Climate-aware air traffic flow management optimization via column generation

Abstract

Aviation is one of the global warming contributors. Its impact is due to CO${}_2$ and non-CO${}_2$ effects. Trajectory design is one of action levers for minimizing the environmental impact of air transportation. However, it affects the Air Traffic Management and should satisfy airspace constraints, especially airspace capacities. This paper proposes a climate-aware version of the Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM), focusing on CO${}_2$ and one particular non-CO${}_2$ effect: condensation trails (contrails), although other non-CO${}_2$ effects can be integrated. A deterministic ATFM optimization model is proposed, solved by a column generation approach. This problem is solved using different metrics, from simple to more complex and realistic ones. Numerical experiments are conducted both in the lateral case and when the cruise altitude becomes a decision variable. The impact of airspace capacities is also evaluated. The problem instances that are studied are built from realistic open-access data and made publicly available.