Hierarchies, Regions and Legacies: European Cities and Global Commercial Passenger Air Travel

Air travel has established itself as an integral part of the globalization process and Europe provides a compelling case study on the scope and shape of air travel vis-á-vis globalization. The major goals of this article are twofold: (1) to describe, analyze, and map the distinctive time, cost, and distance features of the air transportation for European cities and (2) to examine how individual European cities are positioned both within a European and a global context. Utilizing unique datasets on world travel, we show that despite its global nature, air travel to and within Europe remains remarkably variegated with both cores and peripheral cities located in relatively close proximity. The longest times and highest costs are associated with European cities in the south and east (particularly former communist countries) while cities in central and northern Europe that are among the cheapest and easiest to reach time-wise. The cost and time of air travel, however, do not adequately illuminate the specific contours of this system vis-á-vis historical and cultural connections. The persistence of colonial empires, are evident in linkages of colonial powers to their former colonies in the Caribbean, Africa, South America and Asia.