Airline Scheduling: An Overview

Crew Scheduling
Time-shared Jet Scheduling (Case Study)
Airline Scheduling: An Overview
1
Flight Schedule Develoment
Fleet Assignment
Crew Scheduling
Daily !ro"lem
#ee$ly !ro"lem
Flight Schedule Develoment
%iven:
&' Demand and revenues (or every origin-destination air
()mar$et)) over time-o(-the-day and day-o(-the-wee$
*' +oute in(ormation
distances
times
oerating restrictions
,' Aircra(t characteristics and oerating costs
-' Oerational and managerial constraints
Find:
A set o( (lights with
dearture and arrival times
aircra(t assignment
which ma.imi/e ro(its
2
Flight 0um"er Dearture Arrival Aircra(t Tye
location location
time time
' ' ' '
' ' ' '
' ' ' '
Other issues in airline oerations:
Concurrent (lows o( passengers, cargo, aircraft and flight
crews through time
Aircra(t maintenance
1anagement o( ground resources:
ticketing, check-in, baggage drop-off, gates
Fleet Assignment
Fleet:
%rou o( (lights con(ined to a seci(ic aircra(t tye
2.amle:
US Airways typically flies about 2,500 jet flights to over 00
do!estic, "aribbean and #uropean !arkets using !ore than $00
aircraft of $ different types
Assign an aircra(t tye to each (light in the schedule
O"3ective: ma.imi/e revenue "y
matching seat caacity to assenger demand
reducing costs such as (uel4 maintenance and airort
gating
+e5uirements:
3
restrictions on the oerating ranges o( aircra(t
cur(ews and runway limitations at airorts
aircra(t must stay overnight at stations where
maintenance wor$ can "e er(ormed
there must also "e enough time (or assengers to
delane and enlane and (or servicing the aircra(t
%oday !ost !ajor airlines use auto!ated procedures based on
!athe!atical opti!i&ation !odels to solve this proble!'
At US Airways, the (perations )esearch *roup has been providing
auto!ated decision support for the fleeting of schedules since ++,,
at an annual benefit to the airline of several !illion dollars'
4
Crew Scheduling
!airing:
Se5uence o( (lights that start and end at a crew home
"ase
!artition a given (light schedule into airings so that
each (light is covered "y e.actly one crew tri
#6AT 1A72S T62 !+O8921 D:FF:C;9T<
Constraints due to crew wor$ rules and FAA sa(ety
regulations
Cost o( a airing deends on comle. crew ay
guarantees
0um"er o( ossi"le airings is e.tremely large (or many
airlines
Crew Assignment
:nut: A set o( crew tris
2ach tri will oerate over a range o( dates and days o(
the wee$
Tris are groued into monthly (lying assignments
The assignments are osted (or "id "y crew mem"ers
5
Crew Scheduling: Formulation
%enerate airings such that:
&) 2ach airing starts and ends at a crew home "ase
*) 2ach airing con(orms to wor$ rules o( the airline and
FAA sa(ety regulations
Calculate cost o( airings "ased on:
&) Crew salary structure and wor$ rules
*) 6otel and other e.enses as a result o( layovers
,) %round transortation
ay and credit: num"er o( hours num"er o( hours
(or which a crew - he actually (lies
mem"er is aid
Sources o( large ay and credit:
- .ayovers/ Staying at a city other than the home "ase
2- 0eadheading/ Transorting crew mem"ers as assengers
,- 9ong sit eriods "etween (lights
$- Short duty days
6
!ro"lem: "hoose a set of pairings with !ini!u! cost
such that each flight leg is covered by e1actly one pairing
%iven m (light legs4 n airings with cost c
3
(or airing 3
0OT2 T6AT n :S ;S;A99= >2+= 9A+%2 A0D A F9:%6T 92% 1A= 82
!A+T OF 1A0= !A:+:0%S
9et a
i3
? & i( leg i is art o( airing 3 and @4 otherwise
This de(ines a matri. A ? A a
i3
B4 where row i corresonds to
(light leg i and column 3 corresonds to airing 3
0OT2 T6AT A :S !A+T OF :0!;T DATA

De(ine decision varia"les .

