Dr Cathal Guiomard from DCU Business School has co-authored a new book on the economics of airports called Airport Economics. The book is aimed at industry leaders, policymakers and academics and students and was co-written with Prof Peter Forsyth from Monash University and Prof Hans-Martin Niemeier from Bremen University of Applied Sciences. Dr Guiomard is an Assistant Professor in aviation management at DCU Business School. He chairs the programme board of the BSc in Aviation Management.
Airport Economics explores the ways economic theory relates to aviation and the airport industry today, examining the underlying economics of airports through a wide range of topics, from passenger and cargo demand and the pricing of infrastructure to economic regulation, efficient performance and environmental impact. The book focuses on how to get the best value out of an airport in terms of how well it serves the needs of passengers and international shippers and looks at how potential regulatory changes could improve efficiency and service in the future.
The book explains how charges at different airports vary and explains how airports have been regulated and assesses how well the regulatory structures have performed. It examines the problems of limited capacity at airports and how this can be resolved through slots and charging systems. It also considers the environmental impacts of airports and the issues these pose for managers, from the long-standing problems of airport noise to the growing recognition of the impacts of air transport on climate change and the roles airports play in mitigating these consequences.
Speaking about the book, Dr Guiomard said, “Airports have large benefits and large costs. They are an essential part of the wider air transport industry – connecting countries, people and businesses, supporting economic activity and expanding international trade. But the unwelcome effects of airports, in the form of noise, lower air quality and greenhouse gas emissions are too large because they are mostly not charged to the passengers and shippers whose journeys give rise to them. This book analyses these and other aspects of airports, considers the policies that would get the best from this infrastructure, and recommends reforms where current policies are deficient.”
The book can be purchased here.
