A Simulation-Based Approach for Solving the Aircraft Turnaround Problem

This paper describes the Aircraft Turnaround Problem (ATP) and then proposes a simulation-based method for solving it. The ATP is receiving an increasing interest from airline companies due to the importance of reducing delay costs in today's competitive environment. Our approach uses a simulation model to analyze different scenarios and thus estimate the optimal level of buffer times during turnaround operations. Real-life data has been used to complete a set of experimental results that contribute to illustrate the potential applications of the proposed methodology.