Network performance, hub connectivity potential, and competitive position of primary airports in Asia/Pacific region

Recently, hub-and-spoke network configurations are more and more
developed in the Asia/Pacific region. In this paper, it is argued that the measurement of
network performance in hub-and-spoke systems should take into account the quantity
and quality of both direct and indirect connections. The NetScan Model, which
quantifies an indirect connection and scales it into a theoretical direct connection, is
applied to analyze the competitive position of airports or airlines in an integrated way.
Measuring and comparing the network performance and the hub connectivity potential
of selected seventeen primary airports in the Asia/Pacific region between 2001 and 2007
will be elaborated in this paper. The results revealed that Tokyo/Narita has the largest
network performance and hub connectivity potential. The most striking growth of
network developments can be found at Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The number
of both direct and indirect/onward connectivity at these airports increased at a much
higher rate between these years than at other airports. On the contrary, Sydney,
Melbourne and Auckland experienced deteriorating network performance. This region
also showed stronger position of One World and Star Alliance. Sky Team, however, has
an innegligible position especially at Tokyo/Narita and Osaka/Kansai, in addition to
Seoul/Incheon, owing to fifth and sixth freedom rights of the Sky Team members. The
analysis presented in this paper may be helpful for airports or airlines in identifying
their network performance and competitive position in relation to competing airports or
airlines.