Complex Networks in Air Transport

Abstract

The application of CNT to air traffic management has seen significant growth in recent years. This is partly because air traffic can be seen as the superposition of different networks, including the networks of airports, sectors and navigation points. Moreover each of these networks can be seen as a multiplex – for example, by associating each layer with a different airline. The study of the topology of these networks is important for several reasons related to understanding, monitoring, controlling, and optimising the air traffic system. The topological properties of air traffic networks are useful: (i) for studying how the air traffic has changed in recent years; (ii) for identifying the more central and vulnerable nodes of air traffic networks; and (iii) for identifying communities of nodes that can be naturally associated with units of ATC (e.g., sectors or airspaces). The topology affects the dynamics that can take place on a network, such as the mobility of passengers and goods, the propagation of disturbances (e.g., delays, congestion, and so on), and the propagation of epidemics. Despite this large range of applications of CNT to ATM, we believe that the interaction between these two fields is only beginning and new and interesting contributions will be published in forthcoming years.