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New thesis: The propagation of air transport delays in Europe
This study developed aircraft sequences in order to analyse the propagation of delays and to better understand the amplifying or mitigating factors.

Some conclusions of the study:
- Hub-and-spoke carriers tend to have a smaller level of propagation than point-to point and low-cost carriers because they have a higher ability to absorb delay during the ground phases. 

- The sequences of reactionary delays starting in the morning have a higher impact and magnitude than the ones starting in the afternoon as they propagate on average on more subsequent flight legs.

- The level of propagation in the afternoon appears to be higher which suggests that airline efforts to mitigate delay propagation are higher in the morning than in the afternoon.

- The magnitude of sequences of reactionary delays after short delays is higher, because reactionary delays increase throughout the sequence due to further primary delays in block and ground phase.

- Looking at major European hubs, it was observed that they affect daily 30 to 50 other airports, but in terms of reactionary delays they mostly affect their own operations.

- Aircraft returning to the hub after one flight leg arrive with up to 50 percent of the original departure delay when leaving the hub airport.

Thesis: Jetzki, M. (2009) 'The propagation of air transport delays in Europe'

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