SYNOPSE: a model-based decision support system for the evaluation of flight schedules for cargo airlines

The ability to evaluate flight schedules, with respect to cost, revenue and contribution to profit, is essential for cargo airlines to respond properly to changing environments in this highly competitive and consumer-oriented market. In this paper, we introduce SYNOPSE, our model-based decision support system for the evaluation of flight schedules for cargo airlines, by describing the underlying planning situation, the data model and the decision models used, and the implementation, i.e., the development process, as well as the architecture. A small example illustrates the high complexity of the analysis process and the supporting qualities of our decision-support system (DSS). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.