Airline OR Innovations Soar During COVID-19 Recovery

The Airline Group of the International Federation Operational Research Societies (AGIFORS) held four conferences during May to July 2021 that focused on how COVID-19 was impacting and reshaping airline industry. Dozens representatives from around world spoke about fundamental changes in passenger demand booking patterns are industry driving innovation research needs. Customers much closer departure canceling or exchanging their tickets more frequently than before COVID-19. Volatility has increased as travel restrictions change borders reopen. Consequently, greater uncertainty forecasts used inputs optimization algorithms is motivating need for new approaches. Revenue management scheduling departments innovating they predict market sizes exploring ways use data sources historic bookings forecasting models. Scheduling operations making many flight-cancellation equipment-swap decisions one three days flight departure, which changing role recovery planning. New urgency exists within crew design duties rosters robust ever-evolving schedules. Across functional areas, increasing emphasis develop integrated solutions jointly optimize schedules, pairings, uncertain at time published. This paper describes these COVID-19, explains why short lead times volumes expected remain after developing approaches handling volatile demand.