A Sequential Stochastic Security System Design Problem for Aviation Security

Passenger screening is a critical component of aviation security systems. This paper introduces the sequential stochastic security design problem (SSSDP), which models passenger and carry-on baggage-screening operations in an aviation security system. SSSDP is formulated as a two-stage model, where in the first stage security devices are purchased subject to budget and space constraints, and in the second stage a policy determines how passengers that arrive at a security station are screened. Passengers are assumed to check in sequentially, with passenger risk levels determined by a prescreening system. The objective of SSSDP is to maximize the total security of all passenger-screening decisions over a fixed time period, given passenger risk levels and security device parameters. SSSDP is transformed into a deterministic integer program, and an optimal policy for screening passengers is obtained. Examples are provided to illustrate these results, using data extracted from the Official Airline Guide.