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Germany.   This Action investigates the relationship between air transport and regional development. The benefits that may be derived from it are both scientific and societal in nature.  They include a better understanding of that relationship focusing on Europe; policy recommendations on how air transport infrastructure and service improvements should be made in order to support economic competitiveness and social cohesion; and the constitution of a network of researchers dedicated to air transport and its economic, social and environmental implications aligned with Europe 2020 strategy.