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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 38101

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sanaz Vatankhah

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Guest Editor

Department of International Business, Marketing and Tourism, University of Bedfordshire, Luton LU1 3 JU, UK
Interests: airline/airport marketing and management; airline business models; air transport sustainability; tourism and air transport

Dr. Pavlos Arvanitis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of International Business, Marketing and Tourism, University of Bedfordshire, Luton LU1 3 JU, UK
Interests: air transport and tourism; air transport and cruise; airports and regional development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The air transport industry is currently facing a strong challenge to implement sustainability through various initiatives implemented by airlines, airports and service providers at national and international levels. These initiatives are even more challenging to achieve following the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused increased inflationary pressures, increased energy costs and geopolitical changes around the world. At the same time, the air transport industry is a strong facilitator for the mobility of people and goods, including tourism, with over 60% of international tourists arriving at their destination by air. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), with a vision to be implemented by 2030, have been welcomed by numerous stakeholders of the aviation industry in a bid to effectively address sustainability challenges. In such an intense market environment, it is deemed necessary for air transport actors to invest in remedial solutions to develop in a sustainable manner.

The focus of this Special Issue is to address current and future developments toward the sustainable development of the air transport industry. The scope of this Special Issue welcomes multi- and interdisciplinary approaches in the field, as the sector itself is very diverse and broad. The Special Issue welcomes submissions in the indicative categories below:

Smart airlines/airports;
Responsible passenger behavior;
Alternative aviation fuels, such as biofuel;
Zero carbon, zero net energy, and zero waste;
Green airline/airport management and assessment;
Airline/airport sustainability management and reporting;
Digital transformation in aviation sustainability;
Sustainability of airline business models (e.g., LCCs, FSNCs);
Technology management for sustainable development;
Sustainability transition;
Sustainable supply chain in air transport management;
Green leadership/HRM in air transport management;
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in air transport management ;
COVID-19 and sustainability challenges for air transport management;
Air transport management and the SDGs;
Case studies.

Dr. Sanaz Vatankhah
Dr. Pavlos Arvanitis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Carbon Footprint Negative Effects for Nature in International Traveling

by Larbi Safaa, Ahmet Atalay, Daiva Makutėnienė, Dalia Perkumienė and Imane El Bouazzaoui

Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12510; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612510 - 17 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3049

Abstract

Human travels are considered the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions, and climate change is considered the most important part of this problem. On the other hand, the tourism sector is one of the sectors that facilitates intense human mobility and travel. The aim of this research is to estimate the carbon footprint of aircraft and road transportation due to international and domestic touristic trips to Marrakech/Morocco between 2010 and 2018. In this research, the preferred means of transportation and the distances traveled by the tourists who visited Marrakech/Morocco between 2010 and 2018 were used as a data set. Carbon footprint calculations were made according to each transportation vehicle preference. The total carbon footprint was calculated at the same time. In general, the average 9-year carbon footprint of touristic trips to Morocco from different parts of the world has been found to be 7148.90 tons in total. The per capita carbon footprint of all visitors from different countries of the world has been determined as 0.416 kg. However, tourism, due to its transport intensity, particularly air transport, is a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. It should be taken into account in the definition of climate policies following the Paris Agreement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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26 pages, 2219 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Passengers’ Preferences and Impact of High-Speed Rail on Air Transport Demand

by Asep Yayat Nurhidayat, Hera Widyastuti, Sutikno and Dwi Phalita Upahita

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3060; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043060 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5166

Abstract

The new high-speed rail (HSR) routes are expected to have a large impact on air transport demand. In some cases, HSR can be a complementary mode to air transport. However, a number of studies have pointed out that HSR can have a negative impact on air transport demand. Various approaches have been used to model mode choice behaviour, such as the discreet choice model, logistic regression and the analytical hierarchy process. OLS and MLE are two methods that are commonly used for parameter estimations. However, these approaches have some limitations. This study aims to understand the travel behaviour, mode choice model, travel variables and the impact of HSR operation on air transport demand through a systematic literature review. This study explores various approaches that are used to model mode choice and identify possible alternative approaches to overcome the limitations of current methods. The key variables that influence mode choice and the impact of HSR operation are elaborated in this study. Several points can be concluded from the analysis of the literature, such as: (1) the operation speed set by HSR should be reliable to enable it to compete with airplane travel time; (2) the model to represent mode choice behaviour should be derived from a suitable analysis method and Bayesian method is one of the alternatives for the parameter estimation; (3) there are various variables that are yet to be included in the current mode choice models, and they can be further explored to better present the needs of the customers; and (4) the impact of HSR operation on airplane travel demand, explained by previous studies, can be used as a reference for the policy maker in implementing transport projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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21 pages, 30098 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Meta-Heuristic Solver with Parallel Genetic Algorithm Framework in Airline Crew Scheduling

by Weihao Ouyang and Xiaohong Zhu

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1506; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021506 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2151

