MA4880 Airport Ops and

Systems

Tutorial 1
Airport Network Analysis
Sameer Alam
ZEPHAN WONG KAI EN
KOH JUN AN
 Airport Network Analysis

• Airport Network is the manner in which airports are

connected by flights
– Network is a space-time network
– Network determines the itineraries

• Two distinct types of airport networks

– Point-to-point
– Hub-and-Spoke
 Example: Point-to-Point Network
Start of Day at
Origin
• 5 Airports (1 to 5 on y-axis) t1 t2 t3 t4 t5
Time
• Time – (t1, t2….on x-axis)
• Each Origin is connected to each Destination
(e.g., 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-1,…..)
• Flights depart Origin in time to reach Destination
at Desired Arrival Time

Airports
(e.g., t5 - start of business day)
• # Flights required to provide service (for 5
airports in this network)
= n * (n-1) i.e., 5 * 4 = 20
• # Aircraft required to provide service = #
Simultaneous Flights in the network (count active
flights in time t4-t5) = 20
Space (y-axis) - Time (x-axis) Network
 Example: Hub & Spoke Network
Start of Day at Desired Arrival
Origin Time
t1 t2 t3 t4 t5

• Each Origin is connected to each Destination via

a Hub (i.e., 3)
(e.g., 1-3-2, 1-3-4, 1-3-5)
• Flights depart Origin in time to reach Destination
at desired time
(e.g., start of business day)
• # Flights required to provide service
= 2 (n-1) i.e., 2 * 4 = 8
• # Aircraft required to provide service = #
Simultaneous Flights in the network
= 4 (count active flights in time t3-t4)
• Connection-time at this Hub airport = 0-time units
 What are Itineraries ?

• Itinerary is the sequence of flights taken by a given

passenger from Origin to Destination:
– Direct Itinerary
– Connecting Itinerary
• By definition, a given flight (in a hub-and-spoke network) will
have passengers on board with different itineraries.
 Direct Itinerary
Direct Itinerary:
– Origin
– Destination
– Scheduled Departure Time Origin (as ticketed)
– Scheduled Arrival Time Destination (as ticketed)
– Flight Number
– Flight Seat Capacity
– Type: Direct
 Connecting Itinerary
Connecting Itinerary
– Origin
Transit Time/Connection time
– Hub
– Destination

– Origin-Hub (one Itinerary)

• Scheduled Departure Time – origin (as ticketed)
• Scheduled Arrival Time - Hub (as ticketed)
• Flight Number
• Flight Seat Capacity

– Hub-Destination (second Itinerary)

• Scheduled Departure Time – origin (as ticketed)
• Scheduled Arrival Time - Hub (as ticketed)
• Flight Number
• Flight Seat Capacity
Some key definitions:

1. A passenger itinerary defines how passengers are transported from origin

to destination
2. A direct passenger itinerary transports passengers with a single flight
3. A connecting passenger itinerary transports passengers with two (or
more) flights
4. Passengers on a flight = ∑ passengers on all passenger itineraries that
include this flight
5. Passengers per itinerary = (Passengers on direct itineraries + Passengers
on connecting itineraries)/Total Passenger Itineraries

Air Traffic Management Research Institute

 An Example Network: Scenario

• Markets
– Five
– Located in same Time Zone
– Equal distance apart

• Transportation Service at each City

– Each Market has its own airport
– Travel time = 1 Unit Time between airports
(e.g., Travel Time 1 to 4 = 3 units)
 An Example Network: Transportation Demand

• Transportation demand
– Total of 500 passengers
– 100 passengers to each Destination Market
– 100 passengers from each Origin Market
– 25 passenger trips from each Origin market to each
Destination Market

