Łukasz  Olipra

Wroclaw University of Economics

 Poland

lukasz.olipra@ue.wroc.pl

Analysis of business traffic at Wroclaw Airport - implications for economic development of the city and the region

Wojciech  Augustyniak

Poznan University of Economics

 Poland

 w.augustyniak@ue.poznan.pl

ABSTRACT. The aim of this article is to investigate the significance of an airport and air transport links for economic development of a city and/or a region on the case study of business traffic at Wrocław Airport. The authors try to identify implications of air transport for economic development of the given city and region and list conclusions useful for regional and local decision-makers responsible for regional and local development policy, The analysis is based on primary and original data gathered in the survey carried out in two rounds among passengers departing from Wrocław Airport (spring and summer of 2014). Analysis of the structure of business passengers group by destinations and types of an airline (network carriers, low-cost or regional carriers) indicated significant importance of network carriers for business passengers. The role of regional carrier should also be noted. Counterfactual analysis proved that consider- able number of business passengers would not come to Wroclaw at all if there were no flight connection.

Received: July, 2015

1st Revision: September, 2015

Accepted: December, 2015

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2015/8-3/14

JEL Classification: L93, O18, O21, R11, R41

Keywords: air transport, airport, regional and local development, business trips, counter- factual analysis