Over the last years Schiphol has experienced a growth in aircraft movements and exchange of narrow body aircraft for wide body aircraft. The infrastructure has been unable to change at the same pace increasing the pressure on the ground operations capacity and forcing the growth into the off-peaks moments where free infrastructural capacity was available. By growing in the off peaks a new challenge arose. The unused capacity was of essential value in the system plan stability. It offered flexibility that could be used to recuperate from planning deviations. The situation created, can cause a deviation from the plan to trigger a domino through the day that cannot be halted because there is no recuperation space. To stop this effect, it is essential to perform research into the current situation of the plan stability, and the exact causes that start or continue the domino effect. To do this the research will answer the following research question: “What are the opportunities for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and the other KDC stakeholders to improve the airside ground operational plan stability of the airport?”
Graduated: August 2019