Analysing and modeling performances of a long-haul air route network

Abstract

This paper deals with analyzing and modelling performances of a long-haul air route network operating as the queuing network. The network consists of the routes/tracks with flight levels serving aircraft/flights as the service channels. The main network performances are the ultimate and practical capacity of service channels, the aircraft/flight demand, delays before entering and total time of aircraft/flights spending in the network, and the related generalized costs including those of airlines, air passengers, policy makers and society. The analytical models of the particular network performances and three routing or assignment models/procedures for matching the aircraft/flight demand to capacity are developed and applied to the long-haul air route network in the North Atlantic airspace between Europe and North America.
 The results have indicated that. the network capacity has been strongly dependent on the number of routes/tracks and flight levels, i.e., service channels and their ultimate and/or practical capacity. The ultimate capacity has been mainly influenced by the ATC (Air Traffic Control) separation rules applied between aircraft/flights operating in the same directions. The practical capacity has been strongly influenced by the ultimate capacity and the average delays imposed on aircraft/flights before entering the network. The rather superior and close to optimal model/procedure for matching demand to capacity has been routing or assignment of the aircraft/flights demand in proportion to the ultimate or practical capacity of particular service channels minimizing the total generalized costs of the actors/stakeholders involved.