Disruption Management

Irregular operations (IROPS) handling, passenger rebooking, and recovery optimization.

Scope

Disruption Types

• Weather delays
• Mechanical issues
• Crew unavailability
• ATC delays/ground stops
• Security incidents
• Connecting flight misconnects

Passenger Recovery

• Automatic rebooking
• Alternative routing
• Interline protection
• Hotel and meal vouchers
• Compensation processing

Crew Recovery

• Crew reassignment
• Reserve activation
• Deadhead positioning
• Duty time management
• Fatigue considerations

Aircraft Recovery

• Swap/substitution
• Ferry flights
• Maintenance coordination
• Network ripple mitigation

Research Topics

• Rebooking optimization algorithms
• EU261 / DOT compensation rules
• Interline protection agreements
• Proactive rebooking triggers
• Customer communication automation
• Crew recovery optimization
• Network recovery simulation
• Cost of disruption modeling

Architecture Considerations

Disruption Response Flow

Disruption Detected
        ↓
Impact Assessment
├── Affected flights
├── Affected passengers
├── Affected crew
└── Downstream impacts
        ↓
Recovery Options Generated
├── Passenger alternatives
├── Crew solutions
└── Aircraft swaps
        ↓
Decision Support
        ↓
Execution
├── Rebooking
├── Notifications
├── Voucher issuance
└── Schedule updates
        ↓
Monitoring

Rebooking Priority

1. First/Business class
2. Elite frequent flyers
3. Tight connections
4. Special needs passengers
5. Families with children
6. Standard passengers (by check-in time)

Data Model

Disruption
├── DisruptionID
├── Type (Delay, Cancellation, Diversion)
├── Cause (Weather, Mechanical, etc.)
├── AffectedFlights[]
├── AffectedPassengers[]
├── StartTime
├── EstimatedEndTime
└── Status

RecoveryOption
├── Passenger
├── OriginalItinerary
├── Alternatives[]
│   ├── NewItinerary
│   ├── Carriers[]
│   ├── ArrivalDelay
│   └── Cost
├── SelectedOption
└── CompensationDue

PassengerNotification
├── Passenger
├── Channel (SMS, Email, App)
├── Message
├── Timestamp
└── DeliveryStatus

Integration Points

Passenger Rights Compliance

EU261

Exemptions: Extraordinary circumstances

US DOT

• Tarmac delay rules
• Denied boarding compensation
• Refund requirements
• No delay compensation mandate

Automation Capabilities

Proactive Rebooking

Triggers:

• Mechanical known >2 hours before
• Weather impact predicted
• Crew timeout anticipated
• Connection <45 minutes with delay

Self-Service Recovery

• Mobile app rebooking
• Kiosk rebooking
• Website manage booking
• Chatbot assistance

Metrics