3
C@4&D such that
.
3
? &4 i( airing 3 is selected4 and @ otherwise
Constraints: (or i?&4'''4m
1 =
j ij
n
j
x a

O"3ective: 1in
j j
n
j
x c

The ro"lem can "e (ormulated as an integer rogram:

1in n n
x c x c x c + + + ...
2 2 1 1
st
1 ...
1 2 2 1 1 1 1
= + + +
n n
x a x a x a

1 ...
2 2 2 2 1 1 2
= + + +
n n
x a x a x a
'
7
'
'
1 ...
2 2 1 1
= + + +
n n m m m
x a x a x a
} 1 , 0 {
j
x
(or
n j ,..., 1 =
2.amle:
!artial (light schedule:
Flight i Origin Destination Dearture
time
Flight time
& 0= 8ST0 &E F@
* SF D0> -@ &,@
, !%6 9A &*E &GE
- D0> 0= ,HE *@@
E 9A SF FE@ HE
Flight times "etween cities:
City 8ST0 D0> 9A 0= !%6 SF
8ST0 - **@ *E@ F@ &@@ *-E
D0> **@ - &*@ *@@ &H@ &,@
9A *E@ &*@ - *-@ &GE HE
0= F@ *@@ *-@ - IE *,@
!%6 &@@ &H@ &GE IE - &G@
SF *-E &,@ HE *,@ &G@ -
Some o( the (easi"le airings:
!airing 3 +oute Cost c
3
& SF -D0>-0=-SF EF@
* SF-D0>-9A-SF ,,E
, !%6- 9A-!%6 -*@
- !%6- 9A-SF-!%6 -I@
E 0=-8ST0-SF-0= E-E
8
F SF-0=-8ST0-9A-SF FF@
I 0=-8ST0-D0>-0= -G@
Constraint 1atri. A:

!airing : & * , - E F I
Flight & & & &
Flight * & &
Flight , & &
Flight - & &
Flight E & & &
1in EF@.
&
J ,,E.
*
J -*@.
,
J -I@.
-
J E-E.
E
J FF@.
F
J -G@.
I
s't'
.
E
J .
F
J .
I
? &
.
&
J .
*
? &
.
,
J .
-
? &
.
&
J .
I
? &
.
*
J .
-
J .
F
? &
.
&
4'''4.
I
C@4&D

This ro"lem is a set partitioning ro"lem and is $nown
to "e 0!-hard
9
;sually "ranch and "ound with column generation is
used
9et J
$
"e a set o( airings at iteration $ and
:
$
"e the set o( (light legs covered "y J
$
:
$

Sto when all legs are covered and a time or iteration limit
is reached

7ey issues:
&' addition o( new airings (random er(orms wellK)
*' column generation - tree search must "e done
e((iciently
Flight Scheduling in the Time-Shared Jet 8usiness
10
Start with a set
of pairings J
$
Generate S
$
4 all
pairings o!ering :
$
"in# the $in ost
pairings a$ong S
$
o!ering :
$
, J
$J&
,

%& sol!ing an '(
:s J
$J&
%etter
than J
$
<
)eplae J
$
%&
pairings J
$J&
*## new
pairings to J
$
+,
-.S
"annot afford a private jet2 3ow about a 4uarter of it2

