Competition and Regulation in the Airline Industry - Informed

In this review of Competition and Regulation in the Airline Industry: Puppets in Chaos, the bottom line is clear: this book is best for legal scholars, policy analysts and senior industry professionals seeking a detailed account of how deregulation and liberalisation reshaped air transport law. Steven Truxal offers a focused, evidence-based examination of recent developments such as the end of certain exemptions from EU competition rules and the effect of the EU-US Open Skies Agreement, making this volume a valuable reference for readers who need a concise legal perspective rather than a general aviation history.

Key Features

• Scope: Covers the structural changes in US and European air transport sectors to explain how deregulation affected competition dynamics.
• Legal focus: Explores current legal issues and recent regulatory developments, providing context for practitioners tracking enforcement and policy shifts.
• Cooperation analysis: Details horizontal and vertical cooperative arrangements such as franchising, codeshare agreements and alliances to clarify commercial strategies.
• Integration commentary: Discusses virtual mergers and mergers with complementary businesses like airports to show cross-sector impacts.
• Policy relevance: Examines the consequences of the end of some EU exemptions and the EU-US Open Skies Agreement, useful for comparative policy study.

Who It's For

This work is aimed primarily at competition law specialists, regulatory economists and senior airline executives who require a grounded legal analysis of recent industry trends. It is particularly helpful for readers preparing legal arguments, regulatory filings or academic research on aviation competition law.

Those seeking a general-interest history of commercial aviation or an introduction to airline operations should look elsewhere; this book assumes familiarity with legal and regulatory concepts and focuses on policy and legal implications rather than technical airline management.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a targeted legal analysis of deregulation and liberalisation in US and European air transport sectors.
• Clearly explains cooperative arrangements like codeshares and alliances and their competition implications.
• Addresses recent regulatory changes, including the end of some EU competition exemptions and the EU-US Open Skies Agreement.

Cons

• Not suited for readers seeking a broad, nontechnical overview of airline history or operational practice.

Specifications

Title	Competition and Regulation in the Airline Industry: Puppets in Chaos
Author	Steven Truxal
Series	Routledge Research in Competition Law
Geographic focus	United States and Europe
Topics covered	Deregulation, liberalisation, alliances, codeshare, franchising, mergers
Legal issues addressed	EU competition rules, exemptions, EU-US Open Skies Agreement

Our Verdict

For legal professionals and policy researchers the book is a concise, well-focused resource that connects regulatory change to commercial behaviour in the airline industry; its value lies in legal analysis and policy context rather than introductory explanation, making it good value for specialist readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book cover both US and European law?
Yes, it examines the relationship between competition and deregulation in both US and European air transport sectors.

Is this suitable for general readers?
No, the book assumes familiarity with legal and regulatory concepts and is aimed at specialists and professionals.

Does it discuss airline alliances and codeshares?
Yes, the review notes detailed coverage of alliances, codeshare agreements, franchising and other cooperative arrangements.