An asset for improved efficiency and punctuality in air transport

It has been shown that compared to the ACARE goal of 99% punctuality in European air transport within 15 minutes, the average actual value in Europe is only around 82% (as of 2009) [1]. Studies from Eurocontrol Performance Review Commission (e.g. Punctuality of Airports Study and Performance Review Report 2010 [1]) reveal that a main contribution to insufficient punctuality results from a variance in off-block times. Therefore punctuality is strongly affected by the predictability and duration of landside processes at the airport. Poor predictability within flight planning and the necessity for costly time buffers in airline schedules are therefore major hazards for reaching envisaged goals. A reduction of 5 minutes of buffer in 50% of all European flight-plans would save a magnitude of one billion Euros per year [2]. These issues were the impetus for the project ASSET (Aeronautical Study on Seamless Transport) [3] funded by the European Commission in FP7. The project combines