Operational efficiency and recovery patterns of Turkish airports: A dynamic DEA and Malmquist index analysis

OpenAlex Türkçe

Airports are of strategic importance to national transport systems, facilitating passenger mobility, tourism, regional development, and economic connectivity. Therefore, airport efficiency is a critical issue for aviation management. The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected the air transport industry, highlighting the need to evaluate not only airport efficiency but also airport recovery patterns. This study analyzes the operational efficiency and recovery patterns of 10 major airports in Turkey between 2019 and 2024. Output-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with variable returns to scale and the Malmquist Productivity Index were applied to evaluate airport efficiency. Runway, terminal count, terminal area, and apron stand count were used as input variables, whereas aircraft movements, passenger traffic, and cargo traffic were used as output variables. The findings indicate variations in airport efficiency across the sample. İstanbul Airport, İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Ankara Esenboğa, Trabzon, and Muğla Milas-Bodrum airports remained on the efficiency frontier throughout the analysis period, whereas İzmir Adnan Menderes and Kayseri airports remained below the efficiency frontier. Furthermore, the Malmquist index indicates a significant decline in productivity during the initial phase of the pandemic; however, recovery patterns vary across airport types. This research contributes to the aviation management literature by examining airport efficiency and its dynamic patterns of productivity and recovery. From a practical perspective, it suggests that airport planning and policy should focus not only on traffic growth but also on infrastructure utilization and strategies tailored to each airport type.