Abstract

Airline crew scheduling is a very important part of the operational planning of commercial airlines, but it is a linear integer programming problem with multi-constraints. Traditionally, the airline crew scheduling problem is determined by solving the crew pairing problem (CPP) and the crew rostering problem (CRP), sequentially. In this paper, we propose a new heuristic solver based on the parallel genetic algorithm and an innovative crew scheduling algorithm, which improves traditional crew scheduling by integrating CPP and CRP into a single problem. The innovative scheduling method includes a global heuristic search and an adjustment for flights and crew so as to realize crew scheduling. The parallel genetic algorithm is used to divide the population into multiple threads for parallel calculation and to optimize the randomly generated flight sequence to maximize the number of flights that meet the crew configuration. Compared with the genetic algorithm, CPLEX and Gurobi, it shows high optimization efficiency, with a time reduction of 16.57–85.82%. The experiment shows that our crew utilization ratio is higher than that for traditional solvers, achieving almost 44 flights per month, with good scalability and stability in both 206 and 13,954 flight datasets, and can better manage airline crew scheduling in times of crew scarcity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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15 pages, 1394 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of the Aviation Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Industry in Northeast Asian Countries: A Suggestion for the Development of Korea’s MRO Industry

by Seungju Nam, Sejong Choi, Georgia Edell, Amartya De and Woon-Kyung Song

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021159 - 7 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 8975

Abstract

Aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) has become more important to the air transport industry during the pandemic since it plays a crucial role in improving safety, ensuring profitability, and achieving sustainability in the industry. The growth of the Northeast Asian MRO market is forecasted to be remarkable, making the region the next MRO powerhouse. This study investigates the MRO industry in Northeast Asian countries (China, Japan, and Korea) to gain insights for strategical development of the industry. SWOT analysis was used to understand external macro-environment and internal conditions comprehensively, with comparative analysis then performed to find each country’s competitiveness. SWOT analysis of the external environment of the aviation MRO industry in Northeast Asia finds opportunities from increased competition in the air transport industry and technological development and threats caused by aircraft advancements (less scheduled maintenance checks) and a limited workforce. Internal conditions are analyzed using six factors: cost, workforce, geographic presence, quality with shorter turnaround time, technological advancement, and certification. The results indicate that Korea’s MRO industry has strong human resources but weak technological capabilities. The competitive advantage of the Chinese MRO industry stems from both a large number of aircraft and lower costs. While Japan possesses superior MRO technology, high labor costs reduce their industrial competitiveness. Based on a comparative analysis, this study provides strategic insights into the improvements that can be made in the Korean MRO industry. Since composite MRO of newer aircraft presents a small technological gap which can be overcome with high-quality human resources, Korea should focus its resources and policies on promoting the composite MRO industry due to its high growth potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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19 pages, 3079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yield Management—A Sustainable Tool for Airline E-Commerce: Dynamic Comparative Analysis of E-Ticket Prices for Romanian Full-Service Airline vs. Low-Cost Carriers

by Manuela Rozalia Gabor, Mihaela Kardos and Flavia Dana Oltean

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15150; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215150 - 15 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3625

Abstract

For many years, the air travel market has been one of the most regulated sectors in economy. The airline industry was fast-growing until the COVID pandemic. However, it is still a main business sector considered by economists and policymakers highly competitive. Air transport has specific features contributing to the final price of a travel ticket and differentiating airline companies. The aim of this paper is to analyze if the concept of yield management is applied by the Romanian national full-service airline TAROM and to highlight which criteria could be used for evaluating airline companies, the differences between a full-service carrier (FSC) and a low-cost carrier (LCC) model, and the types of pricing techniques used by airline companies, of which consumers could take advantage. The methodology is based on the dynamic pricing analysis by a continuous online simulation method for the Romanian full-service carrier and two low-cost carriers. The research results confirm that for the investigated companies, yield management involves strategic control of available resources meaning to sell the product to the right customer at the right time for the right price and thus fill in a gap in international research. Being extremely competitive and customer-oriented, airline companies serve as an example for other businesses in which yield management can be applied. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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19 pages, 2214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A System Dynamics Model of Multi-Airport Logistics System under the Impact of COVID-19: A Case of Jing-Jin-Ji Multi-Airport System in China

by Bing Zhao and Hao Wu

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12823; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912823 - 8 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2497

