Simulation Based Optimisation of Ground Crews: Case of a Regional Airport

Paper presents the simulation models built within an airport ground crew scheduling automatization project at a regional airport. Our goal was to develop robust ground crew task scheduling and shift generation algorithms that would improve on existing heuristic rules. We have utilized simulation modeling to develop and validate the algorithms, starting with a model of the existing scheduling process coded and visualized in spreadsheet software and ending with a hybrid Discrete Event and Agent Based model used for the visualization and verification of the optimized processes. Explicit and tacit expert knowledge was recorded through meetings with airport personnel managers and observation of the ground crew processes. Gathered knowledge was combined with business rules, contractual limitations and labor legislation to develop the final version of the algorithms