The geography of non-integrated cargo airlines: an international study

This paper identifies the primary factors influencing the airport choice of non-integrated cargo airlines within regions. This paper uses a staged method approach utilizing an international postal survey of cargo airports, together with follow-up interviews and identifies 15 factors which typically influence the decision of which airport to locate. It was found that each of these 15 factors are related to either geography, return (cost and demand) or certainty (the desire to lower economic risk) and that ultimately the final decision is profit motivated. These factors are used as an explanation as to why non-integrated carriers prefer major gateway airports in contrast to their integrated counterparts.