Analysis of the Chinese Airline Network as multi-layer networks

• Published in: Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review Vol. 89; pp. 108 - 116
• Main Authors: Du, Wen-Bo, Zhou, Xing-Lian, Lordan, Oriol, Wang, Zhen, Zhao, Chen, Zhu, Yan-Bo
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: Exeter Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.05.2016; Elsevier BV; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Air transport network; Airline scheduling; Airlines; Airlines > China; Airports; China; Chinese Airline Network; Commercial aircraft; Commercial planes; Economia i organització d'empreses; Economia i organització d'empreses [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC]; Encapsulation; k-core decomposition; Logistics; Línies aèries; Multilayers; Network flow problem; Networks; Social networks; Studies; Transportation; Xina; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Economia i organització d'empreses; China; Xina; k-core decomposition; Air transport network; Chinese Airline Network
• ISSN: 1366-5545; 1878-5794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2016.03.009

•The Chinese Airline Network is modelled as multi-layer networks via the k-core decomposition.•The network is divided into three layers: Core layer, Bridge layer and Periphery layer.•Chinese Airline Network is less redundant than the Worldwide Airline Network. This paper encapsulates the Chinese Airline Network (CAN) into multi-layer infrastructures via the “k-core decomposition” method. The network is divided into three layers: Core layer, containing airports of provincial capital cities, is densely connected and sustains most flight flow; Bridge layer, consisting of airports in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, mainly connects two other layers; and Periphery layer, comprising airports of remote areas, sustains little flight flow. Moreover, it is unveiled that CAN stays the most robust when low-degree nodes or high flight flow links are removed, which is similar to the Worldwide Airline Network (WAN), albeit less redundant.