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A Two-Phase Genetic Algorithm for Large-Scale Bidline-Generation Problems at Delta Air Lines

Author

Listed:
  • Ioannis T. Christou

    (Delta Technology, 1001 International Boulevard, Department 709, Atlanta, Georgia 30354)

  • Armand Zakarian

    (Delta Technology, 1001 International Boulevard, Department 709, Atlanta, Georgia 30354)

  • Jun-Min Liu

    (Delta Technology, 1001 International Boulevard, Department 709, Atlanta, Georgia 30354)

  • Helen Carter

    (Delta Air Lines, Department 028, PO Box 20706, Atlanta, Georgia 30320)

Abstract

We developed a two-phase algorithm for solving Delta Air Lines' bidline-generation problem: assigning trips (tasks) to monthly schedules for crew members (called bidlines .) The system must produce bidlines that conform to all rules, and it should maximize average total value and the quality of the bidlines as measured by their purity. The first phase of the algorithm (the purity phase) constructs as many high-quality lines as possible, and the second (the GA phase) completes the assignments by constructing high-total-value valid lines from the remaining open trips. Delta obtains significant savings in staffing by using this algorithm. The bidlines produced are of comparable quality to those built with the semiautomatic process that Delta Air Lines used before.

Suggested Citation

  • Ioannis T. Christou & Armand Zakarian & Jun-Min Liu & Helen Carter, 1999. "A Two-Phase Genetic Algorithm for Large-Scale Bidline-Generation Problems at Delta Air Lines," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 29(5), pages 51-65, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:29:y:1999:i:5:p:51-65
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.29.5.51
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ahmad I. Z. Jarrah & James T. Diamond, 1997. "The Problem of Generating Crew Bidlines," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 49-64, August.
    2. Kevin W. Campbell & R. Bret Durfee & Gail S. Hines, 1997. "FedEx Generates Bid Lines Using Simulated Annealing," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 27(2), pages 1-16, April.
    3. J. Kennington & Z. Wang, 1992. "A Shortest Augmenting Path Algorithm for the Semi-Assignment Problem," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 40(1), pages 178-187, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Vahid Zeighami & François Soumis, 2019. "Combining Benders’ Decomposition and Column Generation for Integrated Crew Pairing and Personalized Crew Assignment Problems," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(5), pages 1479-1499, September.
    2. Atoosa Kasirzadeh & Mohammed Saddoune & François Soumis, 2017. "Airline crew scheduling: models, algorithms, and data sets," EURO Journal on Transportation and Logistics, Springer;EURO - The Association of European Operational Research Societies, vol. 6(2), pages 111-137, June.
    3. Saddoune, Mohammed & Desaulniers, Guy & Elhallaoui, Issmail & Soumis, François, 2011. "Integrated airline crew scheduling: A bi-dynamic constraint aggregation method using neighborhoods," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 212(3), pages 445-454, August.
    4. Mohammed Saddoune & Guy Desaulniers & Issmail Elhallaoui & François Soumis, 2012. "Integrated Airline Crew Pairing and Crew Assignment by Dynamic Constraint Aggregation," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(1), pages 39-55, February.
    5. Boubaker, Khaled & Desaulniers, Guy & Elhallaoui, Issmail, 2010. "Bidline scheduling with equity by heuristic dynamic constraint aggregation," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 50-61, January.
    6. Cynthia Barnhart & Peter Belobaba & Amedeo R. Odoni, 2003. "Applications of Operations Research in the Air Transport Industry," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(4), pages 368-391, November.
    7. Milind G. Sohoni & T. Glenn Bailey & Kristi G. Martin & Helen Carter & Ellis L. Johnson, 2003. "Delta Optimizes Continuing-Qualification-Training Schedules for Pilots," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 33(5), pages 57-70, October.
    8. Cynthia Barnhart & Amy Cohn, 2004. "Airline Schedule Planning: Accomplishments and Opportunities," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 3-22, November.
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    10. Quesnel, Frédéric & Desaulniers, Guy & Soumis, François, 2020. "A branch-and-price heuristic for the crew pairing problem with language constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 283(3), pages 1040-1054.

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