Decision support systems (DSS): support unstructured and semi-structured decisions, such as whether to make or buy products or what new products to develop & introduce into existing markets.
One characteristic of a DSS is for “what-if analysis”. Why would a “what-if analysis” be useful for an airline company (e.g. American Airlines, Delta, Southwest) and under what circumstances might an airline use the “what-if analysis”.
The “what-if analysis” is an analytical tool which is used to design departure management programs. It helps to avoid the adverse effects of anticipated demands. Also, it helps to foresee the performance of airport traffic at a later time with the help of forecast operating conditions.
If the traffic management initiatives are having an impact on the departures, configuration of routes, traffic schedules then under these circumstances “what-if analysis” might be used. In response to the traffic congestion or weather changes in TMI are done that includes imposing restrictions on MIT (miles in trail) restrictions on departures. The alteration in the capacities of runaways of airport or departure fixes of terminal air space are all included in changes in the condition of the airport. Altering runways, replacing the flights, changing the predicted off-block time, all these changes are done by Airport traffic.
In these dynamic conditions, analysis is used by the Departure Management Programs (DMP) for the sake of being proactive in the implementation of DMPs that are based on traffic management. Hence, it lowers the negative effect on the performance of airport traffic.