Airport coopetition and spatial heterogeneity in China: a two-regime spatial econometric analysis

The development of aeronautical infrastructure and the rise of low-cost carriers have substantially increased the demand for air travel. Moreover, airport development is shaped by spatial heterogeneity factors such as environmental conditions, regulatory frameworks, and socioeconomic variables, which complicate coopetitive interactions within the aviation network. To examine these phenomena, a dual-regime spatial econometric model utilizing different spatial weight matrices has been constructed. The model captures asymmetries in airport coopetition by analyzing variations in spatial autoregressive coefficients across regimes and identifies the spatial heterogeneity factors that drive these asymmetric relationships. Analyzing data from 48 major Chinese airports over 22 years reveals that airport size and route structures—particularly the proportion of international flights—significantly influence asymmetric coopetition. Specifically, larger airports greatly facilitate the growth of nearby airports while also competing with them, especially for airports with extensive international routes. Additionally, disparities in regional economic development levels among airport cities intensify coopetitive relationships.