Course Modules

Module 1: Foundations of Air Transport Policy and Economic Regulation

• Evolution of international air transport policy.
• The Chicago Convention and its ongoing relevance.
• Principles of economic regulation in aviation: market access, capacity, pricing.
• Bilateral air services agreements (BASAs) and their impact.
• Liberalization vs. protectionism in air transport.
• Case Study: Analyze the impact of an "open skies" agreement between two countries on their respective aviation markets.

Module 2: Airline Business Models and Competition Policy

• Traditional network carriers vs. low-cost carriers vs. ultra-low-cost carriers.
• Alliances and joint ventures in the airline industry.
• Principles of competition law in air transport.
• Anti-competitive practices and regulatory responses.
• The role of state aid and subsidies in aviation.
• Hands-on Exercise: Evaluate a hypothetical airline merger proposal from a competition policy perspective.

Module 3: Airport Policy, Infrastructure, and Development

• Airport ownership models: public, private, hybrid.
• Airport slot allocation policies and their economic impact.
• Financing airport infrastructure development.
• Regional airport development and connectivity policies.
• Policy challenges of airport capacity constraints.
• Study Tour (Virtual/Video): A virtual tour focusing on a major airport's infrastructure development strategy and its policy drivers.

Module 4: Environmental and Social Aspects of Air Transport Policy 

• Policy responses to aviation noise pollution.
• Addressing aviation's climate change impact: CORSIA, emissions trading schemes.
• Development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) policy.
• Social connectivity and regional development through air transport.
• Aviation's contribution to tourism and trade policies.
• Case Study: Discuss the policy implications of a country's commitment to achieving net-zero aviation emissions by a specific target year.

Module 5: Future Trends and Governance Challenges in Air Transport 

• Policy and regulatory approaches for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS/drones).
• The policy implications of urban air mobility (UAM) and new aircraft technologies.
• Cybersecurity policy in air transport.
• The role of international organizations (e.g., ICAO, IATA, ACI) in policy formulation.
• Global policy harmonization efforts and future governance challenges.
• Final Exercise: Participants propose a national air transport policy framework to address a key future challenge (e.g., sustainable growth, new entrants, digital transformation).