On airlines code-share optimisation: a modelling framework and analysis

Abstract

This paper presents an optimisation-based modelling framework for evaluating the profitability of an operating carrier's code-share agreements with multiple partnering carriers. The model examines the terms of under-negotiation agreements including flights and the number of seats open for code-share and associated fare discounts. The model provides a recommendation of the set of agreements to be accepted by the air carrier. The model explicitly considers the trade-off between the different agreements as well as the trade-off between the incremental revenue from the code-share agreements and the potential loss of revenue due to the displacement of the non-code-share passengers. A set of experiments that illustrate the model capabilities for hypothetical code-share scenarios is presented.