Insight into mode choice behavior of commuters to Eindhoven Airport Stated choice experiment for sustainable mobility modes with implication of incentives and travel contexts

Eindhoven Airport has joined the Net-Zero 2050 agreement that obliges the airport to bring down emissions to zero by 2050. The current modal share of travel to Eindhoven Airport consists of more than 80% private vehicles. Therefore, the airport aims to invest in sustainable transport to and from the airport, which is both fast and efficient. New mobility concepts such as car-sharing, demand-responsive transport, and technologies such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) can reduce private vehicle dependency and work as a supplement to existing public transport. As a result, the airport needs to move towards these solutions to provide sustainable and convenient travel solutions to and from the airport. A knowledge gap exists on the preferences regarding infrequent travel behavior such as trips to the airport in relation to alternative sustainable mobility options. Therefore, the goal of this study is to gain insights into the influential factors in the mode choice behavior of travelers to Eindhoven Airport to switch to more sustainable alternatives. Hence, the main reach question: To what extent is the willingness of travelers to Eindhoven Airport to switch to sustainable modes of transport? This research provides insights into the determinants of mode choice behavior of travelers with a focus on travel incentives as a trigger for more sustainable behavior adaptation. A Stated Choice experiment using an online survey has been conducted, and the data of respondents in Eindhoven Airport and social media. Several discrete choice models have been adopted using statistical software NLogit to evaluate the determining factors for travelers to Eindhoven Airport. Results showed that there is a strong preference for car-sharing service compared to the base alternative (private vehicle). Travel time and travel cost showed to be the most important factors influencing the choice of travelers to the airport. Additionally, incentives showed to have a significant positive influence on triggering the travel change towards sustainable mobility alternatives. Finally, realizing the car-sharing services in Eindhoven Airport, increasing the parking prices, and allocating incentives can make a trigger in the travel behavior towards sustainable mobility.