Regionalism in international air transportation--cooperation and competition : papers from an international conference organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, held at the Amman Chamber of Commerce, Amman, Jordan, April 19-21, 1983, under the auspices of Alia, the Royal Jordanian Airline.

Abstract

Preface: Alia: The Royal Jordanian Airline is very pleased to present this collectiont of papers originally presented at the international conference entitled, "Regionalism in International Air Transportation: Cooperation and Competition", held in Amman, Jordan during April 19-21, 1983. Regionalism, a method which ideally, allows groups of nations and airlines to work together efficiently in air transport operations, while competing with other similar groups, has been proposed as a means to help solve many of the problems currently plaguing the airline industry. Regionalism has been practised in the past, with some difficulty and some success, but its many possibilities have yet to be fully explored. Thus, Alia, a commercial air carrier with a long commitment to regional cooperation and progressive thinking, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an academic institution with an international reputation for excellence in the ideas and practical applications relating to modern technologies, decided to cooperate in organizing an international forum for discussion of this important concept. As a result of long and dedicated cooperation between the MIT's Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, its Center for Advanced Engineering Study Seminar Office, Alia staff members and a wide range of local institutions in Amman, the conference was a great success. It was a unique opportunity for senior airline personnel and civil aviation authorities to address the potential of regionalism in commercial, operational and technical areas. As a quick scanning of the list of authors whose papers are published herein demonstrates, the participants, representing 25 different countries, were exposed to past experiences, current activities and conceptual approaches to regionalism by some of the aviation community's most respected thinkers and practitioners. Not reflected within the covers of this book are the equally valuable exchanges of ideas which followed each presentation and the high spirit of exploration which characterised the three-day conference. We were fortunate to have welcomed also eleven journalists representing some of the most prestigious journals in the aviation industry, who produced extensive and thoughtful reports which reached a much wider audience of air transportation professionals. Conference participant evaluations reflected their high satisfaction with program format, content, organization and services. Some 84 percent of those attending the Amman conference expressed interest in a follow-up program on the subject of regionalism. It was most gratifying for Alia to sponsor and host this meeting in Amman, the capital of a small but historic Arab country which has become an important regional commercial and aviation center. Alia has played a crucial role in Jordan's development during the past 20 years, as anticipated by the vision of His Majesty King Hussein, whose interest in aviation and the potential for regional cooperation was demonstrated by his contributions to the conference as both speaker and participant. The regional activities already undertaken by Alia have benefitted from his counsel and encouragement, and we remain committed to seeking new cooperative opportunities. With appreciation for the contributions of all program speakers, for the enthusiastic participation of the registrants, the hard work of the MIT and Alia staff members and the cooperation of many Jordanian institutions, this publication is dedicated to a brighter future for the international aviation industry, in the hope that the potential of regionalism - especially in its coo perative form - will be considered and tested in practice as an idea whose time has come.