The evaluation of operational efficiencies of Turkish airports: An integrated spherical fuzzy AHP/DEA approach
    
Yazarlar (4)
Mustafa K. Yilmaz İbn Haldun Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Ali Osman Kusakci İbn Haldun Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Prof. Dr. Mine AKSOY KAVALCI Yalova Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Umit Hacioglu İbn Haldun Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Makale Türü Özgün Makale (SSCI, AHCI, SCI, SCI-Exp dergilerinde yayınlanan tam makale)
Dergi Adı Applied Soft Computing (Q1)
Dergi ISSN 1568-4946 Wos Dergi Scopus Dergi
Dergi Tarandığı Indeksler SCI-Expanded
Makale Dili İngilizce Basım Tarihi 02-2022
Cilt / Sayı / Sayfa 119 / 1 / – DOI 10.1016/j.asoc.2022.108620
Makale Linki http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2022.108620
Özet
The demand for air transport services has significantly increased around the globe, which has brought new investments in airports, which, in turn, requires in-depth efficiency analysis of these capital-intensive endeavors. This study examines the operational efficiencies of 46 Turkish civil airports from 2015 to 2018. We employ a novel hybrid methodology that combines Spherical Fuzzy Sets based Analytic Hierarchy Process (SFS-AHP) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which provides a solid basis for efficiency analysis. To this end, it can handle the hesitancy and uncertainty that the subjective evaluation process of input and output factors possess. Then, we use Self Organizing Maps (SOM), a machine learning method for clustering, to examine the effect of outlier airports on the efficiency scores. Finally, a posthoc analysis is conducted with Tobit regression model to assess the explanatory power of external factors on the efficiency scores, i.e., tourism potential, number of international flights, distance to the city center, population, public/private ownership, and age of airport. The findings show that 67.2% of the Turkish airports operate below the optimal efficiency level, and 93.5% of them should make considerable efforts to refine their operations by implementing managerial and structural changes to reduce input factors. The results also suggest that the airports located in high-density touristic areas achieve higher efficiency levels. Those relatively closer to the city center lead to more airport traffic, generating more revenues. Thus, both factors have a significant impact on efficiency scores. The study provides a novel efficiency analysis framework for airport operators and policy makers that helps them make informed decisions.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Airport efficiency | SFS-AHP | DEA | Tobit regression | Turkish airports