Airline ground operations: Optimal schedule recovery with uncertain arrival times

Jan Evler, Ehsan Asadi, Henning Preis and Hartmut Fricke

Journal of Air Transport Management, 2021, vol. 92, issue C

Abstract: Airline operations are subject to a number of stochastic influences which result into variable ground and block times for same flights on different days. Our research explores how airline operations control centers may benefit from an integrated decision support system for schedule recovery during aircraft ground operations. In this paper, we study the sensitivity of an optimal set of schedule recovery options towards uncertain arrival times. The calculation of recovery options is based upon an integrated and iterative scheduling and optimization algorithm, which incorporates uncertainties for arrival flights as a function of a given look-ahead time. Potential recovery options include stand re-allocation, quick-turnaround, quick passenger transfer, waiting for transfer passengers, cancellation of passenger or crew connections, and arrival prioritization. Within a case study setting at Frankfurt Airport, 20 aircraft turnarounds are analysed during a morning peak with their respective estimated arrival times (including potential arrival delays). The analysis of simulation results reveals an almost identical set of selected recovery options under high uncertainty circumstances and from post-operational point-of-view, which indicates high solution stability.

Keywords: Decision support system; Airline ground operations; Aircraft turnaround; Schedule recovery; Robust decision-making; Uncertainty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jaitra:v:92:y:2021:i:c:s0969699721000041

DOI: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102021

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