Multi-Objective Modeling for Airlines Cooperation by Game Theory and Sustainable Development Approaches

In each time period, the passengers’ demand for each route is finite and airlines compete for earning more profits. The complex competition among airlines causes some problems, such as complicating flight planning and increasing empty seats for some routes. These problems increase air pollution and fuel consumption. To solve these problems, this research studies the cooperation of the airlines with game theory and sustainable development app.roaches. To investigate the issue, the three steps are suggested as introducing the components of the multi-attribute game theory to the multi-objective model, modeling multi-objective formulation with a sustainable development app.roach, and solving the model by a multiobjective method. Pay-off functions are to maximize the profit of airlines, minimize the total difference among the No.s of flier passengers and their demand on all routes and all flight times, and minimize empty seats. All the above-mentioned objectives present economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainable development. The results of the airline cooperation model are compared with the information about non-cooperation collected from airlines in the current form. The cooperation of airlines can improve the objective functions and the sustainable development app.roach. This research can be used to help airlines in identifying the role of cooperation in air transportation.