• Passengers are required to be at Destination for start of

day, so depart with enough time
– Demand for travel at each Origin to arrive at Destination
at start of day
– 100 pax leave each market
– 100 pax arrive at each market
 Point-to-Point Network Informatics
Start of Day at
• Total Passengers = 500 Origin
• Total Itineraries = 20
• # Flights = 5 * 4 = 20
• Aircraft Size = 25 seats
• Distance Traveled =
From Airport 1 – 4+3+2+1 = 10
From Airport 2– 3+2+1+1 = 7
From Airport 3– 2+1+1+2 = 6
From Airport 4– 3+2+1+1 = 7
From Airport 5– 4+3+2+1 = 10
• Total Distance Traveled = 40
• Total Trip Time = 40
• Total Arrival Displacement Time = 0 (all pax arrive at required time)
• Average Trip Time = 40/20 = 2
• Max Simultaneous Arrivals at each airport = 4 (at each airport)
• Max Simultaneous use of airspace = 5
Point-to-Point Network Data Table
Tutorial Exercise: Hub-n-Spoke Network
1. Use the same example scenario
2. Use Airport 3 as Hub
3. Assume connection time at Hub Airport = 1 time unit
4. Draw the corresponding Space-Time Network
5. Complete the Data Table
6. Compute Hub-Spoke Network Informatics
7. Implication on Stake-Holders
1. Draw the Space-Time Network for Hub & Spoke
Start of Day at Start of Day at
Origin Destination
(t1) (t5)
1 Time

2
Airports

3 is a Hub Airport

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 2. Complete the Data Table for Hub-Spoke Network
Origin Airport Originating Pax Destination Itinerary Pax per Itinerary Total Trip Time Arrival Displacement
2 1-3-2 100+25=125 4  0
3 1-3 100 2 2 (Early)
4 1-3-4 100+25=125 4 0
1  100 5  1-3-5  100+25=125
475/4=118.75 pax ea
5
4+2+4+5=15 
1 (Late)

1 2-3-1  100+25=125  4  1 (Late)

3 2-3 100 1 2 (Early)
4 2-3-4 100+25=125 3 0
2 100  5  2-3-5
 
100+25=125
475/4=118.75 pax ea
4
4+1+3+4=12
1 (Late)

 1 3-1 25  2 1 (Late)
2 3-2 25 1 0
4 3-4 25 1 0
3  100 5 3-5  25 
10/4=25 pax ea
2
2+1+1+2=6
1 (Late) 

1  4-3-1  100+25=125  4 1 (Late)

2 4-3-2 100+25=125 3 0
4  100
3
5 
4-3
4-3-5
100
100+25=125
1
4
2 (Early)
1 (Late) 
475/4=118.75 pax ea 4+1+3+4=12

 1  5-3-1  100+25=125  5  1 (Late)

2 5-3-2 100+25=125 4 0
3 5-3 100 2 2 (Early)
5  100 4 5-3-4 100+25=125
475/4=118.75 pax ea
4
4+2+4+5=15 
0

TOTAL   500 -   20 500   60  8 (Early), 8 (Late)

3. Compute the Hub-Spoke Network Informatics
• Total Itineraries = 20
• # Flights = 8
• Aircraft Size = 100 seats
• Distance Traveled = 12
• Total Trip Time (Flight + Turn + Flight) = 60
• Total Arrival Displacement Time = 8 (Early), 8 (Late)
• Average Trip Time = 60/20 = 3
• Max Simultaneous Arrivals at Hub airport = 4
• Max Simultaneous use of Hub airspace = 4
 4. Positive implications

What are the positive and negative implications of such Hub & Spoke Network
design on:
– For passengers, a hub-and-spoke network can provide more convenient
connecting flights and a greater variety of destination options. It also allows
airlines to better utilize their aircraft and routes, resulting in more efficient
operations and lower costs.
– For airlines, a hub-and-spoke network allows them to better control flight
schedules, reducing delays and cancellations. It also allows them to better
utilize their aircraft and routes, resulting in more efficient operations and
lower costs.
– For ATC, a hub-and-spoke network can reduce congestion at airports and in
airspace by consolidating traffic at a central hub, resulting in more efficient
use of resources.
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 4. Negative implications

What are the positive and negative implications of such Hub & Spoke Network design
on:
– For passengers, a hub-and-spoke network can require longer travel times and
more connections, which can lead to increased inconvenience and the possibility
of missed connections. It can also result in higher ticket prices due to the need to
connect through a hub.
– For airlines, a hub-and-spoke network can require more aircraft and crew to cover
the same number of destinations as a point-to-point network, resulting in higher
operating costs. It can also limit the airlines' ability to respond quickly to changing
market conditions, as it requires a more rigid schedule and infrastructure.
– For ATC, a hub-and-spoke network can result in increased congestion at the hub
airport and in airspace around it, which can lead to delays and increased workload
for air traffic controllers. It also can increase the risk of cascading delays, as a
delay at the hub airport can disrupt the schedule of multiple flights.
Air Traffic Management Research Institute