A Two-Stage Optimization Method for Multi-Runway Departure Sequencing Based on Continuous-Time Markov Chain

With the rapid expansion of the aviation industry, traditional static scheduling methods have become inadequate to meet the increasingly complex demands of efficient airport operations. To enhance the operational efficiency of multi-runway airports, this paper introduced a two-stage dynamic departure scheduling method based on continuous Markov chains. The pushback rate control strategy was extended to multi-runway scenarios to identify the optimal taxiway queue threshold in stage I. In stage II, the pushback rate control strategy with a known queue threshold was introduced into a multi-objective optimization model, aiming to minimize flight delays and operational costs including pushback waiting times, taxi fuel consumption, and environmental impact. Then, continuous-time Markov chains (CTMC) were employed to track aircraft state transitions in the taxiway queue, and a nested whale optimization algorithm was proposed to optimize both the pushback sequence and runway resource allocation. Results indicate that the proposed method reduced the average taxiway queue time by 55.58%, with delay reductions of up to 73.06%, offering significant cost savings and environmental benefits while improving flight punctuality. This innovative approach highlights the potential for optimizing airport resource scheduling in complex and dynamic environments.