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Improving Workforce Scheduling of Aircraft Line Maintenance at Sabena Technics

Author

Listed:
  • Jeroen Beliën

    (Center for Informatics, Modelling and Simulation, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; Research Center for Operations Management, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Brecht Cardoen

    (Operations and Technology Management Center, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; Research Center for Operations Management, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Erik Demeulemeester

    (Research Center for Operations Management, Department of Decision Sciences and Information Management, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

This paper presents our application of a visualization tool and optimization model based on mixed-integer linear programming to solve a workforce staffing and scheduling problem at Sabena Technics, a major aircraft maintenance company in Belgium. We used the software to generate many alternative, cost-efficient schedules and to analyze multiple scenarios. In several management meetings, stakeholders evaluated the schedules and raised concerns. We subsequently changed the model to successfully address their concerns. The model has resulted in considerable savings and a more efficient use of human resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeroen Beliën & Brecht Cardoen & Erik Demeulemeester, 2012. "Improving Workforce Scheduling of Aircraft Line Maintenance at Sabena Technics," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 42(4), pages 352-364, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:42:y:2012:i:4:p:352-364
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.1110.0585
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Belien, Jeroen & Demeulemeester, Erik & Cardoen, Brecht, 2010. "Integrated staffing and scheduling for an aircraft line maintenance problem," Working Papers 2010/23, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    2. E. Rod Butchers & Paul R. Day & Andrew P. Goldie & Stephen Miller & Jeff A. Meyer & David M. Ryan & Amanda C. Scott & Chris A. Wallace, 2001. "Optimized Crew Scheduling at Air New Zealand," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 31(1), pages 30-56, February.
    3. Gang Yu & Michael Argüello & Gao Song & Sandra M. McCowan & Anna White, 2003. "A New Era for Crew Recovery at Continental Airlines," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 33(1), pages 5-22, February.
    4. Ernst, A. T. & Jiang, H. & Krishnamoorthy, M. & Sier, D., 2004. "Staff scheduling and rostering: A review of applications, methods and models," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(1), pages 3-27, February.
    5. Cynthia Barnhart & Amy Cohn, 2004. "Airline Schedule Planning: Accomplishments and Opportunities," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 3-22, November.
    6. Jacques Desrosiers & Arielle Lasry & Daniel McInnis & Marius M. Solomon & François Soumis, 2000. "Air Transat Uses ALTITUDE to Manage Its Aircraft Routing, Crew Pairing, and Work Assignment," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 30(2), pages 41-53, April.
    7. David Lesaint & Christos Voudouris & Nader Azarmi, 2000. "Dynamic Workforce Scheduling for British Telecommunications plc," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 30(1), pages 45-56, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Sanja Petrovic, 2019. "“You have to get wet to learn how to swim” applied to bridging the gap between research into personnel scheduling and its implementation in practice," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 275(1), pages 161-179, April.
    2. De Bruecker, Philippe & Beliën, Jeroen & Van den Bergh, Jorne & Demeulemeester, Erik, 2018. "A three-stage mixed integer programming approach for optimizing the skill mix and training schedules for aircraft maintenance," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 267(2), pages 439-452.
    3. Qin, Yichen & Ng, Kam K.H., 2023. "Analysing the impact of collaborations between airlines and maintenance service company under MRO outsourcing mode: Perspective from airline's operations," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    4. Talla Nobibon, Fabrice & Leus, Roel & Nip, Kameng & Wang, Zhenbo, 2015. "Resource loading with time windows," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 244(2), pages 404-416.
    5. De Bruecker, Philippe & Van den Bergh, Jorne & Beliën, Jeroen & Demeulemeester, Erik, 2015. "A model enhancement heuristic for building robust aircraft maintenance personnel rosters with stochastic constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 246(2), pages 661-673.
    6. Machado, Marcio Cardoso & Gomes Eller Araújo, Michelle Aparecida & Soto Urbina, Ligia Maria & Macau, Flavio Romero, 2016. "A qualitative study of outsourced aeronautical maintenance: The case of Brazilian organizations," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 176-184.
    7. Komarudin, & Guerry, Marie-Anne & De Feyter, Tim & Vanden Berghe, Greet, 2013. "The roster quality staffing problem – A methodology for improving the roster quality by modifying the personnel structure," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 230(3), pages 551-562.
    8. Hyun Jun Yang & Suk Jae Jeong & Sung Wook Yoon, 2020. "Enhancement for human resource management in the ULD build-up process of air-cargo terminal: a strategic linkage approach," Journal of Heuristics, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 301-333, April.
    9. Guopeng Song & Tamás Kis & Roel Leus, 2021. "Polyhedral Results and Branch-and-Cut for the Resource Loading Problem," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 33(1), pages 105-119, January.
    10. Dinis, Duarte & Barbosa-Póvoa, Ana & Teixeira, Ângelo Palos, 2019. "A supporting framework for maintenance capacity planning and scheduling: Development and application in the aircraft MRO industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 1-15.
    11. Komarudin & Tim De Feyter & Marie-Anne Guerry & Greet Vanden Berghe, 2020. "The extended roster quality staffing problem: addressing roster quality variation within a staffing planning period," Journal of Scheduling, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 253-264, April.

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