Stackelberg game theoretical model for optimizing aircraft maintenance routing with maintenance staffing

Despite the interdependence between the operational aircraft maintenance routing problem with flight delay consideration (OAMRPFD) and the maintenance staffing problem (MSP), they are solved separately. Therefore, the optimal plan of each problem will not be operated as planned. In this paper, our focus is the OAMRPFD along with the MSP, with two main objectives. Firstly, to develop an OAMRPFD model that reflects appropriately the flight delays. For this purpose, a new scenario-based stochastic programming model for OAMRPFD (SOAMRPFD) is proposed. Secondly, to handle the interdependence between SOAMRPFD and MSP, by proposing a coordinated configuration of SOAMRPFD and MSP that is formulated as a leader-follower Stackelbery game. In this game, SOAMRPFD acts as a leader and MSP acts as a follower. This game is enacted through a bi-level optimization model, which is solved by a bi-level nested ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm. In order to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model, a case study of major airline and maintenance companies located in the Middle East is presented.