Capacity of airport check in facilities: a risk analysis approach

The capacity of an airport terminal building is the capability of it to serve a given level of passenger demand, under predetermined quality standards. Check in facility is among the most critical elements of a terminal building, due to the uncertainty related to its main operating parameters and variables. The main purpose of this study is to simulate check-in queuing and waiting time processes adopting a mixed approach, based on the integration of queuing theory and risk analysis. The methodology adopted in this paper is a useful tool to support efficient planning and management of airport check-in facilities, in particular during peak periods, when there is a strong stochastic component of demand profile that can quickly saturate the capacity of the system.