Optimal assignment of incoming flights to baggage carousels at airports

The problem considered in this report is an assignment problem occurring at airports. This problem concerns the assignment of baggage carousels in baggage claim halls to arriving aircraft (baggage carousel assignment problem). This is a highly dynamic problem since disruptions frequently occur during operations. We introduce a basic static model that can be adapted to the layout of different airports. Afterwards we show how a decision support system based on a MIP-model can be designed in a dynamic real world environment. The system supports the decisions of the dispatcher during daily operations. Computational results for a real world problem at Frankfurt Airport are presented. At Frankfurt Airport the suggested solution method was successfully implemented and is running now for over half an year. The experiences show that the system increases the quality of the dispatching process and in general is a substantial support in decision making.