The hub-and-spoke network is primarily a response to which change?

• A. Airline deregulation
• B. TSA creation
• C. FAA establishment
• D. Airport funding expansion

Answer: (A)

Deregulation of the airline industry in the United States opened up competition and routing flexibility, which in turn drove airlines to reorganize routes into hubs and spokes. By concentrating traffic from many smaller markets at central hubs, carriers can feed passengers onto fewer, high-demand flights between hubs. This hub-and-spoke approach maximizes aircraft utilization, expands overall reach, and helps airlines compete more effectively in a deregulated market. Security agencies, air traffic control bodies, or funding programs don’t directly explain why networks are organized this way, so they aren’t the primary driver of the network design.