Abstract
The previous chapter discussed the role of road freight transport in Europe, and this chapter complements the analysis of Europe’s freight markets. This chapter aims to examine (1) the close relationship between the type of trade of the EU and airfreight demand in recent years and (2) the growth-inducing effects of airfreight activities on the airport. The third aim is to scan patterns in future threats of air cargo firms (i.e. the limits to growth of airfreight volume) through the analysis among airfreight volume, firm strategy and environment (CO2 emissions pathways). Airfreight transport has grown on an annual average of 4% in 1980–2017 in Europe’s 28 member states (EUMS28); however, the sector faces limits of airport expansion and of high fossil fuel dependency.
Results show that (1) the type of trade will continue to raise the demand for airfreight within the EU: high-tech trade will be enhancing the volume of airfreight, (2) better connectivity and higher population density explain the success of ever higher airfreight flows and (3) the scanning exercise presented guides the sector on potential courses of action. The study is based on data on (a) the location of logistics firms across North-West Europe, (b) airfreight trends (including exports and imports) of 1970–2010 in Europe, and (c) disaggregated airfreight movements of EU 28 nations at the regional level. The evidence also shows the airfreight sector increasingly integrates supply chains, through expansion strategies of transport firms, enabling air cargo flows and cities to grow. Airfreight incubates economic activities and shapes the logistics firms’ spatial behaviour. This transport mode raises profit levels of logistics’ firms. The cumulative result of hub-spoke networks, in North-West Europe, is to increase the supply chains’ connectivity and to alter the geography of airfreight in years 1990–2011 via broader hubs.
Finally in the imagined future of airfreight, five key megatrends will determine the growth of airfreight. First, the airfreight industry keeps on growing along with the demand for speedy delivery of goods. Second, airfreight should consider actions on stricter CO2 limits. Third, airfreight faces a trade-off between the benefits of speed and achieving a global climate agreement; the latter will force societies to choose to reduce airfreight activity. Fourth, the analysis determines which events and signals need attention and which of these are most important.
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Notes
- 1.
MTOW: Maximum take off weight.
- 2.
The fordist system is the economic model that prevailed in Western countries during the post WW II era until the 70’s. It was based on the Welfare State, a regulated economy and on a the constant growth of wages, financed by a) constant gains in productivity, b) reducing production costs and c) by the expansion of both of mass consumption and of the middle class.
- 3.
Overview of the freight and mail air transport by country and airports database, Eurostat website, epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu, statistics database section.
- 4.
Radiative forcing is the change in the energy balance of the earth atmosphere system in watts per square meter (W m−2); a positive forcing implies a net warming of the earth and a negative value implies cooling (Babikian et al. 2002).
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Acknowledgements
Dr. M. Strale (Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) contributed towards this chapter with maps and literature sources. J. Navarro (UNAM, IIEC) edited the text and updated tables and graphs.
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Bonilla, D. (2020). The Strategic Role of Airfreight, Trade and the Airport: Evidence from Europe. In: Air Power and Freight . SpringerBriefs in Energy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27783-3_4
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