Élargissement européen et réseaux aériens à bas prix. À la conquête de l'Est ou de l'Ouest ? (European enlargement and low-price airline networks. Winning the East or the West ?)

Until a few years ago, European low-cost air travel supply was almost entirely centred on Western Europe. However, the EU enlargement to East Central Europe has widened the liberalized space, offering airlines from the West and the East new service opportunities. Consequently, low-cost supply has diversified to the benefit of West-East connections representing almost 60% of the new air services between Western and Eastern Europe. Western low-cost airlines dominate the market against Eastern companies. The new West-East low-cost companies seem to reflect the post-migratory mobility flows of Central-Eastern populations who have gone to work in the West, new tourist behaviours, as well as the integration of East Central Europe in the EU.