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Airside Cargo Transport Optimization 

​In collaboration with TU Delft, AirportCreators contributed to a research project that developed a mathematical model to explore and evaluate strategic approaches to airside cargo transportation. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AAS) served as the case study. The Airside Cargo Transportation Problem (ACTP) was formulated as a Mixed-Integer Linear Program (MILP), incorporating vehicle capacity, time-dependent travel times, vehicle capacity, consolidation of ULDs, and handling constraints for different cargo commodity types. 

The project assessed the effects of different network-level and terminal-level strategies on the performance of airside cargo transportation.

 

The model helped evaluate operational strategies such as: 

  • Pull-based scheduling, where cargo is delivered just-in-time to the aircraft stand 

  • Push-based scheduling, where cargo is dispatched immediately after processing in the cargo terminal 

  • Time-based distribution, using traffic predictions to avoid peak congestion on the airside service roads 

  • Spatial distribution, redirecting flows across the airside service road network 

 

The results offer valuable insights into the hidden trade-offs between the various strategies and help to quantify the operational implications of different strategies that affect the airside cargo transportation. 

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This project illustrates how advanced optimisation techniques can be used to validate operational concepts and support strategic airport decisions — well before procedures are implemented. 

Our work: 

• Problem definition and operational system modelling 

• Development of a MILP-based mathematical optimisation model and algorithm design 

• Scenario definition and strategy comparison 

• AAS case study in cooperation with TU Delft 

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Airside cargo transportation is a critical component of the air cargo supply chain. It requires timing and coordination to minimize operational costs and ensure high service quality for the airline transporting the cargo. Any delays in airside cargo transportation leads to the risk of cargo missing its intended flight — resulting in costly rebookings, underused belly capacity, and a decline in service performance. These challenges are amplified by the complexity of the airport’s airside service road network: some service roads are heavily overused while others remain underutilized, leading to localised congestion and fluctuating travel times. In a time-sensitive operation, this can critically impact delivery reliability. 

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