INCREASE IN BUDGET AIRLINES AS A KEY FACTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT KURUMOCH (SAMARA) DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF MACROECONOMIC INSTABILITY
The article shows an analysis of the impact of low-cost airlines in Europe on the passenger air transportation market. The experience of overcoming the consequences of the global financial crisis in 2008 proved that in conditions of macroeconomic instability, there is a significant increase in passenger traffic of low-cost air carriers. This is due to the lower pricing policy compared to classic airlines, as well as the extensive regional route network of budget airlines. Analysis of performance indicators of major airports of Volga Federal District and regional airports of North Caucasian Federal District showed that the presence of budget airlines in the structure of the airports route network continues to be extremely low. Airports of North Caucasian Federal District that are developing cooperation with the "Pobeda" low-cost airline had high passenger flow growth rates in 2018 and 2019. It is a key factor in the airports development. As a result of the research, the author comes to the conclusion that the current route network of international airport Kurumoch (Samara) can be expanded by more than 50% due to short and medium-haul flights that connect Samara with major regional centers of the Volga Federal district, Central Federal district, and Southern Federal district. An increase in passenger flow by 20% due to the development of low-cost airlines will allow Samara airport to become the largest airport in the region. Data on the destinations development of the Hungarian low-cost airline "Wizz Air" shows that the Russian market is promising for foreign budget air carriers.
Keywords: international airport Kurumoch (Samara), regional airports, regional airlines, regional route network, low-cost airlines.
Highlights:
♦ regional passenger air transportation is an important element in the structure of the national passenger air transportation market;
♦ the market growth trend (annual increase in passenger traffic) is due to the growth of passenger flow of regional airports;
♦ low-cost air transportations, as European experience shows, is an important component of the market;
♦ the experience of overcoming the consequences of the global financial crisis in 2008 on the European passenger air transportation market proved the effectiveness of budget airlines development in the context of macroeconomic instability;
♦ the share of budget airlines in the structure of the route network of regional airports in France, Italy and Spain reaches 80%, in Russia - less than 10%, which is extremely low;
♦ the development of low-cost airlines in the structure of the route network of international airport Kurumoch (Samara) can serve as a fundamental factor for growth and development in the context of the 2020 macroeconomic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vladimir V. Rublev, Post-graduate student of the Strategic Planning and Management of Housing and Communal Complex Department of the Institute of Economics and Management of Vladimir State University.