A Survey on Optimization Problems in the Airline Industry and Airports

Abstract

In response to the rapid growth in air transportation demand the methods to manage allocate and efficiently use scarce resources in the airport play a vital role in improving the efficiency of the air transportation system. Due to the limited infrastructure of hub-and-spoke airports which is influenced by many factors the chief goal of the airline industry and airport management is to utilize such resources as check-in desks departure lounges bridge-equipped gates aircraft stands baggage carousels staff and equipment. Based on the mobility of the resources in the airports there are two types of problems in the airline industry and airports namely mobile and immobile resource optimization problems. The crew optimization problems are mobile resource optimization problems whereas airport gate assignment counter assignment problems and carousel optimization problems are immobile resource optimization problems in airports. Considering the problems classified based on the mobility of the resources this paper aims to present a survey of optimization problems in the aviation industry explaining the interplay and relationship between these problems along with modeling techniques and proposed solutions to this individual problem.