The Role of Air Transport Development in Adriatic- Ionian Macroregion
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International Journal for Traffic and Transport Engineering, 2015, 5(4): 344 - 359 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7708/ijtte.2015.5(4).01 UDC: 656.7(262.3) THE ROLE OF AIR TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT IN ADRIATIC- IONIAN MACROREGION Olja Čokorilo1, Ivana Čavka2 1, 2 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, Vojvode Stepe 305, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Received 22 July 2015; accepted 9 September 2015 Abstract: The main objective of the proposed research is to improve the accessibility and the mobility of passengers across the Adriatic area and its hinterland, through the development of new sustainable and integrated transport services and the improvement of physical infrastructures related to those new services, particulary in the air transport connectivity and accesability. Analysis is oriented on existing infrastructure, connections and available aircraft fleet capacities based on three possible scenarios which are identified on the recommendations of renominated statistical data (Eurocontrol, Boeing, Airbus). Microregional improvements could be the key drivers for the macro economical issues where air transport plays significant role. Aircraft fleet, load factor and tourist destination atractivnes significantly improve hinterlend connectivities within Adriatic ports for both ferry and cruise passengers. Keywords: air transport, hinterland, Adriatic region. 1. Introduction modern transport demands have enabled the largest share of road transport at the Hinterland connections in Adriatic-Ionian level of the whole transport market. Rapid macroregion that covers coastal areas in six road transport development can lead to different countries (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, congestions on the main routes in ports as Montenegro, Albania and Greece) are a well, and it may have a negative influence precondicion of ports development in this on the environment and the health of the region. The paper provides the evaluation population and decrease of traffic safety of the integration among Adriatic ports and level. Therefore, it is necessary to make their hinterland enabled with air transport conditions for redirection of the demand network that allows identifying needs to other transport modes with the aim of and priorities, bottlenecks, potentials for controlling the excessive development of passenger transport services/lines and their the road transport. possible future integrations (Čokorilo et al., 2015). Railways are important part of European transport system and significant contributor It is important to notice at this point, road to achieving the sustainable transport in the transport which is of the utmost importance future. Road and railway traffic networks for the functioning of ferry and cruiser traffic are an indispensable prerequisite for the flows in Adriatic-Ionian region. Expressed development and competitiveness of the flexibility and ability to quickly respond to ports in the Adriatic-Ionian region. 1 Corresponding author: [email protected] 344 Čokorilo O. et al. The Role of Air Transport Development in Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion New air links within the Adriatic region divided in two main subchapters. The first could also considerably improve mobility subchapter provides assessment of the and accelerate economic integration and Adriatic national airlines while the second cooperation processes. However, the problem is focused on the Adriatic basin airports of intraregional connectivity prevails, where network analysing them through the majority of destinations from and to the following topics: a) ownership structures; b) Adriatic airports are in the Western Europe geostrategic valorisation; c) transportation and minor of all air transport operations in connectivity; d) infrastructure assessment the region are realised within the Adriatic and e) traffic performance. Additional network. Underdeveloped connections attention within this chapter is dedicated to between the Adriatic ports and major cities historical overview of the global air transport represent a barrier for fast and convenient main figures. travel within the region. 