Strategic reactions of regional airports facing competition from the high-speed train: Lessons from France

Abstract

The development of a high-speed train network in Europe has been one of the major threats to regional airports. While intermodal airports have benefited from such an evolution, regional airports have seen a considerable reduction in traffic, mainly due to the diminution of feeding flights to the national hub. When facing such a challenge, regional airports can implement several strategies to maintain their growth. The first strategy relies on developing a transverse network which would allow airlines to avoid any frontal competition with the train; the second involves developing feeding flights with other hubs in order to reduce dependence on the national airline. Some final remarks are given to help airport managers to apply such strategies soundly.