Development of Regional Airports in EU

This paper describes how a suitable development of regional airports in large areas, such as continental areas, can be obtained if there are appropriate polices addressed to achieve this goal. In the specific case of the European Union (EU), some specific programs at the European level, such as the Single European Sky and the Trans-European Network Programs, will have many implications for the development of regional airports as well as the relationships between regional airports and low-cost carriers. Regional airports can play an important role in reducing congestion peaks at main airports, particularly in the light of an integrated transport network where many modes coexist and can integrate or substitute each other. Particularly, high-speed rail can improve the airport accessibility by increasing its catchment area or represent an alternative to the air mode.