Mathematical programming as a tool to assist in the management of an airline operations [paper in Portuguese]

The easing measures imposed by the Brazilian aviation authorities, since 1992, and intensified from December 1997 through the award of higher degrees of freedom in setting rates and frequencies by the air transport business operators in the country, led a competition among existing hitherto unseen, forcing them to a new type of market positioning. The competitive market has caused companies to change their policy to a purely operational business policy in order to survive in this new competitive environment. These characteristics of the current air transport industry indicate a wide possibility of application of the techniques of Operations Research (OR) in the solution of problems faced by companies. First, this article seeks to show the current characteristics of the air transport market and the events that led to this structure. The following is a review of the literature shows that the Operations Research techniques that are used in fleet planninge and finally done a case study that shows an application of fleet assignment for a small network of regional flights.