Potential global jamming transition in aviation networks

In this paper, we propose a nonlinear transport model for an aviation network. The takeoff rate from an airport is characterized by the degree of ground congestion. Due to the effect of "surface congestion," the performance of an airport deteriorates because of inefficient configurations of waiting aircraft on the ground. Using a simple transport model, we performed simulations on a U. S. airport network and found a global jamming transition induced by local surface congestion. From a physical perspective, the mechanism of the transition is studied analytically and the resulting aircraft distribution is discussed considering system dynamics. This study shows that the knowledge of the relationship between a takeoff rate and a congestion level on the ground is vital for efficient air traffic operations.