The Impact of Blockchain-Based Technology on Airport Operational and Environmental Performance: Empirical Evidence From European Airports

Airports drive economic growth, enable global connectivity, and support millions of passengers and cargo every year. However, rapid increases in air traffic pose escalating operational and environmental challenges. To tackle these pressures, the aviation sector is increasingly turning to digitalization and emerging technologies to improve operational and environmental performance. This study provides robust empirical evidence on the effectiveness of one such technology: airport collaborative decision making (A-CDM), a blockchain-based application designed to improve coordination among airport stakeholders. By analyzing data from all European airports that implemented A-CDM between 2010 and 2023, we demonstrate its significant impact on both operational and environmental performance. Improvements in operational performance foster greater resilience, enabling airports to better recover from disruptions such as traffic congestion, adverse weather conditions, and unexpected events. Meanwhile, the enhancements in environmental performance contribute to sustainability by reducing carbon emissions, energy consumption, and overall environmental impact. This study provides valuable, evidence-based insights for policymakers and airport managers, highlighting how investments in digitalization can simultaneously improve both resilience and sustainability in the aviation sector.