Hub-based network analysis and change in the US air transport system

Abstract

The paper examines air traffic patterns among US domestic scheduled airlines in January 2006 and January 2011, using data on carrier schedules. The author classifies carriers into nine groups. The 25 largest airports are organised into a scheme for hub classification based on the carrier groups serving the airports and their allocated flight frequencies. Counts, sums, percentage shares and changes in these calculations between 2006 and 2011 are presented in a small number of tables. The author then draws inferences from the patterns emerging from this analysis.