Airline Network and Operations Management

 Airline Network and Operations Management (40%) Airline networks are profoundly influenced by commercial interests, market sizes, airline fleets (and other resources) and strategic plans of airlines. This causes complexity to airline strategic schedule planning and subsequent airline operations and disruption management. In this essay question, please discuss the issue of airline network complexity from the following perspectives by providing your own examples to highlight the complexity: (1) How can air passenger connections, commercial interests, and markets possibly influence the network complexity of an airline? (Hint: you may like to consider different types of networks and pax connections and explore how this may affect network complexity.) (10%) (2) How can aircraft routing and aircraft utilisation affect network complexity? (10%) (3) How can crew pairing, rostering, and crew utilisation affect network complexity? (10%) (4) How can network complexity be influenced by the pursue of schedule robustness and the practice of disruption management by airlines? (Hint: (a) consider how this complexity is “created” during schedule planning, and how the complexity as a whole influences airline operations; (b) explain how you can improve schedule robustness and operational reliability by dealing with network complexity both from scheduling and operational perspectives.) (10%) While you explore the complexity of airline networks, use your own examples to highlight your points and views. DO NOT use my examples in my book; this will incur heavy penalty to your mark. You are welcome to cite other sources, though. Figures and graphs are good tools for you to use in the assignment.