IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jaitra/v122y2025ics0969699724001753.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining airport agility at air cargo hub airports

Author

Listed:
  • Hong, Seock-Jin
  • Kim, Woongyi
  • Hiatt, Brian

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted nearly every aspect of airport operations, highlighting the importance of airport agility. Due to its importance, it is crutial for us to understand the role of agility at airports prior to and during unexpected disruptions. We investigated airport agility for air cargo hub airports using a structural equation model, particularly at Incheon International Airport (ICN). This study uses 27 variables to evaluate the agility of the air cargo business for a hub airport. We find that digital transformation, flight services, information sharing, and accessibility enhance the agility of air cargo hub airports. The survey shows that air cargo experts perceive ICN airport as having satisfactory agile response capabilities. Agility is essential to resilience, which will deliver a competitive advantage and aid the long-term prosperity of the air cargo business. Airports must collaborate to share, align, and improve their collective resilience to improve the productivity and performance of air cargo hubs. Developing innovative airport models enabled by new technologies, such as digital transformation, increases the efficiency and agility of the airport. The ICN's strategy as an air cargo hub airport is responsive to customer needs to mitigate disruptions through digitalization, offering value-added services with adaptability. The application of digitalization improves the airport's agility and efficiency and mitigates uncertainty in the air cargo industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Hong, Seock-Jin & Kim, Woongyi & Hiatt, Brian, 2025. "Examining airport agility at air cargo hub airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaitra:v:122:y:2025:i:c:s0969699724001753
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2024.102710
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969699724001753
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2024.102710?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lotti, Raoni & Caetano, Mauro, 2018. "The airport choice of exporters for fruit from Brazil," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 104-112.
    2. Reynolds-Feighan, Aisling & McLay, Peter, 2006. "Accessibility and attractiveness of European airports: A simple small community perspective," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 313-323.
    3. Adler, Nicole & Berechman, Joseph, 2001. "Measuring airport quality from the airlines' viewpoint: an application of data envelopment analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 171-181, July.
    4. Hong, Seock-Jin & Choi, Dongho & Chae, Junjae, 2020. "Exploring different airport users’ service quality satisfaction between service providers and air travelers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    5. Armstrong, J. Scott & Overton, Terry S., 1977. "Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys," MPRA Paper 81694, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Zhang, Anming, 2003. "Analysis of an international air-cargo hub: the case of Hong Kong," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 123-138.
    7. Niine, Tarvo & Kolbre, Ene & Miina, Aleksandr, 2017. "Enablers and constraints of peripheral air cargo – A case study of Estonia," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 106-114.
    8. Yang, Jie, 2014. "Supply chain agility: Securing performance for Chinese manufacturers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 104-113.
    9. Adenigbo, Joseph Adedotun, 2016. "Factors influencing cargo agents choice of operations in Abuja airport, Nigeria," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 113-119.
    10. Hwang, Cherng-Chwan & Shiao, Guo-Chou, 2011. "Analyzing air cargo flows of international routes: an empirical study of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 738-744.
    11. Gillen, David & Lall, Ashish, 1997. "Developing measures of airport productivity and performance: an application of data envelopment analysis," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 261-273, December.
    12. Purtell, Clinton & Hong, Seock-Jin & Hiatt, Brian, 2024. "Bibliometric analysis on advanced air mobility and drones," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    13. Hong, Seock-Jin & Randall, Wesley & Han, Keunsoo & Malhan, Amit Sundeep, 2018. "Estimation viability of dedicated freighter aircraft of combination carriers: A data envelopment and principal component analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 12-20.
    14. Yeo, Gi-Tae & Wang, Ying & Chou, Chien-Chang, 2013. "Evaluating the competitiveness of the aerotropolises in East Asia," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 24-31.
    15. Seock-Jin Hong & Minjun Jeon, 2019. "The Technical Efficiency of French Regional Airports and Low-Cost Carrier Terminals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-15, September.
    16. Gardiner, John & Ison, Stephen, 2008. "The geography of non-integrated cargo airlines: an international study," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 55-62.
    17. Van Asch, Thomas & Dewulf, Wouter & Kupfer, Franziska & Cárdenas, Ivan & Van de Voorde, Eddy, 2020. "Cross-border e-commerce logistics – Strategic success factors for airports," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    18. Kupfer, Franziska & Kessels, Roselinde & Goos, Peter & Van de Voorde, Eddy & Verhetsel, Ann, 2016. "The origin–destination airport choice for all-cargo aircraft operations in Europe," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 53-74.
