Aircraft selection by applying AHP and TOPSIS in interval type-2 fuzzy sets

Abstract

The selection of the appropriate aircraft can bring competitive advantages to airlines, however, there are a number of factors which introduce a degree of uncertainty to the selection process. By removing this uncertainty, airlines can increase their chances of achieving their long-term goals. New Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods provide decision-makers with a satisfactory solution for choosing suitable aircraft. Therefore, we focused on the multi-dimensional evaluation and selection of the most suitable commercial aircraft alternatives by using new MCDM method. This article provides decision support to airline planners on the selection of commercial aircraft under uncertainty. In the study, unlike other studies in the literature on aircraft selection, the model presented here uses an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Analytical Hierarch Process (IT2FAHP) and Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (IT2FTOPSIS) hybrid methods. The proposed model for aircraft selection allows commercial airlines to evaluate the aircraft in terms of specific criteria: economic performance, technical performance, and environmental impact, and, as a result, it helps decision makers select appropriate aircraft in an uncertain environment. In addition to use by commercial airlines, the methods in the study can also be applied to the selection of training aircraft, cargo aircraft and military aircraft. Our findings show that the Airbus A321neo is the most suitable commercial aircraft in terms of technical aspects, economic aspects and environmental aspects for airlines.