Characterising the low-cost carrier network in Southeast Asia: a complex network analysis

Maneerat Kanrak, Yui yip Lau, Xiaowen Fu, Xavier Ling, Qiong Chen, Saksuriya Traiyarach (Corresponding Author)

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

Abstract

This study analyses the low-cost carrier network (LCCN) in Southeast Asia using complex network analysis. An analysis is conducted using the data from 2010 to 2018 covering 442 airports connected by 2,296 air routes. The LCCN is a scale-free network with a degree distribution following a power law in which fewer airports have high connectivity. It is a sparse network with a low network density. The network is efficient with a small average shortest path length, but low intra-connectivity amongst airports in the same cluster. This suggests that with good affordability and low costs, low-cost carriers play an important role in providing essential air connectivity to small and distanced destinations. Although low-cost carriers tend to use a point-to-point network instead of a hub-and-spoke network, major airports still play essential roles in shaping network connectivity and performance. Therefore, airports must have ample capacity and good infrastructure to ensure the network’s performance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-18
Number of pages18
JournalTransportmetrica A: Transport Science
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 2 Aug 2024

Keywords

  • airline network
  • airport connectivity
  • complex network analysis
  • Low-cost carrier
  • Southeast Asia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Transportation
  • General Engineering

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