The regulation of modern civil aviation can be traced back to the later
years of the Second World War. An intense debate about the future
regulatory regime resulted in a compromise which to this day essentially
dictates the structure of the global airline industry. Further progress
towards 'normalising' the industry appears to be slowing down, and
perhaps even going into reverse. Without an understanding of the
development of regulation, it is not possible to understand fully the
industry's current problems and how they might be resolved.
Many books have been written about the development of international air
transport, covering deregulation, privatisation, the emergence of new
business models among other things, but few if any have taken a broad
view of the trends which have determined the industry's current
structure. The Regulation of Air Transport charts the development of
aviation from the end of the Second World War to the present day,
following the key trends and disruptive forces. It provides an overview
of what has determined the industry's current structure, the problems
still facing the industry and the ways in which it could develop in the
future.
This wide-ranging study is important reading for both professionals and
academics within the aviation field, as well as anyone interested in the
broader development of economic regulation.