In this paper we apply elements of multilayer network theory to the airline industry and study route entry into the U.S. domestic market. We find that airlines tend to follow the market leader and enter a route already served by the incumbent. Moreover, using multilayer network variables, our analysis confirms that entry is more likely when the airline operates other routes at the two endpoints of the target route. On the managerial side, our results may help each airline to foresee and therefore anticipate the competitors' entry move. On the policy side, our approach, based on multilayer network theory, may be adopted by competition authorities to detect possible firm's practices that can result from airlines' network, and, more generally, by national public authorities to understand the centrality of each airline's network in each country.

在本文中，我们将多层网络理论的元素应用于航空业并研究进入美国国内市场的航线。我们发现航空公司倾向于跟随市场领导者并进入一条已经由现任者服务的航线。此外，使用多层网络变量，我们的分析证实，当航空公司在目标航线的两个端点运营其他航线时，进入的可能性更大。在管理方面，我们的结果可能有助于每家航空公司预见并预测竞争对手的进入行动。在政策方面，我们的方法基于多层网络理论，竞争管理机构可能会采用我们的方法来检测可能由航空公司网络导致的公司行为，更一般地说，国家公共部门可以采用这种方法来了解每家航空公司的中心地位。