ABSTRACT
The wave of competition laws enacted in Europe during the late 1940s and 1950s reflected a view of competition as a process of striving and rivalry. US anti-trust regulation has focused on attempts by the monopolist to garner or strengthen market power by excluding potential or actual competitors from competing on the market place. The customer base is an important element of market power for aircraft manufacturers since there is at least to some extent a lock-in effect for customers once their initial choice of aircraft is made. Abuse of shared dominant positions may have many unfavourable consequences for the economy as a whole, including the final consumer. For an undertaking to have sufficient market power to justify intervention, it must be shown that it has had that power over a sufficient period of time. ATR would increase its share of the overall worldwide commuter market of 20 to 70 seats from around 30 % to around 50 %.
