Changes in the volume of air traffic and specialization of segments of the Moscow Aviation Hub from 2014 to 2021

The object of this study is the changes in the development of the Moscow aviation hub in the second decade of the XXI century. The subject of the study is a statistical analysis of changes in the volume of air transportation of passengers, cargo and mail at the Moscow Aviation Hub from 2014 to 2021, both in general and for individual airports in comparison. The change in the share of Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo in the total volume of the listed types of air transportation is analyzed. The dynamics of the ratio of domestic and international air transportation is investigated. The share of the Moscow aviation hub in the total volume of passenger traffic, cargo turnover and postal air transportation in Russia is considered. The research is based on statistical, historical-geographical, problem-analytical methods, as well as the method of system-structural analysis. This made it possible to conduct an objective, scientifically-based analysis of the processes of changing the volume of air traffic in the Moscow aviation hub. The main conclusions of the study are: air transportation of passengers at the Moscow Aviation hub decreased from 2014 to 2021, while air transportation of cargo and mail increased during this period. The share of Sheremetyevo Airport in all respects increased, the share of Domodedovo decreased, the share of Vnukovo either grew or remained unchanged. The main contribution of the authors to the study of the topic is to consider changes in the statistical parameters of the Moscow aviation hub airports in the context of socio-economic and geopolitical processes, in historical and geographical conditionality; in identifying the key factors of the current dynamics. The novelty of the study is to identify the main trends in the development of the volume and structure of air transportation of the Moscow aviation hub from 2014 to 2021 under the conditions of sanctions pressure and restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.