Melis Tan TacogluMustafa Arslan OrnekYigit KazancogluTan Tacoglu, MelisOrnek, Mustafa ArslanTacoglu, Melis TanKazancoglu, Yigit2025-10-062025222643102226-431010.3390/aerospace120605452-s2.0-105009027340https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105009027340&doi=10.3390%2Faerospace12060545&partnerID=40&md5=877867cbe31e25848b3b6cab8d86a257https://gcris.yasar.edu.tr/handle/123456789/8000https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12060545Airline networks are becoming increasingly complex particularly at mega-hub airports characterized by high transit volumes. Effective schedule design and fleet assignment are critical for an airline as they directly influence passenger connectivity and profitability. This study addresses the challenge of introducing a new route from a mega-hub to a new destination while maintaining the existing flight network and leveraging arrivals from spoke airports to ensure connectivity. First a mixed-integer nonlinear mathematical model was formulated to produce a global optimal solution at a lower time granularity but it became computationally intractable at higher granularities due to the exponential growth in constraints and variables. Second a genetic algorithm (GA) was employed to demonstrate scalability and flexibility delivering near-optimal high-granularity schedules with significantly reduced computational time. Empirical validation using real-world data from 37 spoke airports revealed that while the exact model minimized waiting times and maximized profit at lower granularity the GA provided nearly comparable profit at higher granularity. These findings guide airline managers seeking to optimize passenger connectivity and cost efficiency in competitive global markets. © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Englishinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessFleet Assignment, Genetic Algorithm, Mathematical Modeling, New Route Scheduling, Schedule Design, Air Transportation, Airport Passenger Transportation, Airports, Fleet Operations, Global Optimization, Profitability, Scheduling Algorithms, Transportation Routes, Airlines Networks, Fleet Assignment, High Granularity, Hub Airports, Integrated Schedule, Mathematical Modeling, Mixed Integer, New Route Scheduling, Nonlinear Mathematical Model, Schedule Design, Genetic AlgorithmsAir transportation, Airport passenger transportation, Airports, Fleet operations, Global optimization, Profitability, Scheduling algorithms, Transportation routes, Airlines networks, Fleet assignment, High granularity, Hub airports, Integrated schedule, Mathematical modeling, Mixed integer, New route scheduling, Nonlinear mathematical model, Schedule design, Genetic algorithmsNew Route SchedulingGenetic AlgorithmMathematical ModelingSchedule DesignFleet AssignmentArticle