Abstract

The development of a multi-airport logistics system (MLS) is closely linked to factors such as regional economy, international and domestic trade, competitive synergies between airports, and the impact of unforeseen events such as the COVID-19 outbreak. There are various causal relationships and feedback loops within the MLS, and it is always in a dynamic state of change, so it is ideal to use a system dynamics model to depict the MLS. Taking the Jing-Jin-Ji MLS as an example, a system dynamics model consisting of an economy subsystem, a trade subsystem, and an airport cluster subsystem is constructed, and the sustainable development of the MLS is studied by simulating three pandemic scenarios with different impact levels. At the same time, different policy simulations and sensitivity analyses are used to find effective strategies to enhance the sustainable development of the Jing-Jin-Ji MLS. The results can provide an effective method for forecasting air cargo volumes in the MLS under the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a basis for the relevant departments to formulate policies for the development of the MLS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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22 pages, 2085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Airport Sustainability Awareness: A Theoretical Framework

by Ahmed Eid, May Salah, Mahmoud Barakat and Matevz Obrecht

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 11921; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141911921 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6898

Abstract

Recently, society has had a growing concern about the sustainability of airports in social, economic, and environmental terms and a perception that stakeholders have not adequately addressed this concern. The importance of sustainability awareness, especially in the airport sector, has recently increased as its operations increase greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption and cause other environmental issues. Hence, applying sustainable airport practices can allow airports to improve their economic and social effects and reduce their harmful environmental impact. In response to the growing concern regarding the quality of sustainability practices, this paper aims to allow researchers to investigate airport sustainability awareness (ASA) by studying the relationship between airport sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of airport sustainability practices and illustrating the gap in the literature on the related topics through a systematic review. Additionally, the study provides a bibliometric method to examine the keywords’ relation. The results focus on developing a theoretical framework to investigate ASA and reveal the need to investigate the relationship between knowledge and attitude to improve sustainable behavior for achieving sustainable development goals. This contributes to the literature gap regarding ASA. The research limitations are open issues for future researchers to promote sustainability awareness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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21 pages, 2292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling and Feature Analysis of Air Traffic Complexity Propagation

by Hongyong Wang, Ping Xu and Fengwei Zhong

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11157; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811157 - 6 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1952

Abstract

Air traffic complexity, an essential attribute of air traffic situation, is the main driving force of workload for air-traffic controllers and is the key to achieving refined air traffic control. The existing air traffic complexity studies are based on static network, ignoring the dynamic evolution of between-aircraft proximity relations. Research on such evolution course and propagation characteristics will help to comprehensively explore the mechanisms of complexity formation. Herein, an air traffic complexity propagation research method based on temporal networking and disease propagation modeling is proposed. First, a temporal network is built with aircraft as nodes and between-aircraft proximity relations as edges. Second, the disease propagation model is introduced to simulate the evolution course of between-aircraft proximity relations, and the propagation model is solved using Runge–Kutta algorithm and particle swarm optimization. Third, based on the solved results of the propagation model, the aircraft are divided into three groups with high, medium, and low propagation capability, respectively. Finally, the effects of different factors on the propagation course are analyzed using multivariate linear regression. Real data validation shows the propagation of high-propagation capability aircraft is significantly affected by duration, and the temporal-correlation coefficient. The propagation of medium-propagation capability aircraft is significantly affected by duration and the clustering degree. By adjusting the influencing factors, the air traffic complexity propagation process can be effectively controlled. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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16 pages, 1256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Air Cargo on Regional Economic Development: Evidence from Chinese Cities

by Jun Zhou, Liang Leng and Xiaofa Shi

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10336; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610336 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2169

Abstract

This study explored the impact of the air cargo industry on the regional economy by regressing panel data for 91 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2019. By using the total employment and the employment of the 19 sub-industries as indicators of regional economic development, results show that only the growth of employment in the manufacturing sector is significantly and positively associated with the growth of air cargo volume. This study then explores the heterogeneity of the impact of air cargo on manufacturing employment in different types of cities by using a dummy variable interaction term and finds that in terms of the elasticity of growth of air cargo on manufacturing employment, southwest, and northwest regions are significantly higher than other regions, inland cities are significantly higher than coastal port cities, and major gateway cities are significantly lower than non-major gateway cities. Our research shows that air cargo development can lead to manufacturing industry clustering, while air cargo infrastructure development is more important for the economic development of inland regions and secondary gateway cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Air Transport Management)

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