Evolution of Aviation Network: Global Airport Connectivity Index since 2006, Impact of COVID-19 and Future Research

Abstract: This talk has 3 parts: First, I’ll briefly talk about a “Global Airport Connectivity Index” (GACI) that Tommy Cheung, Collin Wong and I proposed, which combines degree, closeness and eigenvector topological indicators and two new volumetric indicators. We find faster passenger growth for larger airports that have improved in GACI. While America and North Asia focused on regional hub developments, serving short- to medium-haul routes, West Europe, South East Asia and Middle East focused on developing their major airports into global hubs. Our analysis shows that increasing GACI improves an airport’s competitive position and gives rise to increased influence over other airports. Second, I’ll discuss two applications of GACI: i) the impacts of COVID-19, and ii) assessment of new air routes. Finally, I’ll discuss further issues in this line of research.

Short biography: Anming Zhang is a Professor in Operations and Logistics and holds Vancouver International Airport Authority Chair Professor in Air Transportation at Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia.  He is the President of the World Air Transport Research Society (ATRS) and was, in 2020, the President of Transportation and Public Utilities Group (TPUG) of American Economic Association. Prof. Zhang has published widely in the areas of transportation and industrial organization.  He is the recipient of the “Yokohama Special Prize for Outstanding Young Researcher” awarded at the 7th World Conference on Transportation Research (WCTR) in Sydney, Australia in 1995, and of the Best Paper Prize at the International Transport Economics Association (ITEA) Conference on Transportation Economics, Toulouse, France in 2014.  Currently, he is also in the Executive Committees of WCTR and ITEA, Associate Editor of Transportation Research Part A and the Co Editor-in-Chief of Transport Economics and Management (TEAM).