Airline schedule buffers and flight delays: A discrete model

This paper revisits the airline schedule-buffer choice problem analyzed by Brueckner et al. (2021) using a simpler model where the random shocks influencing flight times are discrete rather than continuous. The analysis yields closed-form solutions for the flight and ground buffers as well as full comparative-static results, neither of which were available in the earlier paper. The paper also explores several extensions to the model that were not present in the previous paper.Highlights• Paper develops discrete version of buffer model of Brueckner et al. (2021).• Random shock affecting flight times is discrete rather than continuous.• Analysis yields closed-form solutions and full comparative statics.• Provides further insight into airline’s choice of schedule buffers.