The Routledge Companion to Air Transport Management

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The global airline industry

John F. O’Connell

Introduction

Over the past century, commercial aviation has shaped the world by growing economic prosperity, stimulating trade, and cultivating tourism development, while its relative affordability in more recent times has allowed it to become an integral part of many people’s lifestyles. Every day throughout the world, over 9 million passengers travel on 104,000 flights over a network of 51,000 routes, while US$17.5 billion worth of goods are transported to industry and homes. Aviation’s global economic impact (direct, indirect, induced and tourism catalytic) is estimated at US$2.7 trillion, equivalent to 3.5 per cent of world gross domestic product (GDP) (ATAG, 2016; IATA, 2016a). The airline ...