Greek public airports' efficiency assessment using DEA-modelling. Factors influencing efficiency and economic recession environment (2009-2014) implications

Airports are an essential part of the air transport system as a whole. Greek Airport Network is mainly a public organisational system, with the most important part of it currently transformed into a privately operated subsystem. The present work aims to assess the Greek public airports' efficiency, operated by Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) for the years 2009-2014. The technical efficiency is estimated in a relative manner using the non-parametric method of data envelopment analysis (DEA), establishing which airports operate relative efficiently and which are inefficient. Airports are assessed as uniform production and decision making units (DMUs) and additionally with respect to the two well recognised and defined, airside and landside processes. Particular emphasis is given on weighing the relative importance of inputs and outputs, whilst focusing on the efficiency improvement through output maximisation efforts.