Multivariate analysis of the impacts of NAS investments: A case study of a capacity expansion at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport

Abstract

Multivariate statistical analysis is used to estimate the impacts of a major capacity expansion at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The model relates the Daily Flight Time Index (DFTI) to demand, weather, origin airport congestion, and the expansion itself. The effect of the capacity expansion on DFTI is found to depend strongly on visibility. On average, the index in the post-expansion period is 1.3 min less as a consequence of investment. This change includes a larger reduction in departure delay that is offset by an increase in taxi time. Moreover, the reduction caused by the expansion has been more than offset by increases in the DFTI resulting from other factors, notably increased demand and worse weather.