Multi-criteria decision making in aircraft selection problems: an analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-based approach for low-cost airlines

In response to escalating passenger demand and persistent delays in aircraft manufacturing, airlines have increasingly sought alternative strategies for fleet expansion. Within this framework, low-cost carriers prioritize used aircraft acquisitions due to their cost efficiency, reduced lead times, and enhanced operational flexibility. The selection process for used aircraft, however, constitutes a complex multi-criteria decision-making challenge, encompassing numerous often competing technical, economic, and operational factors. This thesis employs the AHP to systematically and rigorously model this decision-making framework. Diverging from extant literature, which predominantly centers on comparisons across different manufacturers or newly produced aircraft models, the present study focuses on second-hand aircraft from a single manufacturer. Specifically, three aircraft spanning two distinct models - two Boeing 737-800s and one Boeing 737-8 MAX - are evaluated against four principal criteria: technical specifications, cost parameters, safety records, and scheduled maintenance compliance. This research contributes a novel and pragmatic decision support tool tailored to the nuanced requirements of low cost carriers fleet acquisition strategies and the used aircraft market, thereby enriching both academic discourse and industry practice