3.1. Assessment of the Adriatic-Ionian 2. Literature Review National Airlines Air transport development is a multi The break-up of Yugoslavia and associated functional process which mostly depends confrontations caused geopolitical and on aviation market in terms of regional economic changes in the SEE region, economic development and liberalization which resulted in fragmentation of once (Graham, 1997; Graham, 1998; Graham unified transport market and accordingly and Guyer, 1999; Thompson, 2002). reduction of air transport volumes. Each Contemporary regional studies and research country independently established their are focused mostly on economical aspects national airlines as well as the hub airports due to the touristic development within which are situated in the countries capital particular zones (Yamaguchi, 2007; Brooke cities. Due to the unstable political situation et al., 1994; Prideaux, 2000). Moreover, within the region supported by the lack of some authors are oriented on modeling bilateral agreements between the countries, environmental issues within the certain each country established their route network region (Abeyratne, 1999; Houyoux et al., mainly towards the Western Europe 2000) or climate change problems (Mickley countries while intraregional connectivity et al., 2004). Decision makers are more was neglected. oriented in creating policies which will anable air transport market defragmentation After signing the ECAA agreement, the and connectivity improvements (Button et air services were liberalised and the route al., 1998; Steiner et al., 2008; Šimecki et network has grown rapidly. New established al., 2013). routes are connecting European destinations within the Adriatic region serving 3. Airports and Air Connections in the neighbouring hub airports as feeders while Region regional main airport, which could compare to European hubs, have been established The following chapter elaborates current mainly in Italy. It implicates the lack of state of air transport within and outside the domestic traffic, with exception in Italy and Adriatic region through separate analysis Croatia, which highlights the importance of 345 International Journal for Traffic and Transport Engineering, 2015, 5(4): 344 - 359 cross border international traffic on regional list of national airlines in the Adriatic Ionian level. Table 1 provides overview of the current basin (Čavka and Čokorilo, 2015). Table 1 List of National Airlines and Related Indicators of Air Transport in the Adriatic-Ionian Basin Former Number of Aircraft Number of Country National аirline Ownership ownership aircraft types destinations Albanian Airlines, Albania - - ceased - - - operation in 2011 Bosnia and Government 2 B&H Airlines - 2 ATR 72-212 4 Herzegovina 99.93% Government 4 A319 2 Croatia Croatia Airlines - 12 27 96.22% A320 6 Q400 22 A319 Fully private 47 A320 company Italy Alitalia - 103 12 A321 83 with 24 12 A330 shareholders 10 B777 1 E-190LR Montenegro Government Montenegro - 6 3 E-195LR 13 Airlines 100% 2 Fokker 100 2 A319 Government Slovenia Adria Airways - 10 2 CRJ200LR 23 69.9% 6 CRJ900LR Main indicators of current state of air Austrian Airlines traffic volume (10.9 transport in the Adriatic region are million passengers). It reflects enormous modes traffic flows that represent 2% of change considering a pre-war period (1989) passenger transportation in the world when Yugoslavian JAT alone carried double schedule traffic and 1.5% of the number of passengers than Austrian Airlines. international airports in the world as well as underdeveloped intra-regional connectivity Due to low performance of national airlines, and lack of intercontinental flights (Čavka private sector incursion started in 1997 and Čokorilo, 2015). transposing Albanian Airlines shares to M.A. Kharafi & Sons group. The process Recent territorial fragmentation of the continued in 2008 by its further transposing SEE region resulted in the creation of to Advanced Construction Group (ACG3) new independent States from which each and soon after in 2009 to Azerbaijan based has established its national flag carrier. Turkish Evsen Group of Companies (93%) Cumulative traffic volume of the SEE while 7% remained in ACG. However, it airlines2 (4.4 million passengers) in the year could be stated that mentioned privatisation 2010 was 1.5 times lower than neighbouring was not successful as Albania’s Civil Aviation 2 BH Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Montenegro Аirlines, 3 ACG - Advanced Construction Group Air Serbia (ex. JAT Airways) 346 Čokorilo O. et al. The Role of Air Transport Development in Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion Authority took the decision in November continued in 2008 by Turkish Airlines 2011 to revoke the operating license of acquiring 49 percent of the BH airlines from Albanian Airlines leading to a suspension the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina of flights operated by the company. that lasted until mid 2012 when Turkish Airlines cancelled the agreement with BH Unsuccessful privatisation of public Airlines due to inability of BH Government transport companies in the SEE region to invest in the joint venture. Fig. 1. Indicators of Passenger Traffic Carried by National Airlines in the Adriatic Basin Fig. 1 shows that Alitalia is the leading airline growing market of Middle East. The Adriatic (in terms of passengers) in the Adriatic region has a favourable geo-strategic position region. Albanian Airlines recorded the for attracting