Crew Management Guide
Introduction
Crew Management has been referenced as an area of mystery, or a “place where magic happens”. In reality, Crew Management is an area which manages resources it does not own, protecting a product it has no control over.
Crew Management, together with numerous areas of airline planning and operations, need to solve complex problems which require the use of Operations Research science.
Operations Research (OR) is an analytical method of problem-solving and decision-making that is useful in the management of organizations. In operations research, problems are broken down into basic components and then solved in defined steps by mathematical analysis.
Optimizers are every strategist’s best friend when it comes to operational planning. Crew planning optimizers help management make data-driven decisions by analyzing how different scenarios impact operational efficiency and costs. Optimizers help assess business performance over short, medium, and long-term horizons. The end objective is to establish concrete plans that address airline business needs and optimize efficiency and costs while adhering to strict industry regulations.
When looking at the airline landscape, many smaller airlines use automation tools rather than optimization tools, which leads to the question: when should airlines switch from automation to optimization? While there is no universal answer, operational complexity, which many factors can drive, is the key tipping point. Size is one of these.
This manual has been produced by a group of Crew Management specialists from the Airline Crewing Enigma-Expert Think Tank group, with the objective of removing the “mysteries” of Crew Management. The group has used examples and experience from various airline business models from regions around the globe. It outlines a series of general Crew Management methodologies used within the industry. It is not meant to be a replacement for deep subject matter expertise or professional consulting.
Our manual serves to provide information on concepts and methodologies only. It is not our intent to recommend any preference in methodology or vendor. We have not referenced any airline or vendor, as all our examples are generic. All decisions belong to the reader.
A special thank you to the following group members who provided their time and examples of processes used by Crew Planners:
- Antonios Pitsiladis
- Aditi Kumari
- Claire Taitte
- Daniel Stecher
- Leonie Godard
- Kevin Kirklen
- Marcel Sol
- Paul Donachy
Disclaimer: All contributions to this manual are based on personal capacity and do not represent processes, views, or opinions of current or previous employers of any listed contributor.