The idea was to integrate this activity into their knowhow

Competition has long been absent from the reflections of the airport world, their operation under the control of a "natural monopoly". This perception has lived with the liberalisation of air transport, traffic increases and the arrival of new companies... Competition burst into "the airport" since the 1990s and recorded expressly by the Community authorities.

Cargo traffic

Competition between platforms is promoted very early in the cargo traffic. Thus, the first participation of ADP in a company of private law at the beginning of the 1970s is its motivation. The leaders of the time were observed that cargo destined for Amsterdam had landed at the airport of Toulouse, having regard to the application of lower rates of royalties, and trucked to its final destination. They have benefited from the application of charterers who wanted to see to improve the airport offer to take foot in the shareholder structure which would be put in place (France Handling). The idea was to integrate this activity into their know-how... Since the competition between airports was proven on this segment. Recent reflections on this issue fully confirmed these indications, insisting on the reactivity of the sector airport rates, freight being landed at the airport that offers the most interesting conditions. Thus sustained pressure is not negligible because the part of the cargo on Multipurpose airports traffic may exceed 15 of passenger traffic, value increasing with the evolution of the economy of the air transport. Moreover, these airports may face competition from platforms specialising in cargo traffic (Vatry, for example).

The hubs

The evolution of air transport has been marked by the formation of alliances between companies organizing around the hubs on major infrastructure. This policy was adopted by Air France in 1996, in particular on ADP. It has developed beaches of matches enriched by the arrival of new allies on the site, pay strategy: 46.3 of the number of passengers on Roissy 2 for the first two years of its operation. The speed of this growth and technical organization that she assumes is possible only if airport policy places itself at the service of this option. This phenomenon brings back specifically to competition between airports. Indeed, the competition between companies (and alliances) for joint efficient involves the comparison of Airport offers, their location is not decisive when it comes to base a gateway to a continent (many roads are possible to reach the same destination that it interferes with a long-haul trip). Once accepted, the hub airport deals with an important transit traffic: it represents 35 to 50 of traffic to major infrastructure, thus subject segment to the competitive pressure.

Airline logistics

If one leaves matches organization to focus on the logistics of the airlines problem, they need to establish maintenance sites and there base some aircraft for the Organization of their traffic. There also the competition is real, as illustrated by the low-cost companies strategies. When Ryanair chose to Charleroi airport's logistics base in continental Europe, it has implemented competition sites. His choice has focused on the airport that he was offered the most advantageous conditions (via grants and rebates in part condemned by Europe).

Author of a thesis entitled entitled: "Commercial airports between administered economy and market economy - Legal Aspects of a mutation" (University of Bordeaux IV - February 2006, under publication), nad.granier wanadoo.fr.