National skies in European disguise : air-transport politics and policy in the European Community, 1987-1993

• Main Author: Papadoulis, Constantinos J.
• Published: London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London) 1995
• Subjects: 387.7
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.645452

This thesis is an examination of the failure of the European Community and subsequently of the European Union to develop a full common air-transport policy. The main issues on which the present study focuses are the reciprocal influences, interactions and confrontations of national and EC air-transport policy interests. It is demonstrated that they obstructed the process of the air-transport market liberalization and inhibited the development of an integrated EC air-transport policy. The years covered by the doctorate are 1987 to 1993. The thesis explains how the interests of member-states and major corporations in a period of major structural adjustment blocked the creation of a common air-transport policy; instead EC institutions were subordinated to the powerful national air-transport interests of the member-states and of their champion carriers. The thesis is based on an extensive examination of primary sources and interview materials. This not only comprises new empirical information about the specific characteristics and nature of EC air-transport politics and policy, but also takes into account the broader politico-economic characteristics of the member-states air-transport policies and systems.