The processes of airline operational control

Abstract

The airline industry has undergone many drastic changes in the way operations are conducted since the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. The Federal Aviation Administration of the Department of Transportation, however, has not fully kept up with these changes. This has created tension between the airlines and the FAA, who, responsible for providing air traffic control and management, is using decades old technology and procedures to handle modern day problems. This thesis details the process of building and implementing an airline schedule. This is based on interviews with several major US airlines. Particular attention is paid to the day to day running of the airline at the Airline Operations Control Center. Several areas are identified where the FAA can provide better ATC service to the airlines, and to the traveling public. These areas include more lenient rules for swapping ground delay program slots, including slot sale, and new tools to make more efficient use of the national air space.