ABSTRACT
Air transport networks are an integral and integrated part of any modern society. Economists consider that in the short term the demand for air transport services is a derived demand. To facilitate improved efficiency in air transport supply there has been a trend towards greater market liberalization over the past twenty years. Medium term forecasts of international passenger traffic from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conducted in 2002 and deploying a Delphi method of analysis to elicit the views of some 280 airline officials. Longer-term forecasting of air transport markets, even of broad trends, is inevitably difficult. In effect the approach involves some fairly complex extrapolations to produce its predictions. Quantitatively the economic impacts of having good air transport access depend primarily both on the time frame examined and the geographical space under review. Because of the quality of the service offered, to meet particular consignor needs, air cargo serves a number of key functions.
