Since deregulation at the end of the 1980s, air transport has increased in strategic and economic importance. Passengers have benefited from deregulation in many ways. Air fares have decreased, low-cost carriers have entered the European
market, competition between airlines has increased, and secondary airports have become effective alternatives to the main airports that are becoming increasingly congested. Between 2003 and 2008, air traffic has increased steadily to reach an annual increase of 5.6% in 2008 (EASA, 2011). However, air transport, and especially air freight, has been hit by
the current economic crisis that has led to reduction in production worldwide and in international trade. Despite the crisis, global air transport is expected to grow at a rate of 4 to 5% annually up until 2030 (Airbus, 2012), while freight volumes
are expected to treble in the next 20 years (Boeing, 2010).