As popularity of elite aviation reaches new heights, fractional
ownership progra!s !akes private planes !ore affordable '''
CO112+C:A9 A:+LS %+O#:0% !A:0S:
Delays4 cancelled (lights
8eing )"umed) (rom a (light due to over"oo$ing
0o direct (lights "etween certain cities
9ong connection times
9ong chec$-in times
1islaced "aggage
9ac$ o( enough (irst class or "usiness class seats
A !+:>AT2 !9A02 :S A0 A9T2+0AT:>2:
Savings in time
Fle.i"ility and convenience
Com(ort and rivacy
:F =O; CA0 AFFO+D :T'''
6igh cost (M,@ million (or a %ul(stream 3et)
Oeration and maintanence e.enses
6O# A8O;T S6A+:0% A !9A02<
11
All the "ene(its o( rivate (lying
#ithout the high cost o( comlete ownershi
#ithout in-house maintenance sta(( and ilots
6O# DO2S :T #O+7<
=ou urchase a ortion o( an aircra(t "ased on the num"er o(
actual (light hours needed annually
&N&F share rovides E@ hours (lying time er year
&N- share rovides *@@ hours o( (light time er year
=ou have access to the aircra(t any day o( the year4 *- hours a
day4 with as little as (our hours notice
#6AT A+2 T62 COSTS<
&' One-time urchase rice (or the share
*' 1onthly management (ee (maintenance4 insurance4
administrative and ilot costs)
,' 6ourly (ee (or the time the aircra(t is used
#1a!ple/
&' !rice o( &NH share o( a %ul(stream :>-S! 3et ? M-'@, million
*' 1anagement (ees ? M*@4E@@ er month
,' 6ourly rate ? M*4HG@
0ote:
&' Ownershi rights usually e.ire a(ter E years
*' Full ownershi is cost-3usti(ia"le when annual (light
hours e.ceed -@@
5ractional 6et (wnership progra!s/
12
&' 0etJets: htt:NNwww'net3ets'com
)2.ecutive JetLs industry-leading rogram o( (ractional aircra(t
ownershi4 o((ers comanies and individuals all the "ene(its o(
rivate (lying at a (raction o( the cost')
)The 0etJets (leet o( aircra(t rovides you or your comany with
e((icient access to more locations4 increasing the "usiness and
ersonal roductivity o( $ey ersonnel' :tLs a more a((orda"le
alternative (or individuals and comanies whose (lying ha"its
donLt 3usti(y the cost o( an entire aircra(t')
*' Fle.3et htt:NNwww'(le.3et'comNnewN(le.Ohome*'html
7usiness is growing

:n the last - years4 2.ecutive Jet has ordered E@@ new aircra(t
- &N, o( the total "usiness 3ets sold worldwide4 totaling over MH
"illion
2.ecutive Jet revenues were ro3ected at MG@@ million (or &GGH
with an average ,EP increase annually
:ntroduced in 1ay &GGE4 the Fle.3et rogram has over ,E@
clients4 growing at &@@ new (ractional owners er year
+aytheon Travel Air rogram was started in &GGI and
currently has more than ,@@ clients
#6O A+2 T62 C;STO12+S<
13
Small - midsi/e comanies who cannot 3usti(y the cost o( an
aircra(t
Cororations who sulement their (light deartments
:ndividual owners range (rom entrereneurial C2O Jim
1cCann to gol(ers Tiger #oods and 2rnie 2ls
Case study: Flight Scheduling at Jet-Share Co'
Jet-Share Co' owns - 9ear ,@ and , 9ear F@ aircra(ts
COSTS TO T62 C9:20T:
&' !urchase rices
&NH share o( 9ear ,@ ? M&'* million
&NH share o( 9ear F@ ? M&'E million
*' 1onthly (ees
ME4@@@ (or 9ear ,@
MF4E@@ (or 9ear F@
,' 6ourly (ees
M&4H@@ (or 9ear ,@
M*4*@@ (or 9ear F@
!+O8921S #:T6 O!2+AT:O0S :0 T62 F:+ST F 1O0T6S:
;na"le to ic$u customers on-time I times
Su"contracted more than &@ tris
SC62D;9:0% A:+C+AFT TO T+:!S (DA:9=):
14
At any time4 the aircra(t are at di((erent locations or are serving
a customer
0ew customer re5uests arrive
origin destination dearture time
!OS:T:O0:0% 92% (21!T= F9:%6T): +elocate an aircra(t (rom
its current location to the dearture location o( the ne.t tri
2very customer re5uest must "e satis(ied on time4 ossi"ly "y
su"contracting e.tra aircra(t
cost o( su"contracting an aircra(t (or one hour is a"out ten
times the cost o( (lying an aircra(t which is in their (leet
1AJO+ T=!2S OF COSTS:
&' oerating costs ((uel4 maintenance4 etc')
*' enalty costs (or su"contracting e.tra aircra(t
1A:0 !+O8921
Construct a (light schedule with minimum cost
s't'
&' all customer re5uests are satis(ied
*' maintenance re5uirements
,' reviously scheduled tri constraints
O8J2CT:>2: minimi/e the num"er o( emty (light hours and
su"contracted hours
1A:0T20A0C2 CO0ST+A:0TS:
15
2ach aircra(t has a seci(ied availa"le (light hours a(ter a
eriodic maintenance until the ne.t one
2ach aircra(t can do only a limited num"er o( landings "e(ore
its ne.t maintenance
!+2-SC62D;92D T+:! CO0ST+A:0TS:
Tris already assigned to an aircra(t should remain so
SC62D;9:0% 6O+:QO0: &-, days

