1.224J ESD.204J Airline Crew Scheduling.ppt

1.224J/ ESD.204J: Airline CrewScheduling Outline – Crew Scheduling Problem Definition Costs Set Partitioning Model and Solution – Enhanced Crew Scheduling Link to Maintenance Routing Problem Enhanced Model and Solution Approach Crew Scheduling:SomeBackground This problem has been studied by operations researchers for at least 4 decades Most major U.S. airlines use crew pairing optimizers for the cockpit crews Crew costs are the airlines’ second largest operating expense Even small improvements in efficiency can have large financial benefits Airline Crew Scheduling 2-stage process: Crew Pairing Optimization Construct minimum cost work schedules, called pairings, spanning several days Bidline Generation/ Rostering Construct monthly work schedules from the pairings generated in the first stage Bidlines Individualized schedules Objective to balance workload, maximize number of crew requests granted, etc. Some Definitions A crewbase is the home station, or domicile, of a crew A crew pairing is a sequence of flights that can be flown by a single crew: beginning and ending at a crewbase spanning one or more days satisfying FAA rules and collective bargaining agreements, such as: maximum flying time in a day minimum rest requirements minimum connection time between two flights Example: A Crew Pairing Some More Definitions A duty period (or duty) is a sequence of flight legs comprising a day of work for a crew Alternative pairing definition: a crew pairing is a sequence of duties separated by rests A crew schedule is a sequence of pairings separated by time-off, satisfying numerous restrictions from regulatory agencies and collective bargaining agreements Example: Duty Periods Crew Pairing Problem (CP) Assign crews to flights such that every flight is covered, costs are minimized and labor rules are satisfied: Maximum flying time in a day Minimum rest requirements Minimum connection time Crew Pairing Costs Duty costs: Max