Journal of Airline Operations and Aviation Management

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Aviation Sector in Poland

Agnieszka Barczak — 2026-10-16

Air transport in Poland in 2009-2019 was characterized by dynamic and stable growth in passenger numbers and passenger operations. The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out in 2020, led to unprecedented disruptions in the sector's operations and interrupted its previous growth path. As a result, there was a need to assess the extent to which actual passenger flows in 2020-2024 deviated from the level that could have been achieved in the absence of the pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess the level of passenger flows in air transport in Poland in 2020-2024 by comparing actual values with forecasts based on data from 2009-2019. Two variables were analyzed: the number of passengers and the number of passenger operations. Based on historical data, exponential trend models were estimated, which were then used to make forecasts for 2020-2024, assuming no pandemic. The fit of the models was also assessed and forecast errors were determined. The analysis revealed significant discrepancies between the forecast and actual values for 2020-2021, confirming the strong and sudden impact of the pandemic on the aviation sector. In subsequent years, a gradual market recovery was observed, but by 2024, the levels resulting from the pre-pandemic trend had not been fully achieved. At the same time, high determination coefficients and low forecast errors indicate the correctness of the models used and their usefulness in assessing the scale of deviations from the nonpandemic scenario. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a permanent disruption to the previous growth trajectory of air transport in Poland, and that the process of returning to the long-term trend is gradual and incomplete within the analyzed time horizon.

Health-Protective Energy Transition Strategies for Aviation Hubs and Adjacent Regions

Maheedhar Kodali — 2026-10-16

The aviation sector is undergoing energy transition initiatives that focus on developing environmentallyfriendly technologies. However, there are limitations to the economic and practical potential of these initiatives when it comes to job and environmental health. This research considers aviation hubs to be intertwined systems of energy and health, and analyzes traditional and energy systems designed to protect health using a simulation-based, threedimensional approach that considers exposure limits of airport personnel and nearby residents. Simulations indicate that fossil fuel powered ground operations and auxiliary power units create hotspots that frequently exceed the ground level limits of workplaces and the community. Protective of Health (PH) transition strategies, such as the use of electric ground support equipment and less use of auxiliary power units, change the dominance of sources and alter the exposure fields. The health benefits gained are lesser to the energy transition adapted and subjected to system limitations. A three-dimensional surface is shown revealing the limited yet achievable boundaries for energy systems transition for aviation to be sustainable. The primary aim of the research is to demonstrate the importance of exposure modeling on planning for energy systems. The research also shows simulation modeling as a supportive tool for planning the health of sustainable aviation infrastructure.The health benefits gained are lesser to the energy transition adapted and subjected to system limitations. A three-dimensional surface is shown revealing the limited yet achievable boundaries for energy systems transition for aviation to be sustainable. The primary aim of the research is to demonstrate the importance of exposure modeling on planning for energy systems. The research also shows simulation modeling as a supportive tool for planning the health of sustainable aviation infrastructure.

Introducing a Collaborative Aviation Safety Model: from SMS to C-SMS

Elen Paraskevi Paraschi — 2026-10-16

Aviation safety operates within a complex environment involving multiple independent stakeholders such as airports, airlines, regulators, and service providers. Traditional safety models and Safety Management Systems (SMS) mainly focus on risks within individual organizations and often fail to address the interdependencies across the aviation ecosystem. This study introduces the Collaborative Safety Management System (C-SMS) model, which conceptualizes aviation safety as a systemic and inter-organizational process and proposes a holistic framework for collaborative safety management. A conceptual research approach was adopted. Existing traditional and systemic aviation safety models were reviewed to identify their strengths and limitations in addressing complex, multi-stakeholder operational environments. Based on this analysis, a multidimensional conceptual framework the C-SMS model was developed to integrate operational stakeholders, organizational hierarchy, and contextual influencing factors such as procedures, technology, time constraints, and personal characteristics. The proposed C-SMS model presents aviation safety as a three-dimensional system consisting of: (1) operational stakeholders, (2) organizational hierarchy levels, and (3) cross-cutting influencing factors. The intersections of these dimensions illustrate how safety emerges from coordinated communication, decision-making, and shared responsibilities across organizations and operational levels. The framework emphasizes proactive risk management, horizontal and vertical alignment of safety practices, and the integration of technological tools to enhance collaboration and situational awareness. The C-SMS model shifts aviation safety management from an organizationcentric perspective toward a systemic and collaborative approach. By highlighting interactions among stakeholders and organizational levels, it provides a framework for proactive safety management across complex aviation systems. The model contributes to aviation safety research by offering a practical conceptual tool for improving collaboration, risk identification, and safety culture across the broader aviation ecosystem.

Pricing Access to U-space: A Cost- Recovery Framework for Drone Traffic Management Services

Šárka Václavíková — 2026-10-16

The integration of unmanned aircraft systems into European airspace under the U-space regulatory framework raises unresolved questions about how shared infrastructure should be financed and how service charges should be designed. This paper proposes a structured, rule-based cost-recovery pricing methodology for U-space services, grounded in the EU regulatory framework and in economic theory on infrastructure pricing. The framework decomposes total charges into three layers: infrastructure costs, operational costs, and an operator-complexity weighting factor (Operator and Complexity Indicator, OACI). To test the framework, a synthetic traffic generator covering approximately 1,470,000 flights across five operator classes and four mission categories is used to evaluate a range of market-maturity scenarios. The results demonstrate robust cost recovery, a proportional distribution of fees across operator classes, and moderate sensitivity to calibration of the rate coefficient. The qualitative ordering of fee burdens remains stable across 125 rate-coefficient combinations. The methodology is presented as a structural template for regulators, Common Information Service Providers, and U-space Service Providers, intended to be populated with empirical cost and traffic data as European U-space deployment matures.

Financing Structures and Capital Access Challenges for National Carriers in East Africa: The Case of Air Tanzania and Precision Air

Omar Tuwa — 2026-10-16

Air transport plays a critical role in a global economic development through trade facilitation, tourism, regional integration, and connectivity to global markets. East African’s national carriers are often considered as strategic instruments for achieving these objectives, for example in Tanzania airline industry contributes to USD 3.8 billion to the national GDP while supporting 711,000 employments, making it one of the most impactful sectors (African Pilot Magazine, 2025). Chevallier et al. (2025) state that despite the important roles that airlines play, many East African airlines are under increasing financial strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fluctuating demand, high operating costs that endanger many airlines' survival, and stringent regulations that require significant investments to meet compliance standards.