schedule is udated twice daily "ased on new in(ormation
schedules (or di((erent tyes o( aircra(t are generated
searately
2.amle
+e5uested tris &4'''4H (or a given day "etween locations &4'''4&@
Current locations o( the aircra(t:
9ear ,@ 9ocation
& F
* I
, *
- -
Only aircra(t & has maintenance restrictions
&' it can (ly at most ,,I minutes
*' it can land at most G times "e(ore its ne.t maintenance
The in(ormation a"out the tris and travel times "etween
locations are given in the case
16
D2C:D2: #hich tris can "e served "y each aircra(t and '''<
The schedulers create two matrices:
AT (Aircra(t - Tri) and TT (Tri - Tri)
AT(i43) ? &4 i( aircra(t i can serve tri 34 and @ otherwise
TT(34$) ? &4 i( tri $ can "e served i!!ediately a(ter tri 3 "y
the same aircra(t4 and @ otherwise
6O# CO;9D =O; 1OD29 T62 !+O8921 AS A 9:02A+
:0T2%2+ !+O%+A1<
De(ine varia"les:
S
3
? &4 i( tri 3 is su"contracted
@4 otherwise
Q
i3$
? &4 i( aircra(t i serves tri 3 3ust "e(ore tri $
@4 otherwise
(or i434$ such that AT(i43)?&4 AT(i4$)?& and TT(34$)?&
:n order to reresent the num"er o( emty (light hours (rom
the initial location to the dearture location o( the (irst tri4 let
us use a dummy tri4 namely tri @' Then4
Q
i@$
? &4 i( aircra(t i serves tri $ (irst
@4 otherwise
(or i?&4'''4n and AT(i4$)?&
Q
i3@
? &4 i( aircra(t i serves tri 3 last
17
@4 otherwise
(or i?&4'''4n and AT(i43)?&

Q
i@@
? &4 i( aircra(t i does not serve any tris
@4 otherwise
(or i?&4'''4n
=ou should have constraints to ensure that
&' 2ach unscheduled tri will either "e served "y one aircra(t4 or
will "e su"contracted
*' :( an aircra(t serves tri $ a(ter tri 34 tri 3 is either the (irst
tri served "y this aircra(t4 or it is served a(ter another tri4 say
tri
,' 2ach aircra(t has a (irst tri or does not serve any tris at all
1aintenance restrictions:
-' Total (light hours o( aircra(t i is at most the availa"le (light
hours "e(ore the ne.t maintenance
E' Total num"er o( landings o( aircra(t i is at most the availa"le
landings "e(ore the ne.t maintenance
!re-scheduled tris:
F' :( tri $ is re-scheduled to aircra(t i4 then it will "e served "y
aircra(t i
18
1aintenance restrictions and re-scheduled tris ma$e the
ro"lem di((icult
:( these restrictions are rela.ed4 the ro"lem can "e solved
e((iciently
A heuristic aroach:
&' Solve the ro"lem without re-scheduled tris and
maintenance restrictions
*' ;se the given solution to construct a solution (or the original
ro"lem
19