Optimal Boarding Methods for Airline Passengers
Author: Justin Müller
Projekt
Abstract
In this document, currently applied boarding policies are introduced. Their main characteristics
are shown and briefly analyzed. Due to the variety of existing research works concerning
the boarding problem that have already been done, some selected works are introduced. An
overview of what has been done in these works, as well as a short outlook of their findings
and results is given. This document is mainly built up by using these references whereby it
can be treated as a literal research work.
The fundamental characteristics of the boarding process are herewith stated, as well as with
the help of general understanding gathered by personal observations. The understanding of the
process enables to generate formulations that can be used to be represented by mathematical
models or simulation. Based on this understanding, a comparison study of two different policies,
representing two major popular applied methods, is being undertaken. The result of this
investigation shall give insights to the influence of the cabin width on boarding time; it shows
furthermore that the often criticized back-to-front method could be preferred under given circumstances.
The results and findings that were done by other studies are stated and discussed. By summarizing
these results, the major accordance of the 'Window-Middle-Aisle' policy to be the most
efficient one is found. An outlook of the impact of some innovative policies in reality is given
by the example of two market leading airlines.