An Optimization Model for Flight Rescheduling from an Airport’s Centralized Perspective for Better Management of Demand and Capacity Utilization

Abstract

Over-capacity flight scheduling by commercial airlines due to the surging demand in recent years creates congestion and significant delays at major airports. This attitude towards maximizing throughput calls for tactical flight rescheduling to comply with airports’ capacity limitations and distribute the peak hour demand over the course of a day. Such displacements of flights may cause significant problems and costs for airlines and some cancellations or missed connections for passengers. This paper presents an optimization model for flight rescheduling at a schedule-coordinated airport to minimize congestion and flight delays at peak hours. The optimization model is used to make better scheduling intervention decisions considering airport resource constraints and safety of operation. A simulation algorithm is also developed to replicate arrival and departure processes in such an airport. The simulation adheres to a first come first served (FCFS) discipline and enforces runway capacity constraints and minimum turnaround times. We compare the delays caused by an ad hoc FCFS operation with those of the optimization model. Computational results from a case study demonstrate that a reduction of 52.6% and 61% in total delay times for arrival and departure flights, respectively, can be achieved. The optimization model also facilitates the implementation of a collaborative decision-making system for better coordination of airport traffic flow management with commercial airlines.