    19. Matsumoto, Hidenobu & Domae, Koji, 2019. "Assessment of competitive hub status of cities in Europe and Asia from an international air traffic perspective," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 88-95.
    20. Hooper, P.G & Hensher, D.A, 1997. "Measuring total factor productivity of airports-- an index number approach," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 249-259, December.
    21. Gardiner, John & Ison, Stephen & Humphreys, Ian, 2005. "Factors influencing cargo airlines’ choice of airport: An international survey," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 11(6), pages 393-399.
    22. Youngjin Yoo & Ola Henfridsson & Kalle Lyytinen, 2010. "Research Commentary ---The New Organizing Logic of Digital Innovation: An Agenda for Information Systems Research," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 724-735, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Van Asch, Thomas & Dewulf, Wouter & Kupfer, Franziska & Cárdenas, Ivan & Van de Voorde, Eddy, 2020. "Cross-border e-commerce logistics – Strategic success factors for airports," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    2. Tanrıverdi, Gökhan & Ecer, Fatih & Durak, Mehmet Şahin, 2022. "Exploring factors affecting airport selection during the COVID-19 pandemic from air cargo carriers’ perspective through the triangular fuzzy Dombi-Bonferroni BWM methodology," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    3. Mayer, Robert, 2016. "Airport classification based on cargo characteristics," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 53-65.
    4. Chao, Ching-Cheng & Yu, Po-Cheng, 2013. "Quantitative evaluation model of air cargo competitiveness and comparative analysis of major Asia-Pacific airports," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 318-326.
    5. Yu, Ming-Miin, 2010. "Assessment of airport performance using the SBM-NDEA model," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 440-452, December.
    6. Oum, Tae H. & Yan, Jia & Yu, Chunyan, 2008. "Ownership forms matter for airport efficiency: A stochastic frontier investigation of worldwide airports," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 422-435, September.
    7. Tsui, Wai Hong Kan & Fung, Michael Ka Yiu, 2016. "Analysing passenger network changes: The case of Hong Kong," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-11.
    8. Wang, Zhanwei & Song, Woon-Kyung, 2020. "Sustainable airport development with performance evaluation forecasts: A case study of 12 Asian airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    9. Randrianarisoa, Laingo Manitra & Bolduc, Denis & Choo, Yap Yin & Oum, Tae Hoon & Yan, Jia, 2015. "Effects of corruption on efficiency of the European airports," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 65-83.
    10. Tae Hoon Oum & Katsuhiro Yamaguchi & Yuichiro Yoshida, 2011. "Efficiency Measurement Theory and its Application to Airport Benchmarking," Chapters, in: André de Palma & Robin Lindsey & Emile Quinet & Roger Vickerman (ed.), A Handbook of Transport Economics, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Matsumoto, Hidenobu & Domae, Koji, 2019. "Assessment of competitive hub status of cities in Europe and Asia from an international air traffic perspective," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 88-95.
    12. Lim, Siew Hoon & Karanki, Fecri, 2020. "Airport use agreement types and input and output slacks: The case of U.S. airports," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    13. Sarkis, Joseph & Talluri, Srinivas, 2004. "Performance based clustering for benchmarking of US airports," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 329-346, June.
    14. Oum, Tae H. & Adler, Nicole & Yu, Chunyan, 2006. "Privatization, Corporatization, Ownership Forms and their Effects on the Performance of the World’s Major Airports," 47th Annual Transportation Research Forum, New York, New York, March 23-25, 2006 208026, Transportation Research Forum.
    15. Güner, Samet & Cebeci, Halil İbrahim & Antunes, Jorge Junio Moreira & Wanke, Peter F., 2021. "Sustainable efficiency drivers in Eurasian airports: Fuzzy NDEA approach based on Shannon's entropy," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    16. Lotti, Raoni & Caetano, Mauro, 2018. "The airport choice of exporters for fruit from Brazil," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 104-112.
    17. KUPFER, Franziska & KESSELS, Roselinde & GOOS, Peter & VAN DE VOORDE, Eddy & VERHETSEL, Ann, 2013. "A discrete choice approach for analysing the airport choice for freighter operations in Europe," Working Papers 2013028, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    18. Yuan, Xue-Ming & Low, Joyce M.W. & Ching Tang, Loon, 2010. "Roles of the airport and logistics services on the economic outcomes of an air cargo supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(2), pages 215-225, October.
    19. KIyIldI, R. Koray & Karasahin, M., 2008. "The capacity analysis of the check-in unit of Antalya Airport using the fuzzy logic method," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 610-619, May.
    20. Voltes-Dorta, Augusto & Pagliari, Romano, 2012. "The impact of recession on airports' cost efficiency," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 211-222.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jaitra:v:122:y:2025:i:c:s0969699724001753. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-air-transport-management/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.