Efficiency Evaluation of China's Large International Hub Airports Based on the DEA-Malmquist Model

Abstract

China's civil aviation industry is in a rapid development phase. Concomitantly, civil airports are actively engaged in large - scale renovation and expansion projects. In this context, conducting targeted research and evaluation on airport operational efficiency, clarifying the key objects and projects for improvement, holds great practical significance. These can effectively promote the high - quality development of the civil aviation industry.  Therefore, this paper conducts an in - depth evaluation and analysis of the operational efficiency of 18 large - scale international hub airports in China by employing the DEA - Malmquist model. Through the decomposition of the total factor productivity index (TFP), the operational efficiency of these airports and its dynamic changes are systematically evaluated from four dimensions: technical progress efficiency index (TC), comprehensive technical efficiency index (EFFC), pure technical efficiency  index (PTEC), and scale efficiency index(SEC).The results indicate that the overall operational efficiency of large international hub airports in China is on the rise; however, the growth rate has decelerated. Technological progress emerges as the primary factor influencing the operational efficiency of large international hub airports in China, while the enhancement of comprehensive technical efficiency exerts a relatively minor impact on the overall efficiency. A substantial disparity exists in the operational efficiency among large international hub airports, and there is no direct correlation between the rate of improvement in airport operational efficiency and the size of the city where the airport is located.