This paper explores the effect of business connectivity between cities on their air traffic connections, and in turn on their place in a region's urban hierarchy. Its focus of attention is East Asia, where economic development is underpinned by a complex set of international flows of trade and investment. Business connectivity is a key part of these flows. The research incorporates a measure of business connections in a regression model that previously relied on GDP per head, population and distance to account for international air links. Results confirm that business connectivity is a more important influence on the level of international air links within East Asia, and plays a major role in explaining the changes in city rank over time. The paper concludes with suggestions that possible incorporation of domestic air travel (itself larger than the intra-regional flows in this region) could enrich the insight of this approach.

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This paper examines international air traffic flows from, to and within East and Southeast Asia, and in turn the hub status of cities over the years from 1982 to 2012. Its focus of attention is the effects of new international airports and integrator's hubs on the mobility of cities in a region's urban hierarchy. The results reveal that Hong Kong,