In the past decade many major U.S. airports have encountered extensive opposition to plans for future growth and expansion from environmentalists and community groups who cite the noise and air pollution created and the use of increasingly scarce land resources. In an effort to counterbalance these criticisms and highlight the regional benefits the airport provides, several airport authorities have completed economic impact studies which attempt to define the airport's role in the regional economy. In reviewing the airport economic impact studies which have been completed in the past twenty years, it is obvious that a wide range of methodologies have been developed to accomplish the common task of estimating the different elements of airport economic impact. This thesis provides an overview and critical evaluation of the techniques used in past studies to define what is the airport economic impact and how is the impact estimated in the absence of primary data. Three major economic impact categories, primary, direct and induced, provide the framework for analysis. An economic impact case study of Boston's Logan International Airport is presented to provide insight into problems common to all airport economic impact studies and the solutions to these problems in a specific situation. The need for and direction of future research to clarify and define the quantification of the airport/community economic relationships is also recognized and discussed.

This volume examines the role that airports play in economic development and land values, the regulation and economic efficiency of airports, airport pricing and competition, and the role played by airports in influencing airline operations and networks.

Masters Theses in the Pure and Applied Sciences was first conceived, published, and disseminated by the Center for Information and Numerical Data Analysis and Synthesis (CINDAS) * at Purdue University in 1957, starting its coverage of theses with the academic year 1955. Beginning with Volume 13, the printing and dissemination phases of the activity were transferred to University Microfilms/Xerox of Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the thought that such an arrangement would be more beneficial to the academic and general scientific and technical community. After five years of this joint undertaking we had concluded that it was in the interest of all con cerned if the printing and distribution of the volume were handled by an international publishing house to assure improved service and broader dissemination. Hence, starting with Volume 18, Masters Theses in the Pure and Applied Sciences has been disseminated on a worldwide basis by Plenum Publishing Cor poration of New York, and in the same year the coverage was broadened to include Canadian universities. All back issues can also be ordered from Plenum. We have reported in Volume 26 (thesis year 1981) a total of 11 ,048 theses titles from 24 Canadian and 21 8 United States universities. We are sure that this broader base for these titles reported will greatly enhance the value of this important annual reference work. While Volume 26 reports theses submitted in 1981, on occasion, certain univer sities do report theses submitted in previous years but not reported at the time.

The break-up of BAA and the blocked takeover of Bratislava airport by the competing Vienna airport have brought the issue of airport competition to the top of the agenda for air transport policy in Europe. Airport Competition reviews the current state of the debate and asks whether airport competition is strong enough to effectively limit market power. It provides evidence on how travellers chose an airport, thereby altering its competitive position, and on how airports compete in different regions and markets. The book also discusses the main policy implications of mergers and subsidies.

Dated March 2011. A supporting document to Budget 2011 (HC 836, ISBN 9780102971033)