Air traffic delays spread through flight networks like a biological epidemic
Air traffic congestion behaves like a contagious disease, where a single delay at a major hub can trigger a massive chain reaction affecting up to 8,000 flights across the entire national network.
A single ground stop at a major airport like Chicago or Atlanta can spread through flight networks much like a biological epidemic. Using queueing theory models, researchers have found that when arrival rates exceed capacity by just 10 percent, wait times balloon exponentially. High-altitude jet streams with winds up to 200 mph further complicate this by requiring aircraft spacing to increase from 3 to 5 nautical miles, slashing airport throughput by nearly